Safety Tips and Tricks When You’re Traveling with Kids
By: Diana Smith
When going on a vacation, your main concern is to have a good time and relax as much as you can, because the obligations and your boring job will be waiting for you when you get back. When travelling with kids, on the other hand, concerns and priorities change drastically. It’s not just about you, the safety and wellbeing of your child become most important. If you want to lower your stress levels, here is what you should know about safety when travelling with kids.
Traveling by plane
When travelling by plane, you should know that all children who are more than two years old need to have their own seats. Buckle them up and keep them buckled for as long as you can, since turbulence can happen suddenly and without warning. If they’re buckled up during turbulence they will not be too afraid because they’ll also feel safe. If they really want to get off their seats and roam around, that is fine, as long as the seatbelt sign is off before you unbuckle them. When picking seats, make sure you’re on the aisle seat and not your children, since they love reaching out and exploring, and flight attendant carts are heavy and they might get hurt accidentally.
Traveling by bus
People will hesitate to take the bus because as some lack seat belts to lock the baby seat in place. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t travel by bus with your kids. You could opt to have your baby by your side in a baby wrap or a sling. This means that you will be able to use your hands freely to pay for the tickets, wipe their mouth, hold their bottle, and gently stroke their hair until they fall asleep. If your baby is too big to be carried in the front pack, there are other options to choose from: a backpack or a light stroller with a shoulder strap that will allow you to take the baby into your arms while carrying the stroller when you need to.
Traveling by car
Travelling by car has got to be one of the most convenient means of transport for parents who have children of any age. You can pack all your things and have an entire baby warehouse in your car: stroller, baby seat, diapers, bottles, toys, spare clothes, etc. If your kids are older, they can sit in the back and play games until you get to your destination, and they can always sleep however long they want without you worrying about them. Your child should be in a booster seat until they are at least eight years old (or ten, depending on the laws of your country). Buy the best baby seats in baby warehouse and make sure you get a written guarantee with your purchase.
Traveling abroad
Before you leave, make sure their pediatrician knows where you’re travelling because they might know what diseases your child could be at risk of getting. They might even suggest additional immunizations if they think it’s necessary. You should also talk to your insurance company and find out what coverage your policy has in other countries. It might seem like bringing bad luck, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Kids like to eat all kinds of things, and sometimes even the water in the place you are visiting might be bad for their stomachs, and you will want to be able to go see a doctor if that happens.
Sadly, nothing can completely remove all possibilities for accidents and dangers, but if you take precautions you will soon discover that you’re much calmer and more relaxed. You will be able to focus more on the trip itself, and you will be able to enjoy all the little things if you aren’t constantly checking up on your kids. Buckle up and have a safe trip.
