Back to School 2011
I don’t have the foggiest idea how to bring peace to the Middle East, but I’m happy to announce that I have found the solution to peace in the middle seat (apologies to Gilda 
Radner and her Emily Litella character).
That would be the middle seat in the back row of my car, which historically (that would be the last 5 years) has been a battleground between my three kids.
“The Backpack Barrier”
The fix?
Move older son — now 12 and bigger than his grandmothers — to the front seat, and create a “backpack barrier” between son #2 (8 years old) and his almost-7 year old sister in the back seat.
Ahhh . . . . the sound of silence.
very cute.
mom
good idea….and it works…so please work on the other problem…middle east….
I tested your method in the backseat of our car. Within 10 minutes my four year old (in a car seat) knocked the backpack to the floor onto the feet of my seven year old. Holy hell ensued. Perhaps I didn’t load up the pack with enough books. Do you put bricks in yours? I’m guessing that it would take at least 30 lbs. to prevent my kids from knocking it around. What’s your secret?