SanTan
FAMILY FUN
May 2 - May 15, 2015
1
Traveling this summer with kids? How to keep them safe and happy
“An award-winning publication”
A publication of the
SanTan Sun News
By Alison Stanton
What’s inside Page 2, 3
SanTan Family Fun Calendar
Page 4, Private sports facility to offer public camps
Page 4, 5 The girls of Watch Out Boyz Racing are serving notice to the guys
Page 6 Student receives honorable mention for Goldwater Scholarship
Page 8 Where kids eat free
Summer vacation is just around the corner and throughout the East Valley, many families’ thoughts are turning to that of travel. From weekend staycations at a local resort to long plane trips to see grandma and grandpa, families will soon hit the road and air with their kids in tow. To keep children of all ages as safe as possible while away from home, Dr. Allison Kaplan, a Chandler resident and family physician at Desert Grove Family Medical in Gilbert, said parents have to focus on doing as much planning as possible. “I think parents have to prepare a lot for family vacations, and remember to bring all of the booster seats and car seats, and talk to their kids about not running off, and if they are going to the beach they have to remember sunscreen,” said Kaplan, the mother of four. Jennifer Lawhead, a Chandler mom of two young boys, has plenty of family vacations under her belt. She and her husband Mike have taken road trips with their two young sons, Dexter, 3, and Teddy, 9 months. They also traveled by air with Dexter before Teddy was born. Like Kaplan, she agrees that successful and safe traveling with kids involves plenty of organization. With this in mind, Kaplan and Lawhead offer the following suggestions to parents:
Road trips If it’s possible to do so, Lawhead said parents should consider driving at dusk. This way, the kids are more likely to fall asleep during the drive, which will prevent them from being overly antsy. To prevent having to rummage through things and avoid moving around in a moving vehicle, Lawhead suggest keeping needed items like food and toys close by, while storing larger items in the trunk. To keep awake kids
safely occupied during long drives, Lawhead suggests sticker books and mess-free coloring books as well as iPads loaded with some new kid-friendly apps.
Traveling by plane For families who are flying, Kaplan said they should bring along the appropriate car and booster seats. “The car rental place might not have one, so it’s important that they bring them along,” she said. Parents can either check the seats with the luggage or bring them on the plane and strap the children in to keep them safe and secure during the flight. Curbside check-in is a must to help unload luggage as early as possible, Lawhead said. “I always check big pieces of luggage and car seats so I’m left with just the stroller and a diaper bag,” Lawhead said. “You can bring the stroller onto the plane and check at the gate, which is an option I usually use.” To keep children happily occupied while in the air, Lawhead suggests simple and colorful toys, and if they are in diapers, put them in a double diaper or one meant for overnight. “Trust me on this one. When the seatbelt sign is on and your kiddo needs a change, you’ll be less stressed out. And it buys you a little extra time instead of braving the small airplane bathroom.”
Hotel room tips
Dr. Allison Kaplan said with some planning and proper supplies, parents can help keep their kids safe during family vacations. Submitted photo
Keeping young children safe and secure in hotel rooms can be difficult, Kaplan said. “You just have to keep a sharp eye on them and if there is a patio door be sure to keep it shut, and let older kids know that they are not to leave the room without a parent,” she said. If parents have a Pack ‘n Play portable playpen, Kaplan said they can place it at the end of the
beds and let the kids play on the floor in the space in between the beds. Lawhead brings along outlet covers and does as much childproofing of the room as she can, looking for red flags like a dresser that can easily tip over. “Don’t be afraid to ask the hotel staff if you need something changed,” she said.
Visiting theme parks If the vacation involves a trip to a theme park, Kaplan said parents should talk with their kids about stranger danger and not running off. “When we recently went to Disneyland, we showed our kids what the employees look like and told them they could ask them for help if they got lost,” Kaplan said. Depending on the age of the children, parents can decide on a meeting place in case anyone gets lost.
Preparing for boo boos Because she knows from experience that kids will fall down and get scrapes while on vacation, or they may come down with a bug of some type, Kaplan said her family always brings along a homemade first-aid kit. “We always bring along basic things like ibuprofen or Tylenol and Benadryl, Band-Aids and topical antibiotics. We keep the kit in the car and we always plan ahead to bring it,” she said. Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at alison@ santansun.com.
Resources Websites • www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/travelingchildren • www.airsafe.com/kidsafe/kid_tips.htm • www.bestwestern.com/travel-planning/tips/ family-safety.asp Books • “Family on the Loose: The Art of Traveling with Kids,” by Bill Richards and E. Ashley Steel • “National Geographic Kids Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas: Maps, Games, Activities and More for Hours of Backseat Fun,” by Crispin Boyer