- Safeguarding Your Health
- Supporting Travelers with Special Needs
- Traveling with Children
- Sandy's Summary
Traveling with Children
Preplanning is especially important when traveling with children. If you haven't traveled with kids since your own children were young, you may have to search your memory to recall all the things you did to help make the trip more enjoyable.
Remember that preparation is the key to traveling with children. Try to anticipate all the things that could go wrong and then take whatever you need to be prepared. Kids use a lot more Band-Aids than adults. Non-stinging anti-bacterial ointment is a must. And I always throw a few lollipops in a first aid kit for kids to help sweeten things up when cuts and bruises abound.
While you look for diversions and entertainment for the kids, don't forget that safe travel includes precautions that you take for safe travel with kids. The CDC has an excellent resource for traveling with children at www.cdc.gov/travel/child_travel.htm.
If you will be traveling by air, a lot has changed since you traveled with your own children. Be sure to check out the Transportation Security Administration's "Traveling with Children" bulletin at www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm. It gives information you need to know about the screening process, as well as travel tips and special information on children with disabilities.
Another useful website for information on traveling with children is the AirSafe.com site at www.airsafe.com/kidsafe/kid_tips.htm, shown in Figure 8.12. Its "Top 10 Safety Tips for Traveling with Children" will help you in your quest to keep everyone safe and sound while having a great vacation.
Figure 8.12 The AirSafe.com website has tips to make your trip with children safer and more fun.