Summer is time to travel and it is definitely a time too to sit down with your kids and have a talk about safety. After all safety is more paramount than ever when you are on the road. After all it is quite easy to lose your kid at the beach or at a theme park.
The best way to avoid this type of problem is to create some kind of buddy plan. Most parents forget to teach family safety strategies but they are essential and necessary. Having travel plans in place can even help save a life or prevent your child from being abducted or being lost.
It is always a good idea to decide on a family code word. This helps your child from going off with a stranger. Make sure the word is easy for you guys to remember but not so common that others could guess it.
Make sure your child has memorized basic numbers such as their address, home phone and a parent's cell phone number. If your child is lost on vacation then you need to be called on a cell, as obviously you will not be home.
You also need to assign each family member a travel buddy that stays with him or her at all times.
It is also a good idea to teach kids how to keep themselves safe from harm. Make sure they stay in at night when you are traveling and that they know the traffic or other rules of where they are going. Children always perform best when they know what to expect.
If you are at the airport make sure you have a current photo of your child. These are big places and it easy for them to get lost. These are used of identification purposes. Have other information such as your child's height, weight and full name as well as your cell number on the back. Make sure that it is a good photo in case your child goes missing and a poster must be made.
It is also crucial to wear bright colors when you travel. This allows you to keep track of your family and for everyone to be easily recognized.
Make sure your child's name is also on tags or written inside his or her clothing. This helps you keep track of each other. Don't write the name on the outside of clothing as the child might become familiar to the stranger who calls their name. This might give them the ability to spirit your child away from you in a crowd.
Wear matching bright colors when traveling. This is a great way to keep track of your family, and allows everyone to be easily recognized.
Another good trick is to always designate a meeting spot for your kids and you if you should get separated. Meeting an entrance gate to an attraction or other obvious place is an excellent idea.