SAFETY TIPS FOR WHEN YOUR CHILDREN HAVE TO TRAVEL ALONE

At some point in life, your children may have to travel alone. It may be for a school trip, visit
family or a special occasion. When I was younger I would sometimes have to visit some places
alone to visit relatives. The experience can be frightening if not well prepared. Other times your
children may have to go visit their other parent abroad. Airlines usually guide you on what to do
as they allow children as young as 5 to fly alone. Nevertheless, the fact that you are handing over
your child to complete strangers may leave you anxious. The following tips will help you prepare
your child.

1. Is the child mature enough: When you’re sending your child out for the first time,
consider their age. If the child is too young then it is best to either go for the trip with the
child or send him or her with someone close.
2. Arrange with the person who will pick your child: It would be frightening if your child
reached their destination and arrived to no one. Make sure that either the attendant for the
trip has all the relevant information. The attendant should have at least two numbers to
contact in case the person picking your child is not there. Ensure that the company has a
safe agency or waiting for your child when he/she arrives.
3. Travel light: When a child is travelling alone, the last thing he or she needs to worry
about is baggage. Whether it’s by bus or air, ensure that their luggage is safe and not too
much to worry about. If need be, take a picture of the luggage and send to the one who
will receive the child. It is also in order to write your child’s name on their bag.
4. Prepare snacks: If your child is traveling a long distance on road then it is best to prepare
snacks for your child. Put snacks that you know he/she will definitely eat without a
problem. This means they should have a small backpack with them that is convenient and
not heavy. If by any chance the travel service has an arrangement for food, make sure to
tell them if your child has any allergies.
5. Prepare your child psychologically: Your child should be told what to expect on their
trip. If it’s their first trip alone, they need to be given the morale to be away from you. If
they are going by plane then tell them how it may feel when the plane takes off. If its
road transport, then remind them it’s a car with other people. Reassure them of their
safety and tell them about the measures you have taken so that they are safe.
6. Tell them about the dangers: Of course this trip has dangers of its own. There are
complete strangers around your child. Tell them about the dangerous kind of people that
may be there and the warning signs. For instance, they should not talk to strangers nor
should anyone buy them anything. Encourage them to only be close to the person they are
traveling with and the attendant.
7. Ask for appropriate seating: This is mostly for flights where you are guaranteed that your
child will sit next to a responsible parent. Usually the child’s seating plan will be next to
someone of the same sex. So if it’s your daughter, they should be next to a lady. Similarly
 a child on a road trip should generally be with someone whom you have assigned to go
with. This person is important as they are partially responsible for your child’s safety.
8. Ask for permission to accompany your child: If your child is going by air, then ask for
permission stay with your child until when they get in the plane. It is important to be with
your child until when they are almost leaving as you reassure them that all will be well.
9. Hand over to a specific flight attendant: When dealing with flight attendants, it is best
that your child is handled by one flight attendant. Most airlines usually have one who will
take care of your child throughout the whole trip.

Sending your child away alone might be very hard. There must be good reason to do so,
and if it comes to that then it is best to things the right way. Never assume that your child
will just be fine alone, especially if they are going far. Keep them safe and ready so they
can have an enjoyable trip. For more guidelines visit here.
HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE 5 KINDS OF DRUNKARDS

Kenya is known for its party life. There is never a day that you will not find a bar full, I would
know because I do not leave far from them. As I walk in the evening I pass my dear neighbors
and I spot the familiar crowd at the local. While growing up I have unconsciously studied
different groups of drunkards. When younger I thought some were entertaining, while others
simply made me want to melt away from them. Alcohol is a depressant; some say it brings out
the true side from someone while others cannot handle their liquor. I have noticed a pattern when
it comes to alcohol. No one really starts drinking and manages perfect behavior. When some
begin drinking they are wild beyond words and as they progress in that world they learn to drink
responsibly. But which drunken characters may make you pull your hair out?

1. The lecturer: As I mentioned above there are people I thought were giving me advice
while I was younger until I knew why. These people cannot keep calm, all of a sudden
they have a very long opinion about your shoes and why you should date someone else.
You may try to run but sadly never hide. During their lectures they stammer repeatedly
and find themselves repeating themselves. You see such people are those whom while
sober could not tell you their truth. Personally I believe it would be faster if they said it
while sober. They also love the phrase “I am talking, listen to me”. They cannot give you
time to talk; it is not in your place. All you have to do with these ones entertain their
thoughts fully. Listen, nod and tell them they make a lot of sense. If possible just run
away very fast or pull the “I am coming back card then disappear”. Chances are, they will
probably only remember a fraction of it the next day.
2. Dramatic one: This one is feisty. He or she looks for drama once they are drunk. As a
matter of fact, this one and the lecturer do not get along unless they are on the same page.
They the ones that will imagine someone looked at them badly then want to cause a
scene. Did I mention they love crying? I do not know what happens at that time, but they
can win an Oscar for their action. They love causing a scene and everyone must know. Be
careful as these are not the ones you want to meet their exes at the party scene. If you see
their enemy, distract them as quickly as possible. With these kinds of people, you need to
remain calm. Usually there’s a friend that they prefer. They will most likely insist that
they need a particular someone for them to calm down and threaten not to if they do not
get that person.
3. Emotional one: These ones do not have to be dramatic but they pour their souls out. They
remember their past and how tragic it was. They hardly remember the good things that
happened; these are the ones that need your attention as a therapist. They start off very
well then all of a sudden they are quiet or silently crying in a corner. All you need to do
is remind them of happy things. This is when you need to pull your psychology mode out.
If you’re the intolerant type do not handle this person. You may end up making them
worse. It’s very easy for these kind of drunks to ruin the ambience, they tend to need
 attention at that time while everyone wants to party. Sometimes if they have the same
pity party, just ignore them.
4. The one who disappears: Ever felt like you’re playing a cat and mouse game throughout
the night? You came together to the party scene but your dear friend cannot calm down.
There are different reasons as to why your friend may be the one who gets away.
Sometimes they are quite popular and you cannot keep up with them. What is even worse
is that they either left you with their phone or their phone is off. When they come back to
you, they act like nothing happened. The worst types in this category are the ones who
disappear with strangers. They either come back with those strangers or sometimes you
may have to walk around the whole bar or street looking for them. Such people just buy
them a leash. Make sure they are right next to you or you follow them everywhere they
go. You need to be a loyal one to do pull this off.
5. Black out: There is nothing worse than having a friend who may psych you to go out then
an hour later they are having a lie-down on the bar counter. To be more specific they
black out right after a few drinks. I would like to call them the light weights too. I suggest
you do not use a cab with such people. Carry a friend that has a car so when the light
weights sleep you can put them in the car. Another option is to remind them that they will
black out if they do not pace their drinks hence why they should drink some water. If they
refuse, scare them with the possibility of leaving them in the bar.

So, there you have it. The groups of drunkards that you need to think about while with them.
You obviously cannot avoid them especially if they are close to you but you can deal with them.
If there are other types that I have left out, definitely enlighten us.