Six Tips for Traveling Safe with Your Children

When traveling with children, there are several things to keep in mind that will make your trip more comfortable, more enjoyable and above all safer. When leaving the environment that your children are familiar with, they will naturally do two things. They will be more guarded and cautious (good news). However, they will feel that the rules they are accustom to at home may not apply to them while traveling (bad news). Some planning ahead and communication with your children can go a long way when preparing to travel.

Planning Ahead

Talk to your children! Tell them what to expect in the different environments you will be traveling through. Explain to them what will be expected of them at the airport, the hotel, flagging a taxi on a busy street. Discuss emergencies with them. Have a plan for being separated at the airport. Telling them what to expect and what is expected of them in given situations that you already know will exist is one of the most effective ways to keep your kids safe, comfortable and happier during your travels.

While having your family meeting or talk with your children, it is a good idea to have the "Danger, Stranger" talk with them again. Make your communication with them age appropriate and remind them about the rules regarding speaking and otherwise dealing with strangers.

Packing

Depending on your child's age, you should either pack for them or inspect/approve of what they are taking. A lot of stress can be avoided if you realize before you leave that your twelve-year-old filled his suitcase with video games instead of clothes.

Younger children may have their names on their clothing, backpacks, and coats. Don't bring clothes or a bag with the child's name visible. Bight clothing makes finding your children in a crowd easier. Remember: If you are wearing bright clothes it makes it easier for them to find you too. Many families traveling together will wear one unified, very loud, even obnoxious color so they stand out for each other.

Medicine

Prepare for medical conditions and emergencies. Always have a small first-aid kit with you while traveling. Keep the prescriptions and other medications everyone in your family uses in one bag. Other medications you may need as well, such as children's medicines for ailments such as colds, fever, and stomach-ache should be stowed in the same bag. If you are flying, be sure to check with your airline for the latest regulations on medications. If you are carrying a first-aid kit onboard an airline, be sure you have gone through it and removed the things security will remove for you, i.e. tweezers, scissors, etc.

Identification

Ensure you have some type of child identification card. These cards are for you to carry in case your children become lost. You can also make them yourself or there are companies that will make them for you. Include information such as their birth date, gender, height, weight, photo of them, and the parent's contact information. Print the cards out on your personal printer and laminate them with self-sticking lamination sheets. Make sure the photo is legible and of good quality after printing it. This is also a good idea to use this time to update the photos of your children in your wallet.

Ensure your children have a way to contact you, should you be separated. A cell phone or hotel phone number could save a lot of worrying and fretting over someone getting turned around in a busy marketplace, or it could be a life-saver in an emergency situation.

Flying

If your children are less than 40 lbs (18 kg), the FAA recommends the use of a child restraint seat (car seat) to be brought on board for the child. Babies less than 20 lbs (9 kg) should be in a rear-facing restraint seat. The difficulty with this is the inconvenience of traveling with one or more car seats and nearly all airline companies give you the option of letting your child sit in your lap for the flight (without an additional ticket). The decision is yours. Your child will be much safer in the car seat than riding in your lap. Yet, purchasing an additional airline seat for each car seat may place a financial burden on your family. If you are going to be renting a car or taking taxis during your trip car seats may be a good idea to bring anyway.

Seat your child on the window seat or center row. Keeping your child's little arms and legs out of the aisle will prevent injuries from other passengers and drink carts. Take essential items your children may need in your carry-on luggage. Missing something important that is delayed in the lost luggage that will be delivered tomorrow could be costly and inconvenient.

The Hotel

Whether you are staying in a hotel or with family in their home, reiterate to your children that the rules on vacation are the same as they are at home. Ensure they understand that leaving the hotel room without telling anybody or without asking permission is a new rule that must be obeyed.

Baby proof your hotel room (or home you are staying) if necessary. If you are going to be spending a significant amount of time in this space, it may be a good idea to bring those things you use at home to increase your baby's safety such as swings and playpens. Call ahead to your hotel, they may have these items available.

With a little preparation, traveling with your children is a lot of fun. To keep it safe and comfortable, plan ahead and communicate with your children. Traveling with children adds luggage and time to your trip. Getting from one point to another can be much more cumbersome with the little ones. Plan ahead, you know it is coming, so mentally prepare as well so you can take that deep breath, look to your children, smile and make memories that all of you will cherish for life.