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Grandtravel
Grandparents Traveling with Grandchildren
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Do whatever possible to schedule a trip you both enjoy. "If you hate boats, but the grandchild loves fishing, go to lakes and rivers where you can fish from the shoreline," says Elaine Fantle Shimberg, author of Blending Families (Berkley Publishing, 1999).
When on vacation, limit your activities. "You may want to show off every museum and art gallery in Chicago," Fantle Shimberg says. "But if you try to do too much, the youngster's eyes will glaze over."
Grandtravel also has some risks involved. Grandparents should always be aware of their physical limits. If the grandparent has a history of health problems, or if there is only one adult with the grandchild or grandchildren, the vacation should be at a location close to emergency medical care. The grandchild should not be put in a position of having to care for a sickly grandparent.
Another safety concern occurring when grandparents and grandchildren vacation together is small children having access to adult medication. "Even a small amount of some heart medication, for example, swallowed by a child can lead to tragedy," says Chris Falk, media director of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. "Grandparents who don't frequently spend time with small children may store their medicine in bottles without child-resistant caps or in 'reminder containers', exacerbating the risk."