Kids today don’t realize how good they have it. I realize every disgruntled generation says that about their successors, but COME ON. When I was a kid, if my family was going on a long car trip, we were forced to actually talk to one another. There was nothing else to do! We played stupid games like “I Spy” and “Punch Buggy” and sang rounds of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” It was awful.

Nowadays, kids have their portable gaming devices, their iPods, their smart phones, and their headrest DVD players to help them pass the time on long trips. There was a time when watching TV in cars was limited to Lincoln limousines and custom conversion vans. Now you can watch the entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy on a laptop computer plugged into your car’s cigarette lighter. Some airplanes even have cable television in every seat! Kids today must think taking long trips are better than arriving at their destinations.

If I were still a kid, I’d prefer something a little more low-tech like today’s Deluxe Carry-On Drawing Set. I start to feel sick if I try to check my e-mail or play video games in the car. With all the art supplies packed into this cool kit, I could while away the hours drawing pictures of my family stuffing their faces with Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing and cranberries.