Every senior with grandchildren should learn how to travel with kids. There will probably come a time in your life when you are asked to travel somewhere with your children, and that usually means bringing the grandkids, too. While your children will probably have the responsibility for the bulk of the trip, there will be times when you can actually help out by learning how to keep them in check, and seeing that they have a good time, too.
Travel By Train
If possible, you should definitely travel by high speed trains. In many instances, they are as fast as planes on shorter distances between large cities, when you add the time for check in and waiting at airports. High speed trains have been running over the past 30 years, and what makes them nice is that they are interlinked with other states.
High speed trains are very fast, and they don’t stop for traffic, instead, they have the right-of-way. It’s difficult to explain how scenic the journey is in a train. While you are marveling at what you just saw, you can quickly come upon something more spectacular a few minutes later. .
Pack Enough Diapers For Infants
If you happen to be traveling with smaller kids or infants, have enough diapers for the trip. Planes, trains, and buses make it easy for you to change diapers in the restrooms. There are usually small tables that fold out, and you can change the diapers easily. Diapers also prevent smaller kids from peeing in their pants while waiting for a line of people in a bathroom, too. The diapers will keep them dry until you can get them changed.
Don’t Allow Kids To Overeat
You should not allow kids to eat too much while traveling. This is especially true when traveling by car, boat, or bus. The constant movement, changing directions and stop-and-go can cause travel sickness. It’s best to let them eat a few hours before their trip, so they are not immediately hungry when you begin traveling.
Keep An Eye On Kids At All Times
Don’t allow them to wander off by themselves, because they can easily get lost. They can easily get distracted and enticed to follow a trail of anything, only realizing after it’s too late that they’re lost! You also don’t want to worry that some other adult might walk off with them, either.
Backup Plan For Kids Getting Lost
No matter how much you plan, there are times when kids don’t listen, or a crowd gets too big, and the children are swept away with the crowd and you can’t find them. This can be very traumatic for children, parents, and grandparents.
Decide in advance what your child should do if they lose track of you. Explain to them not to leave the area where they are, and that you will be looking for them. Also, instruct them to stop any police officer they might see and tell them they are lost.
Make sure they have their information written inside their backpack, or you can even make them a name bracelet if they are smaller. Check that the parent’s names are listed, and it shows their address and phone number, so it will be easier for someone to announce it over any loud speakers.
Another option if you are in some public place with a lot of people is to show them a meeting point. That way, if your kids get lost, or if you want to break up into different groups, you will know where to meet at a certain time.
It is fun to travel with kids, and it can be a rewarding experience. It’s necessary to think about a child’s safety first. If you have the opportunity to travel with kids, learn to use some of these tips for an enjoyable trip.
Sourced from: DUGOUT
Photo: Thinkstock/omgimages
