September 2008 Archives

Children travelling alone

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My daughter wants to go to Europe with her church youth group. I trust her youth leader, I like the other kids in her youth group, and I want her to experience the world. But I'm scared to death! My baby, out of the country without me? What if she has an accident abroad and got hurt?

This is not as crazy at it sounds. The child has been known to get hurt walking from her bedroom to the bathroom. I don't know how you would logistically handle a child hospitalized in another country. Dr. Spock did not cover this. There is so much I don't know. Will our health insurance cover international incidents? And are all accidents abroad treated the same? For example, would a fall down the stairs of the Louvre be covered in the same way as a car accident in Rome? Do we need some sort of gap coverage?

There are certain steps I know I will be taking to minimize the chance of an accident abroad ruining her trip. Copies of her passport tucked in two pieces of luggage and given to the youth leader. A list of American embassies (with phone numbers) for all the cities they will be visiting. My phone number and her blood type tattooed on her back. Okay, maybe I'm joking about the tattoo but reviewing insurance coverage, making copies of her passport, and knowing where the embassies are for the places they will be visiting is common sense protection for innocents who might have accidents abroad.

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