Keep Your Kids Safe When Traveling to Crowded Areas This Christmas
Traveling to different locations this Christmas is a wonderful experience especially if you are bringing your kids with you. This is a wonderful memory that they will cherish forever. The only problem is that all other families are doing the same thing. They will probably visit the same destinations that you have in mind.
As a result, going to wonderful locations would mean that you have to contend with a huge crowd. If you have kids, this could pose a significant risk. You might lose them along the way. You might not even enjoy the experience anymore because of the number of people in the same location.
This does not mean though that you just have to cancel your plans of traveling to these places. They are still worth visiting. Theme parks, malls and other child-friendly destinations should still be on your list. Here are some tips to avoid losing your kids in a crowded place.
Take a snap of their photo
Before going anywhere, make sure that you take their photos so that in the event that you lose them, it is easy to identify what they are wearing and ask for help from officials. If their images have to be shown in public, they can be easily identified since you have a photo of them wearing the exact outfit for the day. You also need it since there are a lot of kids in the area and they probably wear the same bring colors. When you have their photos, you can check the details and know exactly what to look for.
Talk to them before leaving your house
You need to explain to them the nature of the places that you are visiting. Let them know that the area is crowded and they need to be more careful. Tell them to not stay away from you no matter what happens or go with strangers even if they have something nice to offer. Find a spot in the destination where they should go if they get lost. By then, it is easier for you to locate since you know where to head back.
Explain to them the type of stranger they should go to
Basically, kids should be taught not to go with strangers. However, there are strangers who could be of help if ever they get lost. This includes police officers, firefighters and local security forces. Show to them how they look like and what uniform they are wearing. They might also be safe when they approach other moms who are carrying children. They tend to be more empathetic. They could be of help. Conversely, you need to show to them the type of people to avoid. Just make sure you don’t promote stereotypes. However, as kids, they only identify based on appearances so probably there is no damage done at this point. It is better safe than sorry.
No matter what happens, nothing should stop your Christmas travel plans. It is just a matter of telling your kids how to handle the situation if they get lost. Of course, you should also make sure they don’t get lost in the first place.
Photo Attribution:
Featured and 1st image by Delta News Hub (JFK: Holiday in the Hangar) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Slav4 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
