Elizabeth Pantley, the author of Gentle Baby Care: No-Cry, No-Fuss, No-Worry: Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby (McGraw-Hill, 2003), says parents can get their older children involved in entertaining Baby without having them take on the responsibility of caregiving.

Pantley, who lives in Washington state with her husband, Robert, and children Angela, 17, Vanessa, 15, David, 13 and Coleton, 5, says three of her four children hated sitting in car seats.

"If parents can encourage games, counting vehicles (how many red trucks do you see?) or sing-alongs, then the baby will be entertained, and it will make the whole car happier," Pantley says.

Pantley offers the following tips for helping Baby become a happy traveler:

• Bring the car seat in the house, and let your baby sit and play in it.
• Keep a box of soft and safe toys in the car for use only in the car.
• Hang a poster for the baby in the back of the seat that faces the baby using primary, bold colors.
• Try opening the window for fresh air.
• Purchase a CD of soothing nature sounds or make a recording of familiar sounds such as your own vacuum cleaner.