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"Labeling" child with contact info for travelling


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How do you do this?

I don't want to pay 20 bucks for a bracelet, and even 10 plus shipping for some cutsey temp. tattoo seems steep.

 

I just can't count on kiddo to remember all the contacts in all the cities we will be in. I don't know if our cell will work there, either.

 

Any bright ideas on keeping a card with info actually IN a pocket. Stapling?

 

What was your stroke of genius? Thanks.

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How old are your children? When ours were little, we dressed them in red shirts and overalls so we could easily locate them in the airport. Then we put a label on their back with our last name and cell phone number. This way, a stranger couldn't call them by name, but someone could easily help them get in touch with us.

 

When they were a bit older, and we traveled to Ukraine, we wrote our phone numbers with a Sharpie, on their arm under their sleeve.

 

I was afraid they'd lose a card.

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We were in a major international city last year, using their subway system. This was a huge fear of mine, prior to the trip.

I drilled and drilled DS on my cell phone info. We knew going in that our cell phones would not work in this country, so we paid to have my cell phone transferred over to an international cell phone.

When we got to our hotel, the gentleman at the front desk gave DS a business card for the hotel and told DS that he was to always keep it in his coat pocket (it was cold so he would certainly always have a coat on) and use it as his contact info.

Between the two, we felt pretty secure. (Though getting through the airport, I was :tongue_smilie:about getting separated.)

Can you contact your cell provider and ask about coverage in your destination cities?

I loved the business card - it was the perfect size and durable. You could probably slip inside a shoe (under the sole) if need be. I will certainly do something like that on our next big trip.

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Wee Girl has selective mutism, and wouldn't be able to give anyone any information if she got separated from us. When we needed to travel with her, we got extra luggage tags, filled them out with necessary information, and attached one to the zipper at the top of her dress (she only liked to wear dresses at the time, but if necessary we'd have safety-pinned it to the top of the back of her clothes). Since she couldn't see it, she didn't mind; and while I'm sure passers-by were either amused or horrified, it gave us some peace of mind.

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The Unaccompanied Minors on airlines wear a necklace-style clear badge pocket like you'd get at a convention, with their info on it. However, I wouldn't want the info to be out there for anyone to see. I've done a laminated card tucked into a back pocket and pinned with a safety pin. And for older kids, I've done a zippered bag worn cross-body under their shirt, which can contain info, money, health card, etc.

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What about getting some cotton fabric scraps, writing the contact information on it, then using repositional fabric adhesive to attach it to the inside of a tee-shirt or jacket? Something the size of an address label wouldn't feel any more noticeable than a tag, and even then - if you glue the whole fabric piece down, he may not notice it at all.

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I wrote the contact number directly on their upper arm with sharpie. They always thought it was cool.

 

Wow, I wish I'd thought of that when my kids were little! That's a great idea!

 

When our son was biking across Europe alone at age 18, we insisted he wear a dog tag -- like a military dog tag. I think we were able to fit his name and five phone numbers on it. It was about $5.00 or so.

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We didn't do anything when we were travelling with the kids. We travelled internationally all the time when they were younger. The most I would do would be to put them in bright t-shirts so they were easier to spot.

 

Laura

 

:iagree: I'm not even sure there would have been a reasonable contact number to put on my child in some of the situations we've been in.

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:iagree: I'm not even sure there would have been a reasonable contact number to put on my child in some of the situations we've been in.

 

I'm wondering what I would have written on a child when we were staying in northern Thailand when none of us spoke Thai and there was no mobile phone service. I just kept an eye on them until they were old enough to obey instructions like, 'Run off and play but don't go beyond that tree over there.'

 

Laura

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We didn't do anything when we were travelling with the kids. We travelled internationally all the time when they were younger. The most I would do would be to put them in bright t-shirts so they were easier to spot.

 

Laura

 

I was a runner away when I was little, and so was kiddo. Now *he* wants a phone number. We are going to be all over and numbers will change.

 

Plus, to save money, I will be escorting the boys to the expensive venues but not going in. Hubby does not look like an urban east coaster. In NYC, it is best to have the blank, slightly mean look on your face as you ride the subway. He will be grinning stupidly and saying "look at that". Thus I think it my job to be extra on my guard while there. I don't even want to go. I'm the guide only, having spent 10 years there, and feel I "paid my dues" already.

But hubby does not have the stranger danger gene. Heck, he leaves the keys in the ignition!

 

I will be more relaxed in Newfane, Vt. ;)

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