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Handling Kiddie Car Meltdowns This Holiday Season

Kiddie Car Meltdown Advice - Rath Auto Resources
The approaching holiday season means road trips, which often lead to meltdowns for your kids on the road. These are unpleasant and also distracting for drivers and can turn an anticipated relaxing retreat into a stressful ordeal. Be prepared for the inevitable with these four ways to deal with meltdowns in the car this holiday season. Leave on Time and Be Prepared A sure way to reduce stress on the road is to leave on time and be prepared. If you're chasing the clock the entire time during the drive, your anxiety will naturally increase. Your passengers will be feeling some stress due to the time crunch, as well. This not only increases the likelihood of a meltdown or argument but will also make it much harder to take a breath and deal with the situation. You can mitigate this issue by leaving on time and giving yourself enough space in your schedule for delays. This way, if you're slow getting out the door, you'll be spending the time you budgeted just for that purpose. You'll also give yourself enough time to make your car a more convenient and entertaining space for traveling, which can minimize meltdowns and make them easier to manage. Organize Your Vehicle Just like being in a time crunch, traveling in a cluttered, unorganized space will amplify the stress of being in a vehicle for a long time. Clean your car before leaving, and add some organizers to help keep it that way on the road. A garbage bag hanger that goes behind the front passenger's seat, for example, can keep the vehicle neat and make traveling and dealing with meltdowns much easier.   Schedule Stops to Manage Meltdown-Triggering Issues If you understand what causes meltdowns on the road, you can better manage them. Your kids may just get bored or perhaps they're feeling motion sick or cramped. Set aside some time in your schedule to check for these specific issues. For example, instead of eating lunch while you drive, plan for a picnic at a rest stop along the way. This way, everyone can stretch their legs and get some much-needed sunlight. Picnicking rather than stopping for fast food so you can keep driving also gives you more control over everyone's diet. It may seem more convenient to stop for a minute at a drive-thru and get back on the road, but greasy foods will leave everyone feeling lethargic and cranky as time goes on. Add Some Overnight Stops Another tip is to break your trip into manageable portions, if possible. If your destination is more than eight hours away, turning the journey into a multi-day drive with hotel stops can help everyone get restful sleep and help you reorganize. This can also give you more flexibility in your schedule since you won't have to travel so far in a single day. Road trips are stressful if you don't plan ahead. If you're traveling with kids, prepare for the inevitable by leaving on time, being prepared and organizing, and scheduling plenty of stops to keep everyone as comfortable as possible.   Photo by trevoronim | Licensed under cc BY 2.0
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Which Pre-Owned Kia is Best? Discover the Top Performing Used Kia Models on the Market

Over the decades, Kia has grown from strength to strength in popularity, especially among used-car buyers. If you're wondering which is the best pre-owned Kia to buy, consider one of these models. more Which Pre-Owned Kia Is Best? Discover the Top Performing Used Kia Models on the Market Kia Sportage This good-looking, family-oriented compact crossover is renowned for exceptional reliability, which makes it a steal on the used-car market. The Sportage handles nimbly for a five-seater SUV and is a pleasure to drive about town. The comfy, spacious, passenger-friendly interior keeps kids safe and happy on the way to school. The model has always been packed with a generous range of functional, entertainment, and driver-support features, including excellent safety tech. Kia Sorento Do you have a larger family but still need easy maneuverability in city traffic and parking lots? Then you'll love the handsome, spacious, seven-seater Sorento. Despite being a midsize crossover, the Sorento manages three comfortable rows of seating inside with plenty of cargo room to spare. These seating configurations are flexible, and the Sorento's handling, gas mileage, and in-cabin tech are all excellent as well. Kia EV9 You'll save even more on energy with the large, sophisticated, all-electric EV9, a three-row EV SUV with an incredible price tag for its segment, even when new. The standard rear-wheel drive and single electric motor grants huge power and torque for effortless acceleration, and you'll find AWD trims on the used-EV market, too. Every edition of this fantastic electric SUV has won a perfect 10/10 score with Car and Driver. If you find a used EV9, snatch it up before someone else does! Kia Forte The fashionable Kia Forte has always been an in-demand compact sedan among drivers who value high-quality driving at a low cost. The Forte handles wonderfully and has exceptionally good fuel efficiency, with highway MPG ratings of 40 and over. It's also a very tech-rich car, with an impressive range of standard features for its class and price tag. Kia Soul This small SUV has an elegantly bold, boxy demeanor that grants a great deal of legroom and headroom inside its cleverly designed cabin. As the name suggests, the Soul has a lot of character and charm, with textured inside door panels and other tasteful in-cabin touches matching the confident exterior. It's an agile, feature-rich, highly capable front-wheel drive crossover that overdelivers on value. Kia Optima As with all the Kias listed here, the Optima is a remarkably low-maintenance vehicle for its segment. This reliable, eye-catching, family-focused sedan has a great deal of cargo space and plenty of engine options, including a hybrid trim, any of which you may find when you start browsing pre-owned models. The Optima comes filled with standard driver-assist tech, and you may find additional optional features pre-installed by the first owner. If you'd like to take a used Kia for a spin, visit Rath Auto Resources Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR.

5 of the Best Family Car Models to Buy Used

Extracurricular activities, grocery runs, road trip vacations: your family's busy. You need a ride to fit your busy lifestyle. With a family, you're also likely on a budget. Read on to discover the best-used cars in the running to become your next and best family car. more 5 Best Family Car Picks for Used Cars 1. Chrysler Pacifica Few autos are more reliable for family hauling than the minivan. The Chrysler Pacifica ranks top of its class. Three rows of seats provide you plenty of room to pack family members in a wide and comfortable space that won't make you feel like a can of sardines. If you don't need all that extra room, you can fold down both your second and third rows of seats to stow some other precious cargo for family outings. Families can be messy, so the built-in vacuum feature may just be a godsend for you. And to keep the “are we there yet?” and “I'm bored” chants at bay, take advantage of that theatre-style rear entertainment system. Better yet, you're teaching your family eco-consciousness by taking advantage of the rising-in-popularity hybrid style of automobile. 2. Honda Accord This mid-sizer has earned accolades for being a top pick for families and a bargain buy. The safety features make this car a great option for ensuring all your loved ones' security when you're on the road. The comprehensive safety package for the Accord includes front automatic emergency braking, rear-seat alerts, and even teen driver control for that burgeoning driver in your family. Wi-fi and USB ports will keep everyone connected and entertained. And for a mid-sized car, the comfort and cargo space are unparalleled. 3. Lincoln Navigator Do you want a luxury SUV for those family outings? If so, the Navigator is calling your name. A powerful durable 450-horsepower engine is made for the long haul. Those indulgent and potentially reclining seats give you and all your passengers legroom to spare. You'll also get all the tech bells and whistles like a ten-inch entertainment display. If you want to drown out the noise, though, and plug into some serenity (what family head doesn't?), simply turn on the noise-cancelling feature. And with an 8,300-pound towing capacity, take that family boat or other luxury along for the good times. 4. Ram 1500 Pickup trucks are made for hauling, but this reliable and powerful beauty can haul your family without sacrificing their comfort. That coil-spring rear suspension exclusive to the Ram makes the ride just as comfy and secure as that luxurious interior full of room to spare. With nearly 12,000 pounds of towing capacity, you can literally hitch your second home to the back of this gentle beast. And navigate the roadways and even packed parking spots with confidence via handy features like a rear backup camera and blind-spot monitoring. 5. Kia Sorento Optional captain's chairs and multiple rows of seating will help you keep the smallest members of your family safe and secure. You can fit up to three booster seats in this pick that's also packed with safety must-haves such as automatic high beams and lane assist. Plus, the price can't be beat for its class. Make your next big family investment matter. Visit Rath Auto Resources of Fort Smith and check out our inventory of affordable, family-friendly used automobiles. Image via Pixabay

2013 Toyota Highlander

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