August 2003
Our family is driving across the country this summer. That's right. We are going from Seattle, Washington to Washington D.C....and back. My fifteen year old daughter gets to spend an entire month in the van with her mom, dad, and two younger brothers. WOOHOO! What an opportunity for "family bonding!" While your family may not have such brave plans this summer, there is a good chance that you'll be spending more time with your parents and siblings over the summer and less time with your own activities and friends than you do during the school year. The best strategy for surviving with minimal conflict is to plan ahead.
Talk to your parents about your social plans in advance to avoid a collision between the "big party" and the family reunion at grandma's house.
Talk about the ground rules before I.M.ing your friends from the back of the Bronco in Branson, Missouri so you don't get slammed with an unexpected roaming charge.
Pack a book, a journal, joke book, or gameboy, for a private distraction on a long car ride.
Save up for a CD player and some new CDs so you don't have to rock with the oldies or sing along to totally silly songs, again...unless, of course, you're into that because, after all, he is Bob, the Tomato and he is here it help!
If you can find some time for yourself to unwind and rest, it will make it a whole lot easier to enjoy the time you spend with your family, even when your dad wants to pull over to see the country's biggest ball of string and your little brother asks for the hundredth time, "Are we there yet?"