Keeping kids safe when abroad
Taking your children anyway can often be a pretty daunting task. Depending on their age, their routine and in particular their mood on the day, your trip is going to go one of two ways. Either really well or really stressful!
Being prepared and organised can help, as can having a plan. Knowing what you’re going to do, where you’re going, how you’re getting there and what time you’ll get there by can all help in making your day run as smoothly as possible.
It may just be a trip to the shops, or perhaps somewhere further afield. A farm, a park or a friend’s house. These normal day-to-day activities usually go pretty well for the majority, the odd tantrum aside course!
However, when it comes to taking your children abroad, are you doing everything you can to keep them safe?
This post isn’t about scare mongering, but I felt it was an important one to write. Having recently returned from a family holiday abroad with our four year old twins, I have to admit I was pretty staggered at some of the parents attitudes towards their children.
Now before I go into detail, I just want to make it clear that I’m not out to ‘parent bash’ or shame other people in the way that they parent. I just wanted to highlight the concerns that I had whilst witnessing some pretty scary scenes on holiday.
The first incident happened in the buffer restaurant. A girl, who looked to be no older than three years old, wandered into the restaurant alone. She was crying and looked scared. One of the waiters picked her up and asked her if she could see her mummy or daddy. She shook her head.
The waiter tried his best to comfort the girl, whilst walking around the restaurant to see if anyone recognised her. No-one did. Around 10 minutes later, a female waitress took the girl and as she was about to walk out of the restaurant, a man, walked in and claimed the child as his own.
Not only did the man take 10 minutes to find his child, he also didn’t appear to be too concerned about what had just happened. 10 minutes may not seem like a long time, but to a child who is scared and lost, it is.
10 minutes is also enough time for someone to have taken that little girl outside of the hotel and disappeared completely, never to be seen again.
My husband and I were shocked. I don’t understand how you can lose a child so young when abroad. I know some parents have spoken about how they’ve lost their kids in the supermarkets etc., and I don’t doubt that it happens, but I just don’t understand how.
My husband and I never take our eyes off of our children when we’re out. We’re always holding their hands and we always know where they are, even more so when abroad.
Another few incidents that staggered me was witnessing children who appeared to be around six years of age being left in charge of younger siblings in the evenings. Quite often they were standing around the edge of the pool whilst their parents were sat watching the entertainment out of view, and they were usually drinking alcohol too.
Another occasion was a group of girls and boys who varied in age from four up to around eight years old. They were all hanging around the toilets by bar. There were stairs down to the toilets and on a number of occasions when I was taking our girls to the toilets these children would be hanging around in and outside of the toilets. Anything could happen and yet their parents didn’t seem to care as they were far more interested in having a drink than looking after their kids.
It just staggers me beyond belief how things like this are still happening. We’ve all heard of poor Madeline McCann, and other children just like her and yet it seems her disappearance has done little to serve in the way of being extra vigilant of our children’s safety when abroad.
I’d love to hear your thought and experiences.
3 Comments
Jaynie
August 16, 2016 at 6:27 am
Great read,
I won't go away with just my family of 4. I'm scared there isn't enough eyes on my girls. When we do away there 12 of us. (10 adults 2 kids) so the girls are never alone.
Last year there was a little boy (aged4/5) hanging around the pool. His father disappeared to the hotel room, in that time he's jumped in and gone under, to then pull himself up onto one of my girls rubber rings (which she was in) terrified her as they sent made to hold 2 kids!
Myself, mother in law and a dad from another group all questioned eachother across the pool "is he one of yours". Nope. So that man jumped on and got him out. 5 minutes later the father of the little boy arrived back down from the room with the child's arm bands.
Why don't people use comments sense? Take that child up to the room with you!! 😠 could've been a lot worse.
kerry norris
August 17, 2016 at 3:10 pm
I think some people just get a bit too relaxed don't they. I have to say I'm very good whilst away it's at home I find myself more forgetful as I'm in my own environment. My daughter managed to open the front door the other day without me knowing. It scared the life out of me so I'm a lot more cautious again now x
Hannah Latoya Bond
August 18, 2016 at 8:21 am
Going abroad with your kids can be great, but you have to be so careful. This is going to sound harsh but i have so sympathy for the McCanns. They left their kids alone just so they could go out drinking. If you want an adults drinking holiday then leave the kids at home. A lot of things don't add up with Madeleine going missing. They could have used a sitter too but chose not to. If the McCanns had been some family on benefits in Benidorm they would have been done for neglect or had their other kids taken off them. Plus the media wouldn't have treated them nicely after.