What is a UM traveler, you ask? In airline talk, a UM (usually pronounced “U. M.” but sometimes “um”) is an Unaccompanied Minor traveling without an adult, with airline personnel providing some supervision. 1. Qualifications for UMs are surprisingly scant. On most major US and international airlines, if children have reached their fifth birthday (yes, […]
Kids/Winter/Sunglasses
February 5, 2014 by
Having your kids wear sunglasses when the ground is covered with snow is as important as having them wear them on a summer day at the beach – perhaps even more so. Wearing the right winter sunglasses prevents snow blindness and, more important, helps prevent cataracts in later life. 1. “Snow blindness” is not exactly […]
Healthy Trips to Exotic Places
November 24, 2013 by
Parents can take children to almost any place in the world if they prepare themselves to deal with the occasional health and safety issues that children may encounter while traveling, says Perri Klass MD in her recent New York Times column, 18 and Under (November 19, 2013.) Click here to read the entire article. I […]
Leaving Children at Home Alone
October 16, 2012 by
Should parents take vacations with their kids – or from their kids? Family vacations expose kids to new experiences, strengthens family unity and build memories for the future. But for many parents, family vacations are stressful and expensive obligations, not the relaxing and refreshing breaks from everyday routine that vacations are supposed to be. In […]
Amusement parks/Children/Safety
June 18, 2012 by
Rides at amusement parks are not always amusing. Each year about 9,000 American kids fourteen years or younger require an additional ride – to an emergency room (ER), the result of a park-related injury. Many more injuries are seen at first aid stations, by private doctors, or handled by parents. Rides that are intended for […]
Cruise ships/Children/Intestinal diseases/Norovirus
April 25, 2012 by
Cruise ships/Children/Intestinal diseases/Norovirus Should the frequent outbreaks of intestinal illnesses aboard cruise ships deter you from taking your family on a vacation at sea? Our thoughts at the end of the article. (This is the second of a three-part series. Our previous posting: Children/Cruise ships/Health and safety. Our next posting: Intestinal diseases/Children/Treatment and preventing spread.) […]
Keeping kids healthy and safe on cruises
March 27, 2012 by
Of the 14 million passengers who sailed from American ports last year, 1.5 million were children. Families are the biggest growth segment for cruise ship companies. Every ship being designed has children in mind. Some ships are planned entirely for families. (Some adults without children are clamoring for adult-only voyages; children have overtaken ships, especially […]
Children /Hotel Bathrooms/Safety
August 24, 2011 by
Warning: hotel bathrooms are hazardous for your children – even more hazardous than the bathrooms in your home. 1. Upscale hotel plumbing is all about sleek appearance. Even adults have difficulty deciphering the numerous knobs on tubs and showers, for example. One never knows where the water is going to come out, and at what […]
Update on Children / Vacations*
April 9, 2011 by
Update on Children/Vacations* Unreasonable parental expectations and poor parental planning mar more family vacations than obstinate children. While traveling with kids will always have its ups and downs, savvy parents can keep the inevitable squabbles down to a manageable few. Here is what you should know: Your primary goal should be kids having fun. Family […]
Is it OK for Kids to Miss School to Visit Disney World?
December 21, 2010 by
You’re planning to take your family to Disneyworld: parents, two children, one in fourth grade, the other in second. You are as anxious to go as they are: you’re feeling guilty. Lately you’ve spent too little time with them because of your work schedules. You find a package that seems too good to be true: […]
