Joining me over the next several weeks, is my wife, Amy - sharing her best tips with you as you prepare to get on the road
If your family's safety is always more in the back of your mind, then you're a blink of an eye away from disaster. Don't walk out your door again without taking the time to think through a few life-saving measures.
This week we are going to talk about four measures we take (and that YOU can take) to help ensure that this next trip isn't the one you remember for all the wrong reasons.
Because the greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way.”
— Emma Chase
As a parent on the road the most dangerous thing you come up against every day is the thing that you don't know is dangerous.
Maybe it's something like a pole that you didn't see while you were backing your trailer.😳
Or maybe it was the germy restaurant that you sat in for lunch. 🤢
Or maybe it's something more nefarious like the person you thought was safe for your kids to be around, but you were wrong. 🥺 In any case, knowing how to be safe on the road is a skill that you can learn.
Are you willing to spend some time to prepare to defend what matters most?
Then, let's plan for your safety together.....
Communication Safety
One of the greatest tools you can have is a cell phone. But there are some limitations that you've got to address ahead of time, or they're going to sneak up on you. First off, sometimes your cell phone doesn't work. Whether it's a dead battery or no service, cell phones are not 100% reliable. That's why we always carry a set of walkie-talkies with us. If Jim is trying to back the trailer in we need an easy way to communicate that doesn't rely on cell phone towers.
But walkie-talkies have another huge benefit - we can give them to the boys so we can stay in touch with them too.
Our boys are too young (and immature) to carry a cell phone, but we like to give them the freedom to roam. In some places that means they could be a half-mile or more away from us. Much too far for us to see them, or for them to hear if we stick our head out the door and yell. Because of that, we like for each boy to have a walkie-talkie with them every time they leave. If we need to get in touch with them they're just the push of a button away.
Have you ever had a time that your cell-phone let you down?
2. Roadside Safety
If you drive very far it's just a matter of time before you break down or get a flat tire. While you may be able to handle some issues, there will be other times you can't. Just like car insurance, road-side insurance is a way to guard against an unexpected emergency.
A couple of years ago we were driving through Phoenix, Arizona at around 5:30 in the evening when our RV got a flat tire. Because of the size of our trailer you need special equipment to change a flat, and I wasn't prepared. So we called up our roadside company and they sent a truck out to change the tire for us. We ended up being on the side of the road for longer than we wanted, but there was a peace of mind that came with having someone we could call if we needed help.
And we have needed help.
Over the years of us traveling, we've called for roadside assistance on at least five different occasions. Needless to say, it's been a huge help, and it's something you don't leave home without.
Different companies offer all manner of different services so I'd suggest doing some research before you pick one for yourself.
Do you have roadside assistance with your insurance company?
3. Health Safety
All it takes to be safe in supporting your health is the right tools. I may sound like a broken record with this, but it can't be said enough, that it really does pay to stay on the defense when it comes to staying healthy and safe. These are some of the most natural, safest, yet most effective tools I've found as a parent, and as a speech-language pathologist.
You'll want to have your On Guard protective blend of essential oils to diffuse on the daily in the car, truck, or motorhome, as well during your stay. The first thing we do when we check into a hotel is set up our diffusers to clean up the air. You'll want this same blend in your hand wash - yes - especially on the road to kill all the things without harmful chemicals. Think gas station bathroom, restaurant/amusement park, anywhere you go. You'll also want the convenience of your On Guard blend in a Touch roller - meaning it's already suited for sensitive skin so it's ready to use topically for your smallest of babies to the elderly and in-between. Just roll it on your feet, up the spine each day for immune support. And lastly, you'll want your blend in a hand mist for your bag, suitcase, purse, car -- it's 99.9% effective against most common germs and great for using as a protective glove before going into germy places.
Now, for the stress of it all that goes along with the road trip - aka "staying safe mentally" - I also recommend the Adaptiv calming blend system - a blend of essential oils that calm the mind, but also keep the brain alert - your oil to diffuse during stressful traffic - your touch roller to apply to your pulse points as needed, and your capsules to take internally with added GABA - hallelujah - keeping you sane.
If you want to know more about the oils, let's chat more. I want you to just reach out - I'm actually going to give you my number. Are you ready? 832-509-5093. I want you to text me the word 'oils' that way I know what you want to chat about, and you can ask your questions and I'll be there to answer.
The best part about these products is that you can get four of them for free this month with any 200pv (that's kind of like dollars) order. As of the time of this live video, there are three days left to take advantage of this. These are daily use items and a must-have for safety on your road trip adventures.
What kinds of things are you doing to keep your family healthy?
4. Child Safety
When Jim was a children's pastor he spent a lot of time working to protect the children in the ministry from predators. This meant training volunteers and helping his staff know what to look for in the people around the church. But one of his biggest takeaways after all of those years was that the predator is not who you think.
Did you know that, on average, child predators have seven victims before they are caught and convicted? That's average. In many cases, predators report having hundreds of victims before they were caught.
HUNDREDS.
Let that sink in for a minute.
But one important aspect of guarding your children against those predators is recognizing that 60-80% of children who were sexually victimized were abused by someone known to them or their family prior to the crime. You are smart, so you probably already knew that "Stranger Danger" isn't enough, you've got to teach your children practical ways they can stay safe EVEN FROM PEOPLE YOU ALREADY KNOW.
Here are a few things we teach our kids:
1 - you aren't allowed to go in someone else's rig without your parent's knowledge and at least one brother being with you. Even if you know the parents you're with.
2 - Adults don't need a kid's help to find their pet or their kids. If an adult asks for help finding someone or something, they're being tricky. Get away from them NOW.
3 - Adults are way stronger than you, and they will be able to grab you even if you know martial arts.
4 - If someone grabs you or your brother yell as loud as you can and fight them as hard as you can, kicking, scratching, and punching.
An incredible resource for this is a DVD called "Stranger Safety" that was created by John Walsh. It's a very well done video that does a beautiful job of teaching children to categorize the people in their lives into, "Don't Knows," "Kinda Knows," and "Safe Sides."
Tell me, what resources do you use as a parent to safeguard your kids against predators?
If you're like me, you may be sitting here thinking - this all sounds good, but you aren't quite sure where to begin. If you want a bit more support when it comes to planning your next trip, . you can schedule a quick chat with us and we'll help you find the next best steps for you and your family. We'll help you make that next travel adventure the best yet!
Watch the full video here:
Other Videos in this Series:
How You Can Stay Healthy While on the Road
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