Driving with teens or tweens

Keeping your little horror amused

As a lot of parents know, the teenager or tweenager section of a child's life can be tedious. Not for them, for you!

Driving long distances with a difficult young one or teenager can be something close to a nightmare. But it doesn't have to be, of course. There are smart ways to amuse your child and also score brownie points for being a cool parent. The same old books, cd’s and toys just don’t cut it when kids get to that technologically savvy age, so consider these easy and pain free ways to keep your fussy kids amused during a long drive.

Portable game consoles- you don’t always need to buy the most expensive ones for your child to be amused. If you are only buying one for the holidays, try those cheap bargain stores found in most malls, some consoles have hundreds of combinations of games to learn (eg. Tetris, battleship) and they can come under $10 most of the time. If you are looking for a long term game, and don’t mind spending the money, Nintendo DS and PSP’s (above) are the current faves amongst technologically savvy kids. The graphics are fantastic, as are the games, so you might end up getting addicted yourself!

Music players- loads of kids have some type of music player these days, Ipods, Irivers, Creatives etc. or they know of one they want. If your child hasn’t got one already, they aren’t as expensive as they sound. You can get cheaper ones of decent quality from most tech stores, or even department stores and variety shops. The price is determined on the brand, but mostly on the size of the hard drive, which means how many songs can fit onto it. Some may be a little pricey, but are worth the silence they bring! Ipod Nanos are the current leading type for the kids, while full- sized Ipods are more expensive and are for the serious music fanatics.

These players also double up in use. While some better quality players also play video clips and movies, with most, you can also download files that play voice recorded books or ‘ebooks’. If your child doesn't like reading in the car, this is a great way to amuse them, as they can listen to their books or novels while you enjoy the scenery in peace. For a little more cash you can splurge on portable DVD players to let them watch their favourite movies or episodes. They hook onto the back of the front driver and passenger chairs, so they still have plenty of leg room.

If you have children that are more like small adults, there are other ways to amuse them without making them feel uncool. Try buying disposable cameras for the long journeys and let them document the trip as they see it. This not only gets rid of boredom, but brings out their creativity. Who knows, you might have the next Herb Ritts or Annie Leibovitz on your hands!

Pocket sized game boards are also a great idea. Magnetic chess boards and magnetic snakes and ladders are a great way to get your kids to focus. Not only do the pieces stay on the board, but the kids can concentrate on themselves in relative silence (hopefully).

If your child is the analytical type, printing them up a map of your journey will help keep their mind active. They can use a pen to track the drive or figure out good places along the way they might want to take a rest. You can test them by asking them to name the next town, city or major road you will come across.