The thought of your precious child leaving home, spreading their wings and travelling round the world is enough to bring any parent out in a cold sweat. The fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of your child’s whereabouts can be a scary and intimidating experience for every parent. At this time of year lots of students and gap year students are beginning to plan backpacking world trips or organising working holidays abroad, so, whatever your child is planning it’s the perfect time to look into your options for staying in touch with your precious kids while they are away.
The thought of being out of contact with your children can send anxious parents into turmoil but there are a few easy ways to keep in contact with your loved ones as they head off on their great adventures. The easiest, and probably the most reliable, way to keep in touch is through e-mail and via the internet. This is a cost efficient, fast and reliable way to get messages to your child. Unfortunately this doesn’t guarantee you an immediate response but can be a nice way to share in your child’s experiences. If your loved one is travelling to an area with a bad connection don’t let this throw you into utter panic, arrange a time when you should expect to hear from them and ask for their hotel or youth hostel details in case of an emergency.
If you’re lucky your child may begin to write an online travel blog posting pictures, videos and information about their travels online for families and friends. This can be a positive and reassuring way to keep anxious parents sane and could stop your kids feeling obliged to call home each time their destination changes. Social networking sites are also a quick and easy way to stay in touch and parents can quickly check on Facebook and Bebo updates to make sure their child is still safe.
If you can’t stand the thought of not knowing where you child is you may consider using some of the latest technology to keep tabs on your offspring. GPS tracking devices are all the rage in the travelling world and are a great way to let others know your whereabouts. It’s especially useful if your child is planning a trek or excursion that means they will be out of contact for several days.
One of the most important things to remember when your child is travelling is to give them the freedom to grow and experience the world on their own. If you’re constantly ringing, emailing and writing your child could begin to resent you or may spend all their time reassuring you instead of enjoying themselves. Try to email or phone once a week or arrange a specific time to get in touch with them so you’re not smothering them.
Whether you’re looking for cheap calls to Australia, a sturdy internet connection in Asia or a state of the art global tracking system staying in touch with your child can help to put your mind at ease so you can rejoice in your child’s new found freedom as they experience the world.