T&T: Travel Proofing Children

[Mike Maurice]

I don't know why I haven't written about this before, on the other hand, 
maybe I have...

Don't assume this is all there is to this topic, but this is what we did 
with our kids.

A state issued ID card, with new picture every couple of years.

A credit card in their name with a $500 limit.

A passport of theirs for going out of the US.

An 800 type toll free number that could be called that rang at the 
house, which was forwarded if no one was there to another number where a 
relative would answer.

The passport can be gotten at about age 10.
The credit card depends on the bank, but ours had them by age 10 or so.
The toll free number is pretty easy to get.
The state ID card can be gotten at almost any age, we started at about 8.

Today, a cell phone that does not work, except for calling 911, or maybe 
one that does.

Some coaching in how to use all these items, get a taxi, get into a 
hotel, call the police, etc.

We put them on planes, trains, buses by age 10, depending upon age and 
who would be there to meet them. Our system worked like a charm. The 
toll free number was one of the most useful, a cell phone would be next.

They went around the world, cross country, sometimes by themselves or 
with an older sibling. The concierge in a major hotel will knock 
themselves out to help them if anything goes wrong with schedule, which 
happened once when they arrived in Boston at 2 am after all day on the 
train from MD.

Of course we worried a bit sometimes, but we used a pretty secure system 
of sending off and checking them in by known means and it worked 
perfectly over more than 10 years.

I am sure that others can think of some enhancements to such a system.

Regards,
Mike

_____________________________________
Capt. Mike Maurice
Tigard Oregon(Near Portland)