Although you may have spent time traveling together with your family, there will likely come a time when your child will take a trip without you. In their younger years, these trips are usually either to visit family or friends in a different area or for a school outing or trip. For either occasion, you might be nervous for your child to have this independence and be unsure about the best way to prepare your child for this new adventure. To help you with this, here are three tips for preparing your child for traveling on a school trip for the first time.
Speak About The Trip Positively
While you might be nervous about the upcoming travels facing your child, it’s important that you don’t let your fears influence your child and spark fears in him or her. According to World-Schools.com, the more you’re able to talk positively about the trip, the more excited your child will be. Especially if this is their first time being away from you while traveling, you’ll want him or her to feel confident so that the overall experience is a good one. And because kids are so good at picking up on your feelings, you should try to do your best to portray excitement and be encouraging.
Pack Their Bags Together
As their parent and a frequent traveler yourself, you might be tempted to just pack your child’s bag for them so you can ensure they have everything they need and can fit it in their allotted space. However, this can make it hard for your child to learn how to do this on their own, as well as keeping them in the dark about what they have and where to find it in their bags. Because of this, Lexi Walters Wright, a contributor to Understood.org, recommends that you two make a list and pack their bags together. This will help them learn how to create their own list, gather what they need, and pack it efficiently.
Go Over The Details Of The Trip Multiple Times
To help both you and your child feel as prepared as possible for their trip, Amie Durocher, a contributor to SafeRide4Kids.com, recommends that go over their travel plans and itinerary multiple times. Give your child as much information as he or she can handle, like their flight number and time. You should also give him or her important phone numbers this might come in handy. Additionally, by talking about what their days will look like while on their trip, they’ll be able to know what’s going on and keep themselves safe.
If your child’s about to travel for their first school trip without you, consider using the tips mentioned above to help prepare them for their journey.