Traveling should be fun and exciting, but if you’re traveling with your kids, the trip could be stressful. With careful planning, traveling with your children will be easier. You should also anticipate any problems that may arise during the trip related to the safety of your children so that the trip is pleasant and hassle-free. Here are some tips for a safe trip with your children.
Let your children participate in planning the trip or vacation. Traveling with your children to places unknown to them could create stress and fear. Help them anticipate changes in environment and activities by including them in the planning stage of the trip or vacation. It will also help them to welcome the new place if you bring familiar toys and other things that will make your children feel comfortable.
Inspect your hotel or accommodation room. Hotels in your destination location may not be as safe as hotels in your home country, it is best to inspect the room for faulty or exposed electrical wires, unsafe stairs or balcony railings, poisonous substances in the bathroom and other things that can harm your children.
Carry a traveler’s first aid kit. This will also serve as your first aid kit to help you take care of minor health issues while traveling with your children. Your health kit may contain medications prescribed by your doctor if you or your children are on medication. Medications must be in their original containers and bring a copy of the prescription letter or note from your doctor. Examples of medications to bring are antimalarials, antidiarrheals, antihistamines, anti-motion sickness, fever-reducing medications, mild laxatives, cough suppressants/expectorants, antacids, and antifungal/antibacterial ointments. It is also necessary to bring insect repellent with 50% DEET, sunscreen or sun block, alcohol-based hand gel, digital thermometer, baby wipes and the address and telephone numbers of the hospital in the destination area. Your traveler’s health kit is a very useful kit when traveling with your children.
Advise your children to be careful with food and water. Children are prone to diarrhea and other food- and water-related illnesses while traveling. Before traveling with your children, you must educate them to be careful with food and water at your destination. You should only use purified water. Advise your children to wash their hands with soap and water as often as possible or to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially before eating.