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Thursday, September 21, 2017

How do you supervise children when travelling?

Problem
Children want attention. They want to move about. They want to make a noise. They want to touch and move objects. They want to enter places which might be unsafe.
The same applies to toddlers, teenagers, and adults. What sort of trouble can be caused?
1 Toddlers screaming in supermarkets.
2 Childen running around No commenting on this case. However, some thoughts came into my mind.

Basic rule one should be taught to children and adults in every home and school:
Rule 1
Do you not touch other people's property without permission.
Rule 2
(From Princess Diana's mother)
Leave a room as you found it.
Rule 3:
Do not enter somebody else's property without their permission.
Rule 4
 Do not touch unless you are buying.
If every child and adult obeyed these simple rules: advantages:
Rule 5
Use objects for the purpose for which they were intended. Do not use them for other purposes unless you have done a safety check. Remember not all surfaces can support the weight of you standing or sitting.
Rule 6:
Ask yourself, would responsible teachers, parents, owners of a property do this.
Rule 7:
Look and think before you move.
Rule 8:
Look at everybody who is around you. Look at everything around you. Consider how your action could affect them.

Advantages:
1 No theft.
 2 No distress to parents and grandparents when other children 'hide' all or part of valuable' birthday presents.
3 No mess.
4 Shopkeepers would not have to watch that children or adults are not taking something.
5 Your fingerprints are not on stolen items.
6 Other people do not have to supervise your unaccompanied children.
7 Guests and customers would always be welcome.
8 This would save children from falling through the roof of derelict buildings or factory buildings.
9 Every shopping mall should have a free play area to distract children from shops.


Parents should specify what children can and cannot do:
1 No screaming nor shouting in public places. No kicking the seat in front on a plane. Minimize the amount of banging anybody else's chair back, headrest, pocket in the back of an airplane seat. Look back before you recline and apologise in advance.
2 Be polite.
3 If somebody is annoyed, apologise.
4 Take a toy or activity which keeps people occupied.
5 Make friends of people before you touch their property or ask for help.

Let me give you some examples of disaster and successes.

DISASTERS
1 My son at school is given a computer as a birthday present. Children at school take part of it so he can not use it. When His granny ask how he is getting on with it, he says he cant use it. She is very upset. Mother wants to complain to the school. Child says not to do so because that will make him unpopular.

For years I have wished I had written to the school. What effect has this long term?

Parents and grandparents were very stressed. I was stressed meeting staff. I was not listening to them. I was always wanting to discuss this matter but never had the courage to do so.

I didn't and still don't trust any of my child's school friends.

Whenever I get an appeal to donate money to the school I tear it up and throw it in the bin.

SUCCESS
An air hostess stops and kneels down beside a fretful child. The child stops writhing and moaning and is happily distracted by a new person giving attention.
Children on a plane are absorbed in the films and drawings in colouring boxes and little quizzes and games.

I worry about whether it will annoy another person if I put my property on the middle seat. I chat to the other person and ask the other person if they want to share the middle seat and they tell me, 'No, you can use it all. Go ahead. I don't need it. My stuff's in the overhead locker. I'm just going to watch a film and go to sleep.' So I have goodwill and need not worry.

A friend who visits me for major events such as parties always organises a clear-up group when only half a dozen of us are left, both at his own home and when visiting mine. He has done this since he was a student. I have remained friends for life. It is just one example of how he instantly shows he is a responsible person, trustworthy, no trouble. always helpful. and thinks of others.

An active child can be taken to a park or a run before going somewhere they need to sit or stand quietly.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

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