Safe Travel Tips

Safety is the most important factor with children traveling. Family travel should always been done with caution paid to safety above anything else. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe.

• Insure everyone is using proper safety belts and car seats throughout the trip. It’s tempting to loosen the belt for long trips, but high speed accidents on highways are common during the summer months.

• Be sure that the driver gets enough sleep and that parents are able to stay alert not only in the car but also on airplanes and buses.

• Keep items out of the car that could be choking hazards for small children. Travel games often have small pieces and are meant for older children. The jarring of a car can easily cause these to slip down the child’s throat.

• Be sure everyone knows where to meet if for any reason the group is splitting up. Cell phones are a good communication device and the responsible person’s within each group should have one.

• Talk to your children ahead of time about the risks of strangers and who to talk to if they do get lost. For family travel to be fun, everyone has to remain safe.

Family Travel Things To Do

When it comes to being on the road or in a plane for an extensive amount of time, busy kids are happy ones. Parents can do a number of things to keep kids active and busy so they don’t become overwhelmed with the long trip.

• Pack snacks. Kids are hungry every few hours and snacks are the best way to keep them quiet. Prepackaged items are sold in individual sizes, but you can also choose crackers, grapes and other small foods and place into small bags. Juice boxes and bags travel well.

• Pack an activity bag. For younger children, these goody bags can be a surprise for once you are on the road. Load them up with small toys, coloring supplies, stickers, and other activities you know they will enjoy. Don’t let them go into the bag until they are on the road.

• Pack things to do in backpacks. For older children, keeping them busy will help to cut down on your stress. Handheld games, video games, a deck of cars and travel size games can work very well. Include a few comic books, a magazine or even a book they want to read.

Many of today’s ultra fun activities for the car are in the form of technology. Portable game players, tablets, and movies are sure ways to keep everyone busy. Download the latest songs, movies and books. Challenge each child to a photo scavenger hunt using a camera or phone camera.

Family travel is often best when everyone on the trip is looking forward to something that interests them. When there are two completely different opinions, cater to both. For example, if you are traveling to an area where there is a lot of camping and wilderness hiking, and one child does not care for this, find out if there’s a local show or museum nearby they may like to stop in during the trip.

Traveling with kids is enjoyable when you plan ahead. Take the time to talk to your kids about the trip alerting them to the length of the drive. While traveling at night is not always an option, this is also a good way to cut down on the boredom factor. Many kids are happy enough with a few things to do and the conversation of the parents to keep them busy. Make this a trip that everyone enjoys by sharing stories, ideas and thoughts in an open forum. Everyone will feel welcome and happy before, during and after the trip.

The professionals at ŒÅë³ÉÈ˵¼º½personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized  approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.

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Have an Emergency and First Aid Kit

Every family should have at least one emergency first aid kit. If you have a large family, a large house or multiple family members, it may also benefit you to have more than one first aid kit.
You may also want to take the time to learn basic first aid and CPR. Classes are held in most local areas and you never know when the situation will arise where you need to know this.

Your first aid kit should include:

• Medical-grade vinyl gloves
• Poison ivy relief cream
• Burn relief cream
• Sunscreen, SPF of 30 or greater
• Antibiotic ointment, Polysporin® or similar
• Sting relief lotion or ointment, calamine or similar
• Box of sterile gauze pads, either 3″ x 3″ or 4″ x 4″
• Abdominal (ABD) or combine sterile pad, 5″ x 9″
• Rolled gauze of 2 sizes, 2″ x 4 yards and 4″ x 4 yards
• Bandages of assorted types: finger, knuckle, plastic, Telfa®, and general adhesive
• Sterile oval eye pad
• Small sharp scissors
• Tweezers with pointed tip
• Thermometers, oral and rectal (for babies)
• Elastic bandage, 3″ x 6″
• Instant ice pack
• Roll of adhesive tape, 1″ wide, may use plastic type if preferred
• Triangular bandages, 2
• Package of safety pins, assorted sizes
• Absorbent cotton balls, 1 box
• Diarrhea remedy, Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate or similar
• Popsicle (craft) sticks or finger splints
• Antibacterial soap, liquid or bar
• Medicine dropper
• Water purification tablets
• Small bottle of bleach
• Sharp knife or multipurpose knife/tool
• Bottles of aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen
• Splint materials: thin boards 2-3′ long
• Cough syrup and throat lozenges
• Large plastic trash bag and several smaller, zip-closure bags
Your emergency kit should include:
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• Radio
• Emergency phone numbers
• Back up cellular phone if possible
• Blankets, sheets
• Fire extinguisher
• Supply of prescription medicines

Have Insurance whenever Possible

Do you have the proper insurance? While it’s difficult for some people to pay for expensive insurance to possibly never have to use it, you should also remember the expenses that could be involved if you are not properly insured.

There are many different types of insurance such as:

• Medical/health
• Life and death
• Automobile
• Home or renter’s
• Mortgage
• And more

Insurance will help protect your family financially should a disaster of some type occur. But it’s not enough just to have insurance. You also need to be sure your coverage is thorough, your premiums are paid on time and your policy remains up to date and that beneficiaries and other important members of the family know about your insurance policies. You should also carry copies of the insurance policies in a safe place in case something happens to the originals, such as a house fire.

Being prepared for disasters is one of the most important things you can ever do for yourself and your family. Will you be prepared if something unexpected happens to you? Be sure and discuss with your nanny your family disaster plans. Make sure he/she has the necessary information should you become separated in the event of any emergency. Make sure Medical Authorizations are in place and your nanny has the insurance information and contact information of close family member or friend. Also, make sure you have some information on your nanny – how to contact her family members, in the case of any emergency.

TLC For Kids, Inc. has been St. Louis’ premier nanny and babysitting agency for over 30 years. TLC For Kids’ dedicated staff is ready to assist you in finding nannies, tutors, newborn care specialists, sitters and more.  We serve St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida. Reach us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or 314-725-5660

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