As a parent, you may be terrified to send your child on a trip overseas. Whether they are studying abroad or accompanying a friend on a family vacation, it can be frightening to think of your son or daughter traveling in a foreign country. If you are determined to allow them to have the experience despite your worries, there are a few things you can do ahead of time to make everyone in the family feel more at ease.
1. Be Prepared to Send Money
You’ll likely provide your child with a credit card and some cash to exchange for local currency when they arrive. It’s important that they understand the various foreign denominations and how exchange rates work. However, in case of an emergency, you’ll want to know how to perform a Ria Money Transfer quickly.
2. Purchase Travel Insurance
While it’s important to hope for the best, when it comes to your child’s health, you should be prepared for the worst. If he or she experiences a health issue while traveling abroad, travel insurance can help greatly reduce the out-of-pocket cost of care. Ensure that you send the proper documentation to your child and teach them when to use it.
3. Develop a Communication Strategy
A communication strategy should consist of how and how often your child will communicate with you while they are abroad. If he or she already has a cell phone, you will want to compare your plan’s international rates with those of other cell company options. Make sure that your child memorizes important contact numbers. In an emergency, a contact list may not be available.
Developing an exact plan of when he or she will call home can have its advantages and disadvantages. You may feel comforted knowing exactly when you’ll hear from them. But a strict plan can interrupt a travel itinerary, and if they find themselves unable to call at the allotted time, it can cause unnecessary panic. Try to establish a schedule that allows for flexibility.
4. Make Sure They Know how to Call for Help
Your child has known from a young age how to call for help from home. However, contacting the authorities can be very different in a foreign country. Research as a family the best way to call police and ambulance services. Be sure to program those numbers into the phone they’ll be using.
5. Write Down Health Information
Send your child a physical card that lists any allergies in the language of the country they will be visiting. If he or she takes medication, do the same for each prescription and include the dosage. In the event of a health emergency, it will assist the medical responders to have this information handy.
Traveling overseas can be an exciting and eye-opening opportunity that you don’t want your child to miss. It’s natural to worry about their health and safety while they are so far away. However, by doing some homework ahead of time, you can greatly reduce your family’s stress and enjoy the experience.
