Q. We are a family with two children, ages four and six. We just purchased a new SUV, our first new car ever. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep the car clean on the inside? On long drives we will have to keep our children entertained with toys and snacks and drinks. What is the best way to keep the car from turning into a disaster area?

The panel began by cautioning the parents not to have unrealistic expectations.

“Kids do eat in cars,” panelist Erin Stolsitz said. “In fact, the parents say they already expect to give the children snacks and drinks when in the SUV.”

“Be careful of your expectations,” panelist Mike Daniels repeated. “The children are still learning. You can expect that trips to the beach and elsewhere are going to get messy, so there’s no reason for the parents to get angry or frustrated.”

Calling the SUV “a playroom for children,” panelist Denise Continenza said it is still possible for the parents to maintain some kind of control. Speaking about her own family, she said, “After a drive, everyone is responsible for taking their trash with them.”

Daniels suggested that the parents set guidelines to ban sodas, shakes and French fries. “It’s a matter of having a conversation with the kids,” said Daniels.

Stalsitz said that the rules need to be simple, noting, “We keep trash bags in the car, and we clean up when we get out.”

As for toys and games, panelist Pam Wallace said there needs to be a place for everything. “The children need to get used to putting things away in the car. It can be an adventure for the kids to put their things in all the little compartments in the SUV,” Wallace said.

Panelist Wanda Mercado-Arroyo had a different take on the question, saying, “What do you value more, the children’s experiences or the SUV? Sometimes we put too much emphasis on material things.”

Daniels had some parting advice: “Don’t give the children chocolate. It’s not good for them, and it winds up all over the place.”

This week’s panel: Pam Wallace, program coordinator, Project Child, a program of Valley Youth House; Mike Daniels, LCSW, Psychotherapist, Denise Continenza, extension educator; Wanda Mercado-Arroyo, educator and former school administrator; and Erin Stalsitz, Lehigh Children & Youth.

Have a question? Email: projectchild@projectchildlv.org

The Family Project is a collaboration of the Lehigh Valley Press Focus section and Valley Youth House’s Project Child.

The Times News, Inc., and affiliates (Lehigh Valley Press) do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the columnist and column do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Lehigh Valley Press. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health-care provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.