Sooner or later, usually before you even noticed it, your little kid became a teenager, in its fullest sense. And, he or she will surely wish to travel alone. Domestic travels need preparation too, however, not as nearly as going abroad does. There are a lot of important issues that need to be taken into consideration, skipping any can turn out to be crucial when it comes to organization and safety. Therefore, here is how to prepare your loved one for a trip abroad in the best possible way.
Itinerary
Take time and sit with your teenager to go through all the places he or she plans to visit while travelling. If it is a group travel, the agency probably has a fixed schedule and everything is known in advance. Going through sites they plan to visit will familiarize both you and your big child with the route and the surrounding. If he or she travels alone, go through travel plans in great detail in order to know as much about the locations, the route and planned activities as possible from the distance.
Traveling Money
Use the opportunity to pay in advance for everything you can. Accommodation, transportation, even tickets for museums, sports matches or cinemas, for example, can be paid for in advance. Small amounts of cash are always necessary, for everything else make sure he or she takes a low limit debut or a credit card along. If he or she runs out of money you will easily deposit more from home and if the credit card gets lost or stolen little damage will be made due to low limit it has.
Travel Documents
A valid passport is usually all that is necessary. However, make sure to check if visa is required for the country that is visited. Naturally, it needs to be issued prior entering the chosen country. Furthermore, be informed about the location of the closest consulate or diplomatic mission is in case the passport gets lost or stolen. Lastly, make copies of passport, keep one for yourself and give one to the tourist guide, just in case.
Sexual Encounters
Teenagers are at a special phase of their personal development and it is quite normal that they are increasingly interested in sexual intercourse. Traveling without parental supervision presents an opportunity to act more freely than in domestic circumstances. Talking openly about the subject is the best way to go. Emphasize the necessity of having safe sex and the use of condoms as the safest precaution and suggest that they opt for non-latex condoms since they provide extra safety and prevent latex related allergic reactions.
Local Laws and Customs
Being informed about local laws and customs always comes in handy and is very often required to feel completely safe and do not attract negative attention. Explain to your teenager that acting conservative is the best option, polite conduct and addressing is certainly not forbidden anywhere in the world and good upbringing and behavior is always welcomed. That naturally does not mean being stiff and reserved and rest assured, they will know the difference.
To sum up, careful preparation is required, gather as much information about the route, accommodation and local customs as possible, do it all with your child next to you to be certain that he or she does not miss anything and everything will pass in the best possible manner.