Screamin' Down The Road- Traveling With Children

On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the icy Potomac River in Washington during take-off.  Joe Stiley, one of the few survivors, saw the crash coming, seeing out his window how the plane was falling to the river.  He tucked into the "brace" position and told his secretary sitting next to him to do the same.  The plane crashed into a bridge and then into the Potomac.  Joe blacked out and awoke with the cabin full of water. He methodically unbuckled his seat belt, undid his secretary's, and they swam to the exit and to the surface.  Joe was one of the few people who bothered to read the safety card every time he flew, note his nearest exit, and count how many seat rows to that exit. In disasters like these, surviving comes down to following safety instructions to the letter, immediately.  When you are flying, read that safety card every time.  Look up and find where your exits are.  Read how to open the emergency doors.  If the oxygen masks come down, put yours on first so you don't black out before you can get your child's on. Leave your luggage behind- trying to take it with you slows down everyone else's exit. However, don't be put off from air travel.  My family and I love to fly and it is as safe as sitting in your bedroom.  Disasters like above are very rare.  In fact, the most dangerous part of any flying trip is the car ride to the airport.  Most of us drive more when traveling with our families and cars are much, much more dangerous than airliners. So wear those seatbelts and buckle your kids into car seats properly.  Check your tires before long car trips.  And here are a few tips to keep your kids happier so they don't distract from your driving.  Let them drink only water.  If kids drink soda or juice, they will have to take more bathroom stops.  With water, they only drink if they are truly thirsty. Have snacks and entertainment for them- DVDs, games, books.  On long drives my family loves books on tape.  We so enjoyed Harry Potter that even after an 8 hour car ride, we would sit in the driveway at home just to hear the end of a chapter. Hotels are another safety and comfort consideration.  At 5am one morning in a hotel in Mobile, the fire alarm went off.  Being well trained by their Emergency Dad, my family popped immediately out of bed and headed for the exit.  In fact Mr. Prepared was the last out, having a little trouble getting my shoes on.  We were all the way down the stairs before all-clear was called.  On our way back up, we were surprised how few other guests had even peaked out to see what was going on.  In a real fire, I sure like my family's chances better than theirs. In her book The Unthinkable, Amanda Ripley shows how people survive disasters.  In airplanes it means following your safety card like Joe Stiley above.  In hotels it means practicing finding your exit, crawling on your hands and knees under smoke. Count the doors to the stairwell.  Go down the stairs- it's fun to pop out and find yourself in some forgotten alley and make your way back.  Don't stay above the fourth floor- that's as high as Fire Department ladders reach, in case fire traps you in your room. Again, keeping your kids comfortable in hotels makes traveling more fun.  Use that hotel pool!  Exercise after sitting in a car all day will help them sleep.  Keep your usual routines- eat together, read bedtime stories, be calm and unfrustrated.  Bring comfort medicines- ibuprofen or tylenol for aches, cough drops for dry throats in dry hotel air.  Searching for a pharmacy at 11pm in an unfamiliar town is a real drag! So when traveling, be prepared.  Review and follow all safety tips.  Buckle up.  And don't forget your bathing suits!