Motoring with your toddler

Toddlers hate to sit in one place for long. So how do you keep them - and your older passengers - happy in the car? Deb Donovan has some tips

As every parent knows, toddlers can be very squirmy. They get bored easily and they want to be the boss. So it is no surprise that so many small children dislike staying in their car seats.

It is extremely important that your child be securely fastened in the proper size car seat or booster seat each time he takes a ride in the car. How can you make his ride (and yours) more pleasant? By making a few changes you can help to keep your restless little ones safely belted in their seats and make everyone's trip more enjoyable:

Act out a practice run at home using their favourite toy or stuffed animal. You can belt them into their own car seat and take them off for a pretend drive. Children love make-believe games and talking about safety rules as you play, even with the youngest children, will reinforce the importance of buckling up.
Provide each child with a bag for some special items to be used only in the car. Things you might want to include are a tape player and tapes, a picture book and a special toy that is quiet and not annoying to the driver or other passengers.