Summer’s here and it’s time for theme parks and water slides. We want our kids to have fun in the sun but sometimes, in the excitement of it all, we can forget that safety is of utmost importance. Keeping our kids safe when traveling needs to be an important part of planning, as well as the excursions. Here are a few reminders that we should keep at the forefront when traveling.
1. Establish a Meeting Place
Work with your children to establish a central, easy-to-locate spot to meet should you get separated. This is easier if the place is familiar to the children, but oftentimes if you’re at places like an amusement park, they have very kid-friendly stations that will keep your children safe until you’re reunited.
2. Identify Who to Ask for Help
Teach your children about how to locate help in public places. Identify people who they can ask for help, such as uniformed law enforcement, security guards, and store clerks with name tags. In the absence of uniformed personnel, let your children know that other Moms with kids are often safe people to approach if lost. Another Mom should understand and help get your child to someone who can help.
In addition, it is especially important when traveling abroad to make sure that your children know the appropriate translations for words like “police,” “security,” etc.
3. Practice “What If” Scenarios
Talk to your children about recognizing and avoiding potential risks of separation, so that they can deal with it, if it happens. Don’t be too scary, but try to practice “what if” situations and scenarios and ask your children how they would respond. This is a good assessment of how skilled in safety they really are.
4. Tell Them It’s OK to Make a Scene
Teach children that if anyone approaches them and tries to grab them, they should make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting. Remind them that they are to never approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult.
Although we should be mindful of these things on a regular basis, it sometimes helps to be extra careful when you’re in unfamiliar territory as well, so you can all have a wonderful and enjoyable vacation!
BMWK family, do you have any additional safety tips?