Summertime is prime family vacation time. Traveling to another country holds special challenges, especially when you travel with your children. There are many extra security rules and regulations in place since the September 11th terrorist attack. It is very important you and your family are well prepared to help avoid travel delays and problems. I have put together a few tips to make your trip abroad a safe, easy and enjoyable one.
Documents
With the war on terror, child trafficking and parental abductions having the proper legal documents when traveling to another country is essential. Depending on where you are vacationing in most cases everyone in the family will need their own passport, including your children. You can check here to get more information on passports, visas, and information for international travelers. As a parent you have to be able to prove you have the right to take your children into another country.
There are some instances where you may even need parental proof to get your children medical care if needed. Bringing copies of birth certificates is a good tip in case you happen to lose a passport. Another great tip is to bring a Safety I.D. kit, like the one seen here. This company Lifetouch works closely with The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children, and many schools to issue these yearly for the kids. No one wants to think anything bad will happen on your vacation but you must be prepared for anything. These Safety I.D. kits will have important information like your child’s fingerprints if you need to contact the police or authorities it can be vital. Be sure to allow plenty of time for your passports, even expedited service can take quite some time to get them. Here you will find all you need to apply for one, or information if you lose one.
Travel Insurance
Whether you are traveling nearby or to another country with your children some kind of travel insurance is highly recommended. You can purchase all different types of travel insurance from simple trip cancellation all the way up to including medical evacuation if needed. I suggest at least the minimum since you never know if you may have to postpone or cancel a vacation due to a sick child. For a small cost you can save a lot of money that would be lost on your airplane flights, rental cars and hotels.
Shots And Checkups
When you and your family travel to some foreign countries vaccinations are a requirement for your safety. A couple of years ago when my husband went to Venezuela for his job he had to get a series of seven shots. You can see all the recommended shots and precautions for other countries here as listed by The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. You definitely want to be sure you and your children are protected from any illnesses and diseases when going abroad.
Another medical tip when traveling is to research your hotel to be sure they communicate in your native tongue fluently. This is important is a medical emergency arises and you need a doctor, pharmacy or hospital, you need to be able to get help quickly.
Security
When in unfamiliar surroundings when you travel to another country you need to pay close attention to your families safety and security issues. Be sure to investigate your hotel to be sure it has adequate on site security, you can get lots of hotel information here from Travelocity. If you would like to get recommendations and feedback from actual travelers tripadvisor has great message boards on many travel subjects. A pretty good rule of thumb is if it is a well know international chain they usually have pretty high standards in security. Depending on your children’s ages make sure they are informed of basic safety tips and precautions. You do not want to scare them but since their safety is your number one priority you want to have a plan you follow. It does not have to be very elaborate, just how to respond in case of accident or if they get lost or separated from you. With just some preparation ahead of time you and your family will be sure to have a safe and memorable trip to the country of your choice.
Sources:
Tripadvisor.com – www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels
Travelocity.com – www.travelocity.com/Hotels
Lifetouch.com – www.lifetouch.com/child-safety
Travel.state.gov – travel.state.gov/
travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
CDC.gov – wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/vaccinations.aspx
