NOTES FROM NASHVILLE

So we, the W family, made a trip to Nashville for a few days as kind of a celebration of the kids' first week-long spring break... EVER!!

There are a few things I'd like to share with you on this here blog about our trip, including but not limited to:
- the Jack Daniels Saloon live band
- the mystery of the black napkin
- the Belle Meade Plantation and its "Enslaved African American Workers." Uh huh. That's what they called them.
- I Am Legend
- Three dresses

But first I'm going to talk about traveling with teenagers.

Because it's my blog and I can.

About halfway through our trip TO Nashville, I glanced in the backseat and noticed Kayla reading her book while listening to her MP3 player. I commented to Paul that traveling these days was SO much easier than traveling when the kids were little. So I decided to share my SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL TEENAGE TRAVEL with my ones of readers.

Here they are in no particular order.

* SEPARATE 'EM. Give each kid his/her own space - in the vehicle and in the hotel room. Kayla usually gets the backseat while Blake gets the WAY backseat. In the hotel, each will stake out his/her own spot. Do not, under any circumstances invade said teenager's territory. This is true especially of the male variety.

* FEED 'EM. Teenagers are like infants. They must eat at regular and frequent intervals or there could be much wailing and holding of breath. This is true especially of the male variety. Pack plenty of good stuff in the car - fruit, granola bars, crackers, Gatorade, juice, skittles. Also pack plenty of one dollar bills so they can buy more junk in each gas station at which you stop. But no matter how much food you pack, or what is available at your hotel, what do you do when your teenage daughter suddenly announces "I really want some fresh veggies, especially broccoli."? You try offering her one of the oranges you brought along. You try offering to take her to the Haagen-Dazs ice cream shop that's right there in the hotel. But she wants broccoli?
There was no wailing or holding of breath for that, but still. Whatta ya' do?
I got nothin' for you on that one. But I'll do some research and get back to you.

SLEEP 'EM. Make sure your teenagers get to sleep as much as they want - in the car and in the hotel. It is their vacation after all. This is one good reason to give them their own space. It helps when one of the teenagers, usually the female variety, is quick to volunteer to sleep on the floor, when your suite does NOT have a couch as promised. Tell said teenager she once again wins the "Golden Traveler Award," which in all actuality means she receives absolutely nothing. But keep saying it anyway, not only to praise her selflessness but to also to make her brother feel a little bit guilty. He WON'T feel guilty, but you can keep trying.

PLUG 'EM IN. Bring all the electronic devices you can possibly fit into your vehicle. Since most gadgets and gizmos are the size of a mousetrap, this should not be difficult. This includes MP3 players, PSP machine and games, portable DVD players (although we left ours at home this time -ahh, they are growing up) and of course, the ever important life sustaining cell phone. Do NOT under any circumstances forget the cell phone chargers. You absolutely do NOT want your teenager's cell phone to lose power while they are away from their friends. Contact with their friends, while on vacation with parents, is the absolute only thing that gets a teenager through such a horrible ordeal. We fortunately have NEVER made the deadly mistake of losing cell phone power. My mind cannot even wrap itself around the horrible consequences of such a mistake. Please, please, please, if you do not remember anything else, remember this tip about the cell phones. It is for your mental well being. Also, it doesn't hurt to let each teenager have a little bit of computer time, if your husband happens to bring his laptop. Again it is their vacation, and it's what they like,so why not let them log on for a little bit each evening? Besides Mom and Dad enjoy a little e-time each day also.

PRAISE 'EM. Everybody, regardless of age, likes to receive praise. Tell them you appreciate their willingness to be flexible when things don't go as planned. Thank them for their willingness to compromise. And when they thank YOU at the end of the trip, eat it up like it was one of those Haagen Dazs sundaes you DIDN'T have.

SOAK 'EM UP. They're teenagers. Time with them is rare. Soak up every moment. Remember everything you all said and did on the trip and etch it into your memory, because, if you have teenagers, you already know how quickly time is rushing by. And if it happens to be a trip to visit a college for your older child?
Well, that's another one of those things I can't wrap my mind around yet.

Let's just say part of my heart is still back there in Nashville....