12/03/2024
10 things to do before your teen travels for spring break or study abroad
1) Get a passport.
If you already have one, make sure it’s valid. You need to be prepared if you suddenly go out of the country. They need to be valid for at least six months into the future, so check the expiration dates if you have one already.
2) If the trip was booked through a travel company, ask for the following:
A copy of the agreement.
Ask if some of the cost includes insurance coverage.
Ask if f there are any known accidents, incidents, or unsafe conditions at any of the hotels they endorse.
3) Check with your insurance carrier.
They may not cover medical treatment and hospital care outside the United States. Check if they cover medical evacuation back to the US. This can cost anywhere from $25,000-$50,000. You may need to purchase additional coverage.
4) Ensure you have a credit card with a high spending limit.
You may not be able to leave the hospital without leaving a substantial down payment. They wouldn’t let us go until we authorized a $5,000.00 payment.
5) Check out your phone’s international coverage.
Make sure your cell phone coverage includes international cell service or know how to add that to your existing plan.
6) Educate your teen on the perils of international travel.
You can’t necessarily forbid them to go, but you can make some agreements with them.
7) Have other phone numbers.
If your teens are anything like mine, they are notorious for losing their phones, jumping in the pool with them in their pocket, dropping it, etc., so having other phone numbers to call if their phones are broken is essential. Ask for their friend’s cell number or their friends’ parent cell numbers so you can create a support system.
8) Ask for other parents’ cell numbers.
Another idea might be to ask them to assemble a packet with cell phone numbers and pictures of their friends and their parent’s cell numbers. This can be extremely beneficial when you can’t get a hold of your kids.
9) Have faith and pray.
Never underestimate the power of prayer. I call it a divine partnership. Miracles do happen.
10) Practice gratitude.
Each day is a gift filled with small miracles that go unnoticed. Be grateful for every day you have with them.
I know asking for some of these things from your adult children is challenging but think of it this way, you’re paying for the trip in some way, shape, or form anyway, right?