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Your top family travel woes—solved!

Summer’s here—and it’s time for a vacation! You told us your three biggest concerns for traveling with kids, and we found the solutions.

1. Babies on a plane

“We’re taking our one-year-old daughter on her first plane ride next month. My dilemma: should I purchase a ticket just for her, or save money by having her sit on my lap?”

With rising fuel costs plus a seemingly endless list of fees (want to check your bag? That’ll be $50.), sharing a seat with your baby for 4 hours rather than buying one just for her sounds like a reasonable way to cut costs. However, a recent alert issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) declared the practice unsafe, warning that adults are often unable to maintain a secure hold on a lap-held child during turbulence, plus take-offs and landings. Instead, babies and toddlers should be secured in a size-appropriate restraint system. “Think of it just like a car trip,” says Lisa Orman, a spokesperson for Kids Fly Safe, a manufacturer of kids’ air travel restraints. “You would never put your baby or young child in a vehicle just sitting in someone’s lap, or using only a lap belt instead of a car seat. The same goes for airplanes.”

Speaking of car seats, many models do a good job of keeping a baby or toddler safe during a flight, but be sure to check the label in advance. If it doesn’t say the seat is certified for aircraft use, you’ll be forced to check it at the gate. Another option: the Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) by Kids Fly Safe, an easy-to-install harness for children 22 to 44 pounds that itself weights only one pound. ($75, kidsflysafe.com)

2. Boredom on the open road

“Road trip! We’re driving cross-country, and I’m terrified my kids will go out of their minds with boredom. How can I keep them entertained?”

If you’re looking at the minivan DVD player to keep your kids entertained for hours (or days!) while on the road, think again, says Sheri Wallace, editor of Roadtripsforfamilies.com. “In my experience, it tends to wind kids up and make them cranky.” Instead, encourage your kid to focus her attention outward by keeping her actively engaged in the trip with scavenger hunt. Create a list of things she’ll need to find during the journey (younger children can watch for simple things like a red barn and family of deer, while older kids can do a little more work—say, find a town name for every letter of the alphabet), and provide a disposable camera so she can snap a photo for each item spotted. Don’t forget to determine a prize if she manages to cross off every item!

Another word of wisdom? Relax. “The great thing about a road trip is the flexible schedule,” says Wallace, who encourages parents to eschew rushing and overplanning in favor of some built-in downtime. Try playing a game of Frisbee at an outdoor rest area, hiking through a local park or trail, eating at a restaurant that specializes in local fare, or even checking into a hotel early to use their pool. “Make getting there part of the vacation,” Wallace advises. “It will be more enjoyable for kids and grown-ups.”

3. Queasy kids

“What’s the best way to cope with motion sickness? My child starts feeling sick just thinking about long car rides!”

The queasiness associated with driving or riding on a boat is icky, but fortunately, avoiding it isn’t too difficult. “Motion sickness usually happens when a kid (or adult) is focused on something inside the vehicle,” Wallace says. While the ears sense that the body is moving, the eyes see stillness—resulting in conflicting signals in the brain that are responsible for that nauseous feeling. Some tips to try:

• Look outside. Instead of reading, coloring, or watching DVDs, encourage activities that’ll keep your kid’s gaze towards the window. Try Wallace’s scavenger hunt idea above, or bring along a favorite CD or audio book to listen to.
• Drive easy. They can’t always be avoided, but have the driver try to minimize frequent braking, turning, or swaying, which can exacerbate queasiness.
• Eat light. Sensitive tummies should avoid fare that’s heavy or greasy (read: fast food), plus anything with a strong smell. Instead, go for lighter options like whole grain crackers and hummus, fresh fruit, plus plenty of water.
• Open up. Cabin getting stuffy or stale? Circulate some fresh air by cracking your passenger’s window to minimize nausea.