By Samuetta Hill Drew
Well, this travel safety series has prepared you with several important travel “how to” articles. We have reviewed how to plan for basic travel safety, how to safeguard your home, how to use technology while vacationing and how to make sure you are packing the right items for a safe travel.
The safety travel series will continue into another month since schools are out for the summer and graduations have been held. Typically, this is the time of year when many people will travel domestically or abroad with family, friends or solo. This safety article will focus on how to travel safely with children and babies. For those who have done so in the past, you understand it is not a “walk in the park” task, it requires some planning.
Bringing a car seat, whether you are driving or flying, is essential. Children who require a car seat need one when on vacation. If you are flying and have multiple stops, it may be wise to invest in a lightweight car seat that makes it easy to move from plane to plane.
Packing plenty of sanitizing wipes are a must. Wipes make it easy to disinfect anything your child touches (including themselves) when you are on the go. You already understand the importance of wiping down chairs, tables, and airplane trays. Wiping down toys especially is also needed if you have a little one who enjoys using their sense of touch and taste.
Keep their hands washed. Whenever you have a chance, go to a clean sink and wash their hands. Wipes and hand sanitizers are good in a pinch, but there is no good substitute for washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
COVID and other diseases (depending on your destination site) are still among us. Therefore, make wearing a mask fun may be needed. If your child is two years old, you may want your child to wear a face covering when in public. Allow them to help pick out the mask in their favorite color or with their favorite character.
It is a good idea to use social distances when your child is around people who are not a part of their immediate family. This is especially crucial if you are visiting someone who’s at high-risk for COVID complications.
You may want to consider using a GPS tracker. It does not take a pandemic to make us panic if we lose sight of a child in an unfamiliar or crowded place. Making things easier on your blood pressure and safer for your child, the use of a kids GPS may be considered. Go online and research the best one for your family, especially if your child is a wanderer.
Keeping an Eye on Safety for your child is always critical, but it is even more crucial when traveling to strange and different places.
