PLAN AHEAD, TRAVEL AGENT ADVISES, AND BE FLEXIBLE

Plan ahead. That's the advice of travel agent Jane Harte.

As mother of two children, she did just that when her kids were growing up.

"I think if you are a travel agent, you have to be a detail person," she said.

But even the best planner can't plan everything. "You have to be flexible," she advised.

Harte, who manages the AAA Travel Agency in Cape Girardeau, said she and her husband Tom traveled a lot when the kids were younger.

"We went on a cruise when the kids were little. Everybody had a good time," she recalled. "They even had tours for the little kids. They went to a fort in Nassau."

Their son Thomas was 5 or 6 at the time, and their daughter Jill was about 12. Thomas is now 20; Jill, 26.

Harte said they've done their share of car trips. "The longest car trip we took was to Canada. That's been about 12 years ago."

To help pass the time on such a long journey, the Hartes packed a box with snack food and games like highway bingo and put it in the middle of the back seat. The move paid off, entertaining the kids while keeping them from getting in each other's space.

"Driving with kids in a car isn't the easiest vacation to take," she said. "You only can play so many games and eat so many snacks."

It helps to stop at various sites along the way, rather than driving straight through to your ultimate destination, said Harte.

Like many families, the Hartes have been to Disney World several times. "Disney makes a really good vacation."

Harte said many people make the mistake of trying to see everything, particularly at places like Disney World.

That's a bad idea when you've got young children in tow. "It's better not to see everything and push your kids until they are cranky," she said.