Spring Break Safety Advice

So many parents will be sending their teenagers off on a Spring break trip soon. Senior year is so jam packed with things to do that many parents find themselves scrambling to get prepared to send their children away. They find themselves scurrying to pack all the necessities and enough sunscreen to cover an elephant. Safety is a major concern for Spring break trips. Sunscreen helps but, there are many more important issues to consider.

Every parent will want to sit down with their kids for a good long safety talk before sending them off on Spring break. Most parents will have a list of things to stay away from. While we all have the best of intentions, it seems that we remember to tell the kids how to stay out of trouble but, we forget to tell them what to do if they happen to get into trouble.

Having been through the ordeal of sending my son to a foreign country for his senior Spring break trip, I have learned some invaluable lessons involving safety. After viewing all the pictures and videos from his trip and hearing all the stories, I added quite a few things to the safety list I had made for my son. Here are a few things that every parent should think about before sending their children off on Spring break.

Passports, IDs, and Itineraries :
The first thing every parent should consider is getting a passport at the same time as their child. If your child would happen to need you while away on Spring break, it is important that you be able to travel quickly to them. It is also very important to make multiple copies of passports, IDs, and trip itineraries. Be sure to give a copy of each to your child, a chaperon, and keep one for yourself. You might also want to consider giving a portion of cash for your child to the chaperon to keep safe for them.

Investigate and Test Phone Service :
You will want to get the main number of the hotel your child will be staying at. Call that number and ask them about cell phone service in their area. Also, find out if they have pay phones available. You will want to make sure your child calls you as soon as they are safely in their room and give you their room number. It is also very important that you contact your own cell phone service provider and be sure that your child will have cell phone service. Many providers will have plans that make the calls much more affordable so, be sure to ask about that. Be sure to have your child program home and friend phone numbers into their phone with easily identifiable names such as mom and dad. Remember to tell your child that if they have any trouble using their cell phone, to call you using a prepaid calling card that you will surely want to purchase for them. Be sure to get the cell phone numbers of any parents going on the trip and as many friends numbers as you can.

Know where and how to find medical care:
This simple tip could save a life. Make a call to the hotel your child will be staying at. Find out where people go for medical treatment. Get exact directions to the nearest hospital. Also, find out if there is a resort Doctor on premises. Having a plan and exact number and directions can save minutes when it is most important. Be sure to make three copies of all this information. Send one copy with your child, one with a parent that is going, and keep one for yourself.

Explain Alcohol :
Parents usually go about dealing with alcohol in one of two ways when sending a child off on Spring break, Some will tell their child to drink but to be smart about it. Others will tell their child that they expect them to totally avoid drinking. It is a wonderful thing to have a trusting relationship with your child. It is great to believe that they will be smart about things. The truth is, the vast majority of teenagers going on Spring break will drink. A great deal of them will drink to excess. Parents need to educate their teenagers on what to do if they do drink too much. They need to be told to drink plenty of water when they begin to feel too drunk. They should be given honest advice on how to deal with excessive drinking. They also need to be armed with advice on what to do if one of their friends drinks too much.

Talk about Balconies :
Most Spring break students will find they are staying in very tall hotel buildings. The majority of these buildings will have balconies. Balconies are quite a problem when you have very drunk teenagers on them. There are numerous ways that people get hurt being out on them. Young men often tend to show off when drinking and attempt tricks that end up in tragedy. Balconies collapse from the weight of too many party attendees. Be sure to mention these things to your child before they leave for Spring break. Go over the good idea of avoiding balconies or any other obviously dangerous places. Be sure to also go over what your child should do if they would happen to sustain an injury while on vacation.

Swimming and Diving :
Water activities are a main source of pleasure for Spring break students. It may seem obvious to talk to your child about water safety but, there are some special points to consider for Spring break. Be sure to go over how dangerous it is to dive into any unfamiliar waters. Party boats are common at many spring break resorts and some are very sketchy to say the least. Try to help your Spring break group plan outings that the hotel recommends and be certain your child knows basic water safety tips.

Activities away from the Resort :
Most of the Spring break resorts have enough room and activities to keep everyone happy. With that said, most groups will plan at least one or two activities away from the resort. This is when your child needs to be very aware of predators and unsavory characters. Local predators are well aware of the tourists and young teenagers that visit their areas on Spring break. Your child needs to know how important it is to stay with the group they came with and avoid being alone with any locals. Go over how important it is to avoid getting too drunk or distracted while away from the resort. Be sure that parents or chaperons are planning to go on any planned activity with the children.

Research Local Laws :
Tourists destinations have their own problems to deal with if they are popular for Spring break trips. Most places will also have very strict laws in place concerning drinking and curfews. Be sure to take the time to investigate the local laws and make your child very aware of them. It is also a good idea to find out where the nearest law enforcement station is to the resort your child will be staying at. It is a great idea to purchase three maps and clearly mark where the nearest hospital and police station is on them. Give one to your child , one to a chaperon, and keep one for yourself.

This may seem like quite a lot to take in for yourself and even more to get across to your teenager. When you send your child off on their senior Spring break trip, it's important that you send them with the information they need to stay safe and healthy. These tips go into some detail yet, the details are incredibly important factors in keeping your child safe.

The most important thing to do is get a step ahead any way you can. Having important information, phone numbers and addresses can save much needed time in many instances. Arm your child with plenty of sunscreen and information. Send them off with kisses and smiles. Kick back and enjoy this time of peace knowing you have done all you can to keep your child safe on Spring break.