travel safety - Pitstops for Kids

Don’t leave for vacation without safeguarding your home

August 10, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

Vacationing might be an effective way to get away from your house, job, school, and everyday responsibilities for a while, but you always intend to come back. When you’re away from your home, many things could go wrong if you haven’t adequately prepared. Home repair problems, natural disasters, vandalism, and even burglaries can occur, putting a damper on your mood and finances. As no one wants to return from vacation with many problems to resolve, it’s best to take care of these things in advance.

Yardwork

When you’re planning a vacation, chances are you’re not thinking about mowing the lawn and trimming the trees. However, it is an essential step to safeguard your living space. Properties that appear unkempt from the outside are often targets for burglars. It gives the appearance that no one is home and creates plenty of hiding and access points.

That’s why you should take care of your lawn before your trip. Cut the grass, trim bushes and trees, and put away temptations like grills, swimming pools, and lawn furniture. If you’re going to be gone for a while, you should also consider hiring a landscaping company to keep up with basic maintenance until you return.

Maintenance And Repairs

Leaving your home for an extended period of time without handling maintenance and repairs could turn into a disaster. Take a roofing problem, for instance. Let’s say you go on vacation knowing there’s a small leak in the roof. Then, a nasty thunderstorm results in a more extensive leak, water damage, and mold.

If you had taken care of the problem before going on vacation, you could avoid coming home to an expensive mess. Learn how to hire a good roofer and have your property serviced in advance. Even if that means you’ll have to dip into your vacation fund to cover the costs, it’s better than the outcome.

Weather Prep

Natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes can develop at any moment, leaving properties in shambles. Although you can’t prevent everything, every homeowner is encouraged to take precautions. When planning a vacation, be sure to check the weather in your hometown while you’re away.

If there’s a storm predicted or you live in an area where natural disasters are common, you should prepare your home before you leave. Securing outdoor furniture, boarding up windows, and having the sub-pump system serviced in advance can save you a lot of frustration should lousy weather persist.

Security Systems

You’d be surprised how many homeowners go on vacation without adequately securing their property. Consequently, they return to a house that’s been vandalized or burglarized that takes weeks or even months to recover from. As most people have home security systems in their residences, they’re encouraged to ensure they’re set before you leave. You should also notify the security company that you’re going on vacation so they can keep a watchful eye and respond to potential threats faster.

Cleanliness

Vacationing is all about getting away from the norms to clear your mind. Coming home to a dirty, cluttered, and messy house can undo all the emotional benefits of getting away. As unclean spaces can heighten feelings of stress and anxiety, it’s best to clean your home before your trip.

Dedicate a few hours to clean and organize your house from top to bottom. You can enlist the help of family members or hire a professional cleaning crew to assist you. That way, you have a clean, safe, and healthy environment to return to. It provides peace of mind and makes getting back into everyday routines more manageable.

When you think of vacation planning, home prep is often a minimal consideration (if at all). While completing the above tasks may feel like a chore, it’s essential to safeguard your home. It reduces the risks of property damage while you’re away, giving you an added peace of mind and a sense of security. That way, you can enjoy the benefits of vacationing and return to a safe, decent, and comfortable living space.

Safe travel: 3 medical conditions that could prevent you from flying

June 29, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

The idea of getting on a plane again and heading off somewhere exciting is something many of us cannot wait to do. For most people, this is easy – we simply book a ticket, arrive at the airport, check-in, and fly. Yet for some people, it is not quite so easy. Some medical conditions could prevent you from flying, and rather than booking a vacation and finding out flying is not possible, it is best to know what some of these conditions are in advance so you can be prepared. Read on to find out more.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The air within a plane is pressurized, and this means that it is less saturated with oxygen. For most people, this is not something that causes any problems; many will barely notice it, and most will not feel any difference at all from the normal air they breathe on the ground. For those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also known as COPD), it can actually be very dangerous.

COPD means that the lungs are less able to take in oxygen, and if there is less oxygen in the air as well, this means that breathing can become labored, and in some cases, it might be fatal. This is why most airlines will recommend you do not fly when you have COPD.

Cataracts

Although cataracts in themselves are not dangerous when on a flight – your eyesight will not become worse because of the pressure, for example – it is still potentially hazardous to fly when you suffer from this condition.

When you have cataracts, your eyesight will be limited, and sometimes you will not be able to see at all. In an airport, many obstacles could potentially harm you if you cannot see them, not to mention that if there were to be an emergency onboard, it would be hard to evacuate the plane safely without your full vision. Of course, a cataract lens implant would solve this issue, and if you have had cataracts in the past but don’t have them any longer, flying wouldn’t be a problem.

Stroke

When flying, it has been ascertained that there is an increased risk of developing a condition known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. This is essentially a blood clot that forms within the body, often due to poor circulation and the fact that you will be seated for an extended period. These clots can be fatal.

If you have had a stroke or you suffer from transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or ‘mini-strokes’), then your circulation may not be as healthy as it could be, and you may be at greater risk of developing a DVT. Before you book a flight, you should speak to your doctor about whether or not it is safe to fly. If it is safe, it will depend on how long ago the stroke was, how many you have had, and what medication you are now on, if any.

Tips for keeping kids healthy on family trips

September 24, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

A great family road trip can teach valuable lessons and help your child expand their world view. It can also, though, put them at risk of getting sick. Motion sickness, changes in climate, and lots of germ-ridden tourist stops can spell trouble for children with susceptible immune systems.

Tips for keeping kids healthy:

To keep everyone right on track and healthy, follow these health tips. This expert advice can help your kids make the most out of this family trip, without having to miss out and stay homesick.

Equip Yourself For Weather Conditions

If you are a native to warmer weather, traveling somewhere in a higher altitude could spell trouble for your child’s lungs. Harsh, dry air can lead to chapped and bleeding lips, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. For young children, this can make enjoying the vacation almost impossible.

There are lots of ways to protect your kids from harsh weather and dry air. Here are what the experts recommend.

Moisturize

To keep your child’s lips and skin safe from chafing, drying out, and bleeding, bring along simple moisturizers. Lip balm and body lotion are both great for the skin. Reapply these lotions on your child throughout the day to keep their skin protected.

Other than transdermal moisturizing, it is vital to keep the entire system hydrated and moisturized. Difficulty breathing or a sore throat could be a result of the dry air. Use a state of the art humidifier during the night while your child sleeps. This will rehydrate their damaged system and keep them healthy despite changing climates.

Of course, the simplest solution to stay healthy is to drink plenty of fluids. Bring a portable water bottle with you wherever you go so that you can continue to refill and hydrate all day.

Sooth and Medicate

For a sore throat, coughing is natural, but it tends to exacerbate conditions. Bring cough drops with you everywhere to prevent intense bouts of coughing. You can also soothe your throat with specific teas with lots of honey.

There are tons of over the counter medicines to help clear up mucus and prevent infection. These are essential to staying healthy and preventing one sickness from spiraling into a worse one. Weather can bring on cold symptoms. If untreated, these can lead to worse bacterial infections that can last for weeks or even months and may require antibiotics.

Keep a Schedule

One of the most significant risks to your child’s health is their sleep schedule. Not getting enough sleep means putting your child at a disadvantage when it comes to fighting off illnesses. If you have lots of busy days planned with a full itinerary, be sure to leave lots of wind-down time. This way, your kids can get a nice nine or ten hours of rest before tackling the new day.

Scheduling time for rest is essential, and so is scheduling healthy meals. If you don’t make time to invest in preparing healthy snacks, your child could get so caught up in the excitement that they forget to eat, equally as unhealthy is choosing a junk food alternative at the last minute just because it is easy. Keeping a schedule means always leaving enough time to eat and sleep. Your children deserve to spend time taking care of their bodies, even on vacation.

The Bottom Line

However you choose to travel, your kids can always stay healthy if they follow these expert tips. While you are bound to encounter illness or symptoms at some point, this advice can keep setbacks like the common cold or a dry throat from becoming something worse.

Travel tip: Fighting germs on vacation

August 10, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

I don’t like to think too much about it, but there are a lot of icky germs out there, friends. Sure, there are a lot of benign ones, too, and I don’t obsess over it, but none of us want to get sick when traveling. This is why I up my germ-fighting game substantially when we’re on the go.

Fighting germs on vacation:

At home, I have my tried-and-true Mrs. Meyers house cleaning supplies and everyone has soap in their bathrooms. When we travel, I always have a small bottle of hand sanitizer and some wet wipes, but to be honest, that’s about it. I put more energy into cold-fighting products like the ones in this post on natural remedies to pack on your next trip.

However, I want to do better in the prevention-department. On Squix.com, parents can find just about every sanitizing and germ-fighting product you could need, all in one place. It’s like Amazon for sanitizer. Squix has a subscription box, which will introduce you to a sampling of products every month, but even more useful (I think): it has a full marketplace. Their travel kit is only $24, and includes an antimicrobial pouch to carry it all in. In fact, the pouch is large enough that I can fit my first aid supplies in there too.

Here’s what you get in the travel kit:

– Wet Ones Travel Pack
– SQUIX Hand Sanitizer
– Lysol To Go Disinfecting Spray
– Wireless Wipes (12 count)
– Travel Size Mouthwash
– Apera Fit Pocket Arctic Blue
– Mouth Watchers Travel Toothbrush

As you can see, Squix is procuring the best brands for the kit, not re-inventing the wheel. Could you put this all together yourself for less? I did a little research, and my answer is…maybe. Certainly you could buy the wipes, spray, and sanitizer for less, but the wireless wipes are a bit hard to find, and the true value is in the Apera pocket (pouch). Of course, you also get the convenience of not having to shop for it all yourself.

We tried out the whole system on our spring break road trip, using the tooth products separately as needed. Even though my kids are teens, we still went through all the wet wipes. I added my first aid stuff to the pouch, and when everyone piled in and out of the car, they paused to use the sanitizer or wipes. It worked quite well.

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Safe travel tip: How to use the Allianz TravelSmart app

July 13, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’ve traveled a fair amount, you know that sometimes, things go sideways. Usually, these things are small things: maybe you need to pick up a prescription from a pharmacy and need directions, or maybe your flight got delayed, leaving you rescheduling your airport transfer. These problems are always pesky–who to call? Where to go? Sometimes, of course, the problems are bigger and more consuming: you need serious medical care or you have to deal with a theft.

Murphy’s Law dictates that you’ll never have to deal with any of the above (yeah right!) if you think ahead and buy travel insurance, which is why we always travel with our travel insurance annual plan. Here’s why, if you’re wondering whether travel insurance is right for you.

As we’ve stated in the past, we use Allianz Travel for our personal family travel and highly recommend them, but, even if you opt to use a different insurer, you can now use Allianz’ TravelSmart app to help you navigate any rocky moments on your next trip. The TravelSmart app is FREE for anyone to download, and helps you organize a lot of necessary emergency information and tools in one place.

Note:

Allianz has recently upgraded their annual policies in light of the recent pandemic. Their newly filed policies now include permanent accommodations for epidemics, not only the current COVID-19 but others that may form in the years ahead. This benefit is now offered beyond single trip products and I am sure it will help many travelers.

Learn more about the Epidemic Endorsement Product (EEP) benefits here:

Here’s what the TravelSmart app can do, in a nutshell:

Provide emergency numbers: Once you’ve enabled location services on the app, it can provide access to local emergency numbers for the police, medical care, and fire with one-touch calling. We always recommend storing numbers for the US embassy in your phone for each country you visit, but this app goes a step further, because honestly, how likely are you to write down ALL of these emergency services numbers?

Access a map to emergency services: The TravelSmart app will bring up a map for you of nearby services, like hospitals and pharmacies. Right on your screen, you can find addresses and phone numbers.

Translate: Once, I spent a good five minutes in a Peruvian pharmacy trying to pantomime high altitude sickness. If I’d had the TravelSmart app, I could have turned on the emergency translator and had the right medical jargon at my fingertips. There’s also a medical dictionary, and the ability to convert dosages and measurements in various systems.

Track flights: You can track your flights, any delays, and departure times from the app, once you’ve input your flight information. If you’re an Allianz customer, you’ll want your flight numbers in there anyway, just in case you need to file a claim (fingers crossed you won’t!).

Tip: If you’re already an Allianz Travel customer, you can also track any claims in the app, and pull up your current plan and coverage at any time.

There’s much that families can do to avoid most travel difficulties: map things out ahead of time, get to know the neighborhoods and culture you’ll be experiencing, and keep track of your important documents, phone numbers and WiFi options. A little planning goes a long way! But we all know the unexpected can happen, and when it does, I guarantee you’ll be glad you took a few extra minutes to download this travel app and have it set up to help lend a hand. I’d call this one of the most practical travel apps out there–with a veritable Swiss army knife of features–whether we used Allianz or not.

Download TravelSmart on the Apple AppStore or Google Play Store.

Disclosure: This post was written in partnership with Allianz Travel, in order to make our readers aware of this free service. All opinions remain my own.

Teen travel checklist: Preparing your teen to travel abroad

March 27, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Last week, our teen departed for three weeks in Italy, without his parents. He traveled with a small group of student ambassadors for a cultural exchange and school program, and while chaperones will be available, they won’t be with him 24/7. Because our teen is still under age 18, there are some things he needed us to prepare for him before his trip.

Teen travel checklist: Preparing your teen to travel abroad:

In addition to packing appropriately for the length and location of a teen trip, these practical steps should be taken before departure:

Make color copies of:

Color copies of your teen’s passport to be distributed to 1. his or her trip leader or chaperone, 2. into teen’s own bag as a back up, 3. to you, his or her parents. Remember that your teen’s passport should be valid for at least six months past the date of the trip.
Photocopy of all credit cards or debit cards, both front and back, to be distributed it 1. you, the parents and 2. teen.
Copy of any doctor note needed and health insurance card (especially if your teen is on any prescription medication), distributed to 1. you, the parents, and 2. teen. Remember, all prescriptions need to travel in their original bottles.
Copy of any travel insurance plan to 1. teen and 2. parents.
Copies of health insurance plan.
Make paper copies of phone numbers needed, both at the destination and at home. Include parents’ contact numbers, host family numbers, chaperone numbers, and the teen’s cell phone number (since it may differ than the usual).

Make a phone/communication plan:

Parents and teens have several choices when it comes to a phone plan abroad.

Cell service plan: You can check with your cell service carrier to see what types of international plans are available to you short term. Ours used to be $30/month data plan, with no sign-up cost, with AT&T, but it’s recently switched to a less desirable $9.99 per day.
SIM card with unlocked phone: If you have an unlocked cell phone (such as an old phone that’s no longer attached to a plan), you can have your teen bring this phone and purchase a SIM card once in the country he or she will be visiting. SIM cards are fairly inexpensive, and allow teens to use a short term local data plan that’s prepaid.
Cheap new phone in destination country: Of course, teens can simply purchase a cheap phone with a local pay-as-you-go plan in the country they’re visiting. Pick one up at most pharmacies and convenience stores.
WiFi only plan: If your teen will have WiFi access in the form of hot spots where he or she is traveling, you could opt for him or her to simply bring a phone that’s kept in airplane mode, for WiFi use only. Buy a mobile WiFi hot spot plan, or rely on free WiFi in hotels, cafes, and the like. Whether this route is an option for you will depend on the destination.

Make a money plan:

How will your teen access cash and pay for things on their own? Savvy travelers know that it’s best to use debit cards for accessing cash from ATMs, and credit cards for other purchases and reservations, provided said cards have low foreign transaction fees. However, if you have a teen who is travel at under age 18, some banks in the US will not issue him or her a debit card in their name. Instead, before the trip, add your teen as a named user on one parent credit card. The teen will be issued a card in his or her own name, which can be used for emergencies.

Then, we suggest purchasing a prepaid travel gift card, such as Visa TravelMoney, which teens can use like debit cards. These cards are travel-specific, so they come with low currency exchange fees and low ATM fees (look for ones with ATM fees of less than $4). Even better: if you’re a AAA member, go to your local branch and buy a AAA travel card. You will need your teen’s driver’s license or passport, plus date of birth and SS# in order to get the card in his or her name, but this card has fewer fees attached to it than the ones you can buy in any pharmacy or grocery store. Parents can add money to these cards as needed from home, and view the balance at any given time, which is a nice feature.

Tip: If your teen is supposed to start his or her trip with foreign currency already in hand, make the request for the exchange at your bank at least one week ahead of time.

Enroll your teen in STEP:

First, you’ll want to check the CDC for any needed vaccines for travel. Next, head to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to enroll your teen for their destination. All STEP does is alert you to any travel warnings, with the peace of mind of knowing that your child’s travel plans are noted with the Department of State. Should he or she need any help in case of emergency while traveling, alerts and instructions will automatically be communicated to her.

Stock your teen with over-the-counter medications:

I always create a personalized first-aid/medical kit before traveling abroad, because it can be challenging to find the same medications in foreign countries (or at least the same brands, so you can recognize their uses). I include standard over-the-counter medications for headaches, nausea, sinus colds, and flu, plus band-aids, medical wrap/tape, and vitamins. For teens, I write the use of each medication on the back of the boxes clearly in sharpie pen, just to make it easy. Of course, if your teen needs to take prescription medications, have them carry them in their carry-on luggage in their original containers.

Talk with your teen before departure:

Make sure your teen knows that he or she will be acting as an ambassador for our country. With international relations tense in this era, it’s more important than ever that your teen act with respect, kindness, and awareness while abroad. Encourage them to embrace the new, to look for commonalities, and to forge friendships while traveling. Pack thank you cards for your teen to fill out and hand to people who help them or host them during their travels.

Discuss any laws or rules that may differ from your home country. For instance, we talk with our teens about our family rules for drinking alcohol abroad, since the legal age limit differs in most countries, and we remind them of laws they may not be aware of in their destination countries. We encourage trip leaders to require ‘code of conduct’ type contracts with teens, to ensure respectful and safe behavior.

Tip: Read our post on travel safety and getting past the ‘fear factor’.

Do you have tips for preparing teens to travel abroad? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

Tip: Check out our other posts about teen travel!

Tips to keep your family safe while traveling

December 1, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

Traveling the world is a great way to introduce your family to different cultures while having a fun time abroad. While in our experience, travel tends to be safer than your average day in your own hometown, every trip raises the possibility of risk. Before you leave home, study the following three tips to keep your family safe as you travel the world.

Make a Copy of Your Passport

Losing your passport can make traveling between countries difficult. If you don’t have your passport, you may not be able to re-enter the United States. Making a copy of your passport will enable you to replace it more easily.

Make two copies of your passport. Give one to a person you trust to keep it safe. Keep the other copy with you while you travel. You can email a copy of the passport to yourself so that you can access the information when needed.

If you plan to email the copy, make sure the places you visit have email access and printers. If those places do not, then you should carry a printed copy.

Learn About Possible Travel Advisories

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) maintains a list of travel advisories that will help you avoid unsafe countries. If a country has a travel alert or warning, then you should read about potential hazards that could affect your trip.

The DOS divides travel advisories into two groups: warnings and alerts. Warnings usually refer to long-term problems such as civil wars, frequent terrorist attacks, and unstable governments. Some of the warnings stay in place for years, so you should think carefully before visiting these countries.

Travel alerts usually refer to short-term events such as elections, elevated risks of terrorist attacks, and outbreaks of viruses such as H1N1. Travel alerts aren’t as serious as warnings, but you should still learn about the reasons for the alerts and plan to keep yourself safe. You may want to delay your trip until the threats have passed.

Get a MedjetAssist Membership

No amount of preparation can protect you from unforeseen medical issues. You never know when a simple slip and fall could break one of your limbs or an unknown medical condition will affect your health.

Unfortunately, many countries do not have reliable health care services that you would expect to receive in the United States. Some countries don’t have the capital to invest in high-tech medical facilities. Some rural locations are so far from large cities, which can delay medical assistance.

You can keep yourself safe during a medical emergency by becoming a MedjetAssist member. MedjetAssist arranges air medical transportation for its members when they are hospitalized. You can’t predict what will happen while you travel the world, but you can prepare for unexpected events.

While avoiding countries or regions with civil unrest or threats of terrorism is best when you’re considering international travel, you should still prepare for unexpected situations you may encounter during your travels. As long as you follow the tips outlined above, you can help your family to have a safe and enjoyable time abroad.

Image via Flickr by seantoyer

Hitting the road with a pint-sized co-pilot: Safety tips for single parents

February 8, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

Just because you are a single parent with small kids doesn’t mean you can’t – or shouldn’t – get out there and see the world! It does, however, mean that there are some safety considerations particular to your situation that you should think about before hitting the road.

Join a car club

If you aren’t already a member of an auto club such a AAA, now is a great time to sign up. Should something happen while you are on the road, such as running out of gas, a dead battery or the need for a tow service, your membership will allow you to make one simple phone call and have an expert come to your rescue. Getting stranded on the side of the road is scary enough at any time, but when you have your little ones with you it’s much worse. Don’t rely on the kindness of strangers to bail you out; ensure you have an up-to-date auto club membership and save yourself that worry.

Send your car in for a checkup

Before you head out on your road trip, it’s always a good idea to send your car in for servicing to ensure everything is in good working order. Have them change the oil and filter (which will help with gas mileage at home and on your trip), check your fluid levels and the pressure in your tires as well as your brakes.

Check your locks

Don’t underestimate the power of being able to lock your doors when you travel alone with your kids. Of course you won’t leave your kids alone in the car while you travel, but even if you stop to answer your phone or look at a map, it’s a good idea to lock the car doors just to keep out any unsavoury types who may be lurking about.

Don’t travel with cash

You never want to advertise that you are carrying large amounts of cash on you. You never know who is watching you, and flashing cash about makes you an immediate target. Instead, pay for gas, your hotel, food, etc. with a credit card and save a small amount of cash for incidentals and consider having traveller’s cheques on hand as a backup to your cash.

Pack wisely

When travelling solo with little ones, there are certain packing concerns you should make. Be sure to pack your cell phone, charger and preferably also a car charger to keep your phone handy an ready to go at all times. Pack snacks and drinks to eliminate the need to stop as often as possible (the less often you have to get in and out of your car, advertising that you are the only adult with the kids, the safer you will be).

Stay safe in your hotel

Choose a hotel rather than a motel. Motel rooms typically feature direct access to the outdoors, which is less secure than a hotel with more controlled access. Even better, choose a hotel with either a doorman or one that requires guests to swipe their key card to gain access to the building for an added level of security.

If you are planning on taking a singles trip, there are lots of online resources for your information. Sites such as www.singlestravelservice.com offer a wealth of travel ideas, destination suggestions and travel tips for singles who love to travel.

Facing serious concerns when traveling with kids: how to get past the ‘fear factor’

April 1, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Any parent traveling with kids off the beaten path has fielded questions from nay-sayers:

“Are you sure it’s safe to travel to Mexico?”

“You’re taking your kids how far along what trail?”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Solo, you say?”

As a parent who makes her living encouraging people to travel with their kids, I bristle at these fear-based inquiries. They are not grounded in research, but are rather knee-jerk, emotional responses to individualized worries. The good news: traveling parents need not listen to them.

However, we all know that as beautiful as the world is, terrible things do happen. They happen at home, they happen at school and work, and yes, they happen to families when they’re on vacation. Even though I believe strongly in the power and wisdom and sheer, live-altering joy of travel, my heart and stomach lurch just as quickly as any other mother’s when I read or see reports of tragedy while traveling.

There are risks we all assume when we step outside our front door, whether to go to the grocery store or another continent. Airplanes do crash. Cars do, too. Terrorists attack. Civil unrest, political strife, and diseases are sadly, alive and well on our planet, and awful things do happen. Which risks to assume and which to avoid can only be made on a personal level.

It can be hard to make these decisions with healthy perspective when tragedy strikes close to home. I can clearly remember learning of the death of a child on an amusement park ride days before visiting the same park with my own family, and of an accident on a cruise ship just before embarking. Most recently, I was made aware of this news story, in which 15-year-old Tyler Madoff was accidentally killed at sea during a Bold Earth trip.

A Pit Stops for Kids reader brought it to my attention, with the question, ‘why didn’t this story get more attention? What can we do to travel safely with our kids?’

My own 15-year-old son had just returned from a very smilier trip, an adventure service trip to Costa Rica, and the terrifying thought, familiar to all parents, passed through my mind: it could have been him. It sent a shudder right through me, and for weeks, I struggled with how to address this question and the larger issue of keeping our kids safe while traveling.

How do you accept tragedy, and keep exploring?

First, my heart and thoughts go out to Tyler Madoff’s parents, and all others who have experienced such a tragedy. And then, I do my best to separate logical safety concerns from generalized fear. Some accidents are just that…freak occurrences no one could avoid…abroad or at home. Was this the case in Tyler Madoff’s situation? I can’t be sure without knowing more details…more safety considerations may have been prudent, but the travel operation in question does have a good reputation. Things simply do happen which are out of our control. But what about the rest of the time? What about all the travel decisions we make or place in others’ hands which could factor into the overall safety of our trip?

My reader offered some guidelines, parent-to-parent, that she hoped would help. I saw wisdom in them, and would like to list them here, expanding where I feel I can offer insight. There are simple measures parents can take to make sure children are in the safest care.

1. Research destinations before you book a trip. There are no shortage of travel websites and handbooks. A few useful sites are TripAdvisor and Fodors, Camp Ratingz and Choice Camps. Checking out the travel company’s Facebook profile (and any related groups) is always helpful as well.

Certainly, it’s worth taking the time to check up on a tour operation or destination via social media. Poll your own friends or followers, or send a general inquiry into the Twittersphere. While reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor should not always be taken at face value, reading through at least a dozen reviews should give parents a general sense of guest satisfaction. Of course, the absolute best recommendations come from people you know. In the case of international travel, always—always—be up-to-date on the political temperature of a foreign country. Check travel advisories via your home government pages. If in doubt whether a fear is legitimate or not, talk to people who have traveled to your destination within the last few months, not people who have ‘heard’ something is unsafe via a friend of a friend or Fox news (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

2. Ask the right questions. Before booking a travel tour, ask what isn’t included in the cost, and why. Is there travel insurance, or should you purchase that on your own? What kind of risk management policies are in place? What are the training qualifications of the tour guides?

It’s surprising to me how often this last question is not asked by parents, especially when leaving children in the care of others.

I am a generally trusting person, but trusting a care giver or tour operation based on trust of a brand is simply not enough. Yes, reputable destinations and resorts will absolutely strive to have the highest standards and using a brand you already trust is a great start, but ultimately, the responsibility is the parents’ to check credentials and qualifications.

3. Make sure your kids are prepared! If your child knows what to do in case of emergency, you’ll feel a lot more confident. CPR training, swim lessons, or simply informing them where to go or to whom they should speak if they feel like they’re in danger can go a long way when they’re on their own, as this Daily Beast article displays.

I love this tip. While parents need to be empowered, kids do too. Because we spend a lot of time in the outdoors, and I have outdoor safety training, my kids are very up-to-date on wilderness safety. They know what to do if lost, when encountering wildlife, and if they need basic first aid. We’ve started to ski more aggressively in the backcountry, which means I’ve been researching avalanche safety courses we can take together. We will not be exploring in snow country until this is done.

When it comes to international travel, my kids know how to contact us and family at home in other countries, and we always go over safety rules and back-up plans before entering crowded areas.

Basically, all the suggestions above follow one key guideline. Use common sense. Take reasonable precautions. Keep valuables in a safe place, have copies of important documents at all times, and use reliable, reputable transportation and services while traveling. Follow signage and heed posted warnings, and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Will you be embarking on an excursion to a particular tidal pool, bay, trail, or landmark? Do your own research about this place, instead of relying 100% on guides.

I’m not suggesting going it alone…we believe strongly in hiring local experts…but don’t follow blindly.

Your safety, and the safety of your children, is ultimately your responsibility, in so far as this is possible to control. The example that comes to mind is the dangerous yet exhilarating Angel’s Landing knife-edge trail in Zion National Park. People die there annually, mostly due to not listening to their own internal guidelines, knowing their own abilities, and trusting blindly that if there’s a trail maintained by a government agency, it’s for them. Not always. Again, even in our lawsuit happy world, I believe parents are ultimately responsible for their own wellbeing and their children’s wellbeing.

As for the risks you cannot control, you’re every bit at the whim of fate while in your own home as while traveling. Explore this beautiful world, share its people and sights with your children, and enjoy life!

Many thanks to reader Sue J. for taking the time to email her concerns to Pit Stops for Kids. Photo credit: Amy Whitley, Flickr/xlibber, and Brisbane City Council.

BubbleBum travel booster seat product review

August 8, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

It’s not too often that I am presented with something completely new in the travel with kids product line. When I received the new BubbleBum booster seat
for review, however, I was surprised: how could a small, lightweight, bright purple cinch bag contain a child’s car booster seat?

And yet it does. The BubbleBum is the first (to me, anyway) completely portable, travel booster seat for traveling families. The BubbleBum is lightweight, surface washable, and bright purple (a color tested and approved by kids of both gender). And yes, BubbleBum meets all US Federal Safety Standard regulations by the NTHSA. Watch a demo video of how Bubble Bum works.

Our review of the Bubble Bum couldn’t have come at a better time. While my kids have outgrown the need for a booster, my nephew (age 4) is in the prime of his car seat years. His mom (my sister, East Coast Pit Stops for Kids editor Kate Lepore), and I tried it out in a very real-life situation many families face: while on vacation.

Kate was flying solo with Homer (4) and Greta (1.5) from Massachusetts to vacation with us in Southern California. Her hands already overflowing with Greta’s 5-point harness car seat, she hated the idea of also lugging along (or paying to check) Homer’s booster seat. Nor did we want to buy a new one at our destination. The BubbleBum was the perfect solution. It packs down to a small sack when stowed, fitting in luggage or a carry-on, and takes less than 30 seconds to inflate (yes, you inflate it) and position. While the BubbleBum doesn’t have a full back, it does include a very helpful attachment to position the car’s shoulder belt to the correct level for your child. It deflates and stores away as fast as it’s set up. When it’s inflated, it’s 13x13x4.5, which means it even fits when your family is using two other car seats in a three-seat back row of a car or van.

We used the BubbleBum our entire week vacation, and Homer found it perfectly comfortable. (Bear in mind, however: if your child is used to having a full backrest to their booster, they may slouch a bit without it…it’s certainly hard to nap in the Bubble Bum.) It was easy to move the BubbleBum from one car to another, or from one seat to another. It will fit in any car with a shoulder belt, and is designed for kids over age 4 and 40 to 100 pounds. Note: The BubbleBum is not approved for use on airplanes (but there’s little use for a booster on-board, anyway).

We’ll definitely be bringing the BubbleBum for future vacations, but Kate took it home with her to Massachusetts, because it will also be helpful for preschool car pools and playdates closer to home. She’s also use it while in taxis in the city.