| Travel Tips |
|
|
|
|
| Babysitters on Vacation |
|
 So
you and your spouse
would like a quite dinner
together and the hotel
provides a babysitter,
easy right? Double-check
the hours of babysitting
services. Make sure
that they are available
during the time you
need. If not, see if
they can recommend anybody.
Ask the same questions
as you would at home.
If there is an organized
program ask questions.
-
Do
they have planned
activities?
-
Are
meals provided?
-
How
much does it cost?
-
Are
they trained in CPR
or emergency procedures?
-
What
is the ratio between
babysitter and children?
Remember that this
is a family vacation.
Try to do as much as
you can with the family
and your children, the
memories can never be
replaced. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Childproofing Your Hotel Room |
|
 Before
you leave for the long awaited vacation
you've been dreaming about, be prepared
for childproofing your hotel room. Just
because you're going on a vacation doesn't
mean that your responsibilities are on
a vacation too. Just use your common sense
when planning to childproof your hotel
room. Think of the room as a smaller version
of your home, taking the same precautions.
But before you leave, call your hotel
to see if childproofing equipment is available
at your hotel. If not, be equipped for
all the essentials to do it yourself.
When you arrive at the hotel give the
room a good inspection taking notice of
the all the dangers for a child. If it
is necessary get down on your hands and
knees and view the room from your child's
point of view. Look carefully at the floor,
are there any staples or tacks lingering
around?
Once you have inspected the room take
some time to make your adjustments. Here
are some helpful hints:
-
Move furniture away
from the windows
-
Furniture needs to
be stable and sturdy to avoid tipping
over
-
Knobs should be tight
so your children will not remove them
and pop them into their mouths
-
Make sure that doors
and windows are securely locked
-
Tie up any loose
cords to prevent strangulation
-
Unused outlets should
be properly covered
-
Tables with sharp
edges should either be removed or edges
should be covered, washrags are a perfect
solution
-
Remove any table
cloths;
The Crib
- Make sure that it is up to standards
with the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
slats should not be more than 23/8 inches
apart
- Remove any pillows or blankets that
causes suffocation
- If your hotel is not up to standards,
pack along your own portable crib Bathroom
- Never leave your child alone in the
bathroom
- When giving your child a bath, the water
should not reach more than 120 degrees
F, try to keep it between 96-100 degrees.
- Unplug any electrical appliances, i.e.
hairdryer, and store them in a locked
drawer
- Make sure there are decals or a non-slip
mat on the bathtub
- Check to see if the bathroom mat has
a stable backing to prevent slips.
- Any hazardous products should be put
away: mouthwash, shampoo, cosmetics
Please take extra precautions
when you are traveling. Your family is in
a new, unfamiliar environment and may need
even more supervision.
|
|
|
|
| Conquering the Car Ride |
|
So the games only lasted for 2 ½ hours
of the 12-hour car trip, how else can
you keep your kids occupied for another
9 ½ hours? These no fail travel tips will
make the time fly:
-
If your body can
handle it, leave late at night or really
early in the morning. The object is
to travel when your kids are most likely
to be asleep.
-
If money is not an
issue, the portable TV/VCR is a great
way to keep kids entertained. Make sure
you bring movies that the whole family
likes.
-
Hand held video games
(with the sound turned down, so as not
to frighten the driver)
-
Numerous tapes
-
Books on tape
-
Sing-along tapes
-
Movies on tape
-
Kids Pack - Each
child gets his/her own backpack that
they can take whatever they want. As
long as it fits in the bag and isn't
breathing it should pass. Some suggestions
could be:
-
Their favorite
book
-
Coloring books
-
Crayons
-
Legos
-
Washable markers
-
Remember not to pack
anything in the car that could get too
messy such as PlayDough or games that
have small pieces that could get easily
lost like Monopoly. Also, if you really
want to be a great parent in your kids
eyes, pack each of them a present and
surprise them along the way.
|
|
|
|
| Safety First: First Aid Kit and Emergency
Phone Numbers |
|
So you've decided to take the family
on a trip, now it's time to pack. Don't
forget to pack the first-aid kit. Use
this checklist to help you form your own
first-aid kit (you probably have most
the supplies at your finger-tips)
-
Container
(choose a container that
has plenty of room, easy to
carry and able to with stand
your family)
-
First-aid
manual
-
Adhesive
bandages- varying sizes
-
Antiseptic
wipes
-
Gauze bandage
-
Tape
-
Soap
-
Hydrogen
peroxide
-
Hydrocortisone
cream
-
Diaper rash
ointment
-
Ibuprofen/
Extra strength Tylenol
-
Benadryl
(antihistamine)
-
Extra prescription
medications
|
-
-
Calamine
lotion
-
Sunscreen
-
Insect repellant
-
Lip balm
-
Tweezers
-
Scissors
-
Safety pins
-
Q-Tips
-
Thermometer
-
Flashlight
(with batteries)
-
Emergency
phone list
-
Blanket
|
Your Emergency Phone list should contain:
- Child's Name
- Address
- Telephone Number
- Social Security #
|
- Doctor's Name and Phone number
- Health Insurance name, policy
number, and phone number
- Emergency contacts
- Medical History: preexisting conditions,
allergies, and immunization history
|
Happy Travels!
|
|
|
|
| Hotel/Motel Safety Tips |
|
Here are some safety tips to make you
and family feel more secure away from
home.
-
When booking your
hotel room, make sure that the room
comes equipped with deadbolts and peepholes.
-
Ask for rooms that
open into the interior of the hotel,
compared to the outside of hotel. Interior
of rooms provides more safety because
thieves can not monitor your coming
and goings.
-
Make sure that all
windows and doors are securely locked.
And if your room has a balcony, make
sure there is a net around it so your
kids are unable to slip through.
-
Try to get a hotel
that utilizes electronic keys instead
of regular keys. Electronic keys are
reprogrammed after each stay of a guest.
-
If your room comes
with a safe, lock up your valuables.
Don't leave valuables in plane site;
more people have access to your room
than you think.
- Locate the emergency exits in case
of a fire.
- Teach your children how to call the
front desk and 911 in case of an emergency.
- Do not mention your room number in
public, you never know who is listening.
- Just to be on the safe side, make sure
your family has ID on them, especially
your kids. Let your children help make
there own ID. The essential information
that should be on their ID are:
- Name
- Address
- Telephone Number
- Hotel of where you are staying
- Phone number of the Hotel
- Parents Names
- Allergies of the child (if any)
- Age/ birth date
- Emergency Contact (family or friend
from home)
- Recent picture (keep a copy of the
recent picture in your wallet just
in case you do get separated from
your children, the police would like
to get the most recent picture for
their records)
|
|
|
|
| Painless Pointers for Packing |
|
 So
you have your suitcases laid out for everyone
in the family, now the question is what
to bring? You already know that your whole
house won't fit in the car. But no need
to worry, follow these helpful hints and
packing should be a breeze.
Stay organized, lists are a perfect way
to keep control. Keep lists for each member
of the family, this will prevent any confusions
in what you have packed and what you need
to pack
For the Kids:
- Diapers
- Diaper Bag- preferably waterproof
- Diaper rash ointment
- Pacifier
- Tissues
- Premoistened wipes
- Travel size of powder and lotion
- Bib
- Food: formula, water, juice, snacks,
bottle, sippycup and utensils
- Toys and books
- Vinyl diaper wraps to prevent leaks
- 2 blankets
- one to lay on and the other to be covered
with
- Stuffed animal
- Plastic bags to put dirty clothes in
- Clothes: bring at least 1-2 outfits
per child a day
- Two suggestions: bring mix and match
clothes or preplan the outfits
- Easy to clean
- Comfortable
- 2 bathing suits, weather permitting
and if you kids like to swim
- Comfortable shoes (sneakers) and
water shoes
- Towels
- Pillows, if desired
- Travel size night light
- Stroller, car seat
- Portable crib, if hotel does not meet
specifications
- Camera and film
- Disposable camera for your children
to use
- Empty back-pack for day trips and outings
- Toiletries
- Travel size to take up less space
- Keep in a plastic bag to prevent
leakage on clothes
- Soccer ball, Frisbee, and/or jump
rope to play with during rest stops
You may think that
you need everything but if you are really
crunched for space, don't pack anything
that you can buy at your destination.
Maybe you really don't need that 100
pack of diapers, 24 might suffice for
the beginning of your travel.
|
|
|
|
| Games on the Go |
|
Remember the agonizing whine of "Are
we there yet?" coming from the back
seat of the car from your two wonderful,
bored children on the last family vacation
you took? Here are some game ideas that
you and your family can try for your upcoming
vacation.
1. Geography
Geography is a great way to get your family
in an upbeat mood for the journey ahead.
How to play: The first person thinks of
a place (city, state, country, etc...)
then the next person has to think of a
place that starts with the last letter
of previous place. Remember that you can't
use the same place twice and the place
has to be real.
| Example: |
Dad
starts with: |
North
Carolina |
| |
Jill (daughter): |
Alabama |
| |
Mom: |
Arlington |
| |
Jack (son): |
New Mexico |
2. Twenty Questions
How to play: One person thinks of a person,
place or thing and each person in the
family has 20 questions to figure out
what it is. Remember that "yes"
or "no" can only answer the
questions.
| Example: |
Dad: |
Thinks
of a person, place, or thing |
| |
Jill: |
Is it a person? |
| |
Dad: |
Yes |
| |
Mom: |
Is the person still
alive? |
| |
Dad: |
No |
| |
Jack: |
Was this person
a former President? |
3. License Plates
Are you ready to try to find all fifty
license plates from around the county?
Be on the look for states that have more
than 1 type of license plate. A map is
included to help you keep track of what
states you should be on the look for.
4. Buzz
Here's a game that will test your math
skills.
How to play: Take turns counting to 100.
Whenever a 7, multiple of 7, or 7 in the
number comes up, say "Buzz".
Remember if one person makes a mistake,
you have to start the whole game over
again.
| Example: |
Jack: |
1 |
| |
Jill: |
2 |
| |
Mom: |
3 |
| |
Dad: |
4 |
| |
Jack: |
5 |
| |
Jill: |
6 |
| |
Mom: |
Buzz |
| |
Dad: |
8 |
5. Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger Hunts are a great game to play
in the car. Before you leave the house,
prepare a list of things that you can
see easily from the car. Remember to bring
a couple of lists with on the trip so
your family can play against each other.
Also, remind your family that the first
one to spot all the items on the list
gets a surprise!
Here are some ideas that can get you started
on your list:
- Stop sign
- United States of America Flag
- Motor home
- Swimming pool
- Welcoming sign
- California license plate
|
- McDonald's Restaurant
- Mountain
- Bridge
- Boat
- Convertible car with the top down
(weather permitting)
|
6. Alphabet Words
This is a great game for children beginning
to read. How to play: The object of the
game is to find words on the road starting
the letter of alphabet in order.
| Example: |
Jill: |
A- sees
AT on bill-board |
| |
Mom: |
B- spots a Best Western
sign |
7. I Spy
I spy is a classic favorite for family car
rides. Remember that you can limit what
you see to the interior of the car or you
can include things that you have already
passed. And the first one to answer correctly
goes next. How to play: One person spies
an object and the rest of the family has
to guess what it is.
| Example: |
Jack: |
I spy
with my brown eyes something large.
|
8. Bingo
This version is a little different from
what your family might be use to, but it's
a lot of fun. Prepare equal size grids for
several colors of cars and X out a square
every time one is spotted. The first one
that Xs out all the squares wins! Remember
to make each grid different so your kids
can compete against each other.
| Example
of the grid: |
|
| |
| Red |
Yellow |
Blue |
Green |
| Black |
White |
Red |
Maroon |
| Blue |
Black |
Beige |
Silver |
| Yellow |
Green |
Brown |
Black |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| Making Memories Last a Lifetime |
|
After every vacation it's great to have
pictures and small souvenirs that bring
back memories of your vacation. One fabulous
way to create these memories is by making
a scrapbook on your family vacation. While
eliminating, "Honey, where were we again
when this was taken?", it also gives your
children (toddlers and up) something to
do on a rainy day.
To start out with, get your children
in the habit of saving one thing from
each place you visit. It can be anything
from a napkin to a restaurant, postcard
from a national park, or your children's
drawings of the theme park your family
has just visited. Another great tip is
bring along a disposable camera for your
children. It's a great inexpensive way
to allow your children to feel included,
at the same time getting their point of
view of the trip.
On a rainy day (hopefully
you won't have any of those) or a night
where you and your family want to take it
easy, start putting your scrap book together.
The essential elements that are needed can
easily be brought with you: photo-album
or scrap book, scissors, glue, construction
paper, stickers and markers. If you feel
really ambitious, take the film that has
already been used to a 1-hour film-developing
center.
Now that you have all the materials ready,
it's time to begin. Here are a few suggestions
that can help make the craft session run
smoothly:
- Let each child have their own page to
work on
- Let them be as creative as they want
- Keep all the materials in the same area
so it is easier to keep track of
- Have your kids SHARE all the materials
- Try to avoid one child monopolizing
the red marker for too long
- Divide up the pictures
-
Once the film
has been developed, the child who
took the picture should have the
option to use it first. This means
that each child should have the
same amount of time with the camera.
Or you can buy each child its own
special camera. Enjoy your new scrapbook!
The memories will last a lifetime.
|
|
|
|
|
