WWL TV Topic

June 2, 2009

Traveling With Children

Summer is here and parents will be taking to the open roads and skies to vacation with their young children.  Some tips on how to have a happy (and healthy) family trip:

·        Let children know what to expect.  Preschoolers usually do better if they know what to expect, especially in unfamiliar situations.  Use “foreshadowing” and let your child know what will happen and what you expect from them:  “When we get on the plane we will find our seats, sit down and put on our seatbelts.”

·        Allow extra time.  Preschoolers are dawdlers!  So try and allow a little more time for everything, including the check-in time at the airport and roadside stops.

·        Bring a childproofing kit and first aid kit.  If you are staying in a hotel room with children under age three, you might want a few outlet covers and a doorknob cover for the bathroom.  A first aid kit could include band aids and skin ointments.

·        Keep an emergency check list with names and numbers of

important contacts.  If your child gets sick you might want to contact your pediatrician without having to search for the number.

·        Bring food and comfort items.  Most parents know not to leave home without a child’s favorite security object, usually a blanket or soft toy.  In fact, if you have a duplicate, be sure to bring it!  These kinds of objects help provide children with a sense of familiarity and security away from the routines of home.      

·        Use games and diversions.  The novelty of either a few new toys or toys a child hasn’t played with recently will help hold a child’s attention.  Sticker books, pipe cleaners, small cars, magnetic “doodling” toys, and crayons are all good items.  CDs with music, stories and nursery rhymes are popular choices, too.

·        Have realistic expectations.  Don’t set yourself up for disappointment if you plan too many activities that overwhelm your child.  Plan one major outing per day and play the rest by ear.

-Lisa Phillips, MSW, GSW

Parent Educator

For more information, call The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital at (504) 896-9591.