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10 Good Reasons and Tips for Including Children in Your Travels

1. Your children are a fast changing, intimate part of your life. Precious experiences and adventure especially in other countries will  forever enrich each members shared memory before life claims them beyond your family unit.
2. Abroad, children are often a disarming ice-breaker and can evoke warm offers of help or greetings from the locals.
3. Peace of mind comes in knowing where and how your children are doing-- and no angst engendered if they had been left to be minded by relatives or family.
4. Carry a supply of anti-bacterial spray/wash. This can also be used for cleaning the tooth brushes if you are traveling to underdeveloped nations.
5. Drink only bottled water in such countries-- especially concerning the kids.
6. Child sized equipment needs to be checked. Overseas may not have correct helmets for water or snow skiing,  horse-back and bike riding. Be sure car seats for toddlers and babies meet international standards.
7. Avoid one huge bag. This becomes too cumbersome over time. Car trunks/boots and doorways abroad can be smaller than one is accustomed to at home. Get bags with wheels and extendable handles.
8. Have the kids carry something -- even a three year old can carry a back-pack boarding a plane. Spread the burden around and the kids will like doing their part- makes the parents happy too!
9. Airline safety in terms of air-borne germs is actually good. Re-cycled air ( with anti-bacterial filters )is in blocks of 5 seats thus germs cannot be easily spread throughout an entire plane.
10. Pain in your child's ears due to pressure changes on take-offs and landings can be greatly eased simply by 'earPlanes' – soft, safe earplugs that equalize pressure on both sides of the eardrum and are available at most pharmacies.