It is holiday season again! Hari Raya is just around the corner.

Being a Malaysian, we have diversity of races and cultures but we do have something in common:

It is a long weekend and it is time to go back to hometown!

Grandfathers and grandmothers waiting by the door with their sweetest smiles waiting for the grandchildren. The cheeky grandchildren!

Imagine the happiness while eating the rendang, weaving the ketupat, stirring the dodol with all the muscles we have and the joy of the kids running freely on the yard as if nothing could stop them.

But, all the pleasure thoughts somehow stopped when the visual of the tantrums, cries and screams take place across your mind. A very depressing thought.

Long road trips with kids aren’t fun fests. Heading towards the north or east coast, congested roads await. The phenomena aren’t a new one, but happen every time during a long holiday. Can’t be changed but there is something you as parents could do to survive the ride!

We enlisted 12 tips to survive the Ride.

1. Service your vehicle before starting your journey. The weather is quite hot these few days and you surely don’t want a malfunctioning air conditioner or car break down to kill all the joy.
2. Get info of the traffic. Equipped yourself with traffic info and important news such as road renovation or land slide might save you a legal headache. Don’t forget to keep important numbers for your future reference. You may subscribe apps or follow twitter @plustrafik to get on-site traffics.

Persatuan Automobil Malaysia (AAM) hotline: 1-300-226-226

Plusronda: 1-800-88-0000 (Please note that PLUS emergency telephone is located every 2km)

ANIH Berhad (LPT): 09-5479111

3. Pack the car before you put the munchkins inside. Give them enough room.
4. Consider beginning your journey near the bedtime or early in the morning. Why? Children are more likely to sleep during the journey. But Dads, this only works if you are not too tired or sleepy to drive at night. Have a good rest before start travel. Safety always come first.
5. Don’t forget your essential items – wet wipes, small tissue packs, bottles of water and simple paper games that can help them occupied during the journey.
6. Bring on the snacks. A hungry kid is an angry kid. Pack some healthy meals and snacks. A full tummy will make them stay happy and less cranky. Be careful though, getting your kids sugared up may backfired.
7. Keep plastic bags available for rubbish. You don’t want unwanted things scattered inside your car that you just sent it to wash.
8. For younger children, tie toys to their seats so you don’t constantly have to retrieve them from the floor.
9. Dads, and moms, don’t drive non-stop. Give chances for your children to stretch their legs. Give them some air. When they are happy, you will be happy too. You can revive yourselves too! But Mommy and Daddy, please stop at appropriate location. Plan your journey well and identify early the RnR you wish to stop.
10. You may also give tasks to your children before starting your journey. For example, list five places of interest along the journey or spot five cars (specific brand) on the expressway. You may also read signs, play games do simple math with car plates’ numbers. They will have the fun and they will learn something during the journey.
11. Give them reminders or talk to them nicely few days before your journey and remind them few times. “you must be good along the way” or “behave in the car” might help you and save you from their screaming!
12. Finally, if children are asleep as you approach a destination and are going to have to be awake for some time once you get there, start to wake them in good time so they have a chance to surface slowly rather than having to be instantly alert after you arrive.