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Traveling with children can be challenging and hazardous, yet also memorable. If you prepare in advance for their needs and safety, travels with children can be easy and happy.

Every parent's fear is that children might get lost or kidnapped, fueled by horror stories like the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal, taken from a bedroom of a vacation condo; or more recently, the story of Jaycee Dugard, kidnapped from a bus stop, witnessed by her helpless stepfather, and held prisoner for eighteen years. These cases emphasize why it is important that your children understand rules about staying together, having some identification on them, and fighting back by screaming, kicking and doing anything that gets attention from passersby. Make sure they know to call 911 in any emergency. For those old enough to understand, have a family emergency plan if they are inadvertently separated from you, and provide them with cell phones. For younger ones, hold hands in crowded places, or carry them. Madeleine disappeared from a condo while her parents dined nearby. Don't ever leave children unattended.

If you are traveling by plane, let each child have a small backpack for their in-flight needs and amusement. Some long-haul flights provide built-in entertainment on seatbacks and you can safely monitor viewing with parental controls. Try to find out in advance from the airline whether this option is available; if not, portable DVD players can be purchased and carried in backpacks, complete with selections of DVDs. Portable electronic games are also good ideas for passing time in transit. Bored children can make journeys unpleasant for everyone around them and irritation from fellow passengers on a long flight can escalate into air rage. Ensure that children do not have any part of their body protruding into aisles where they can be bumped inadvertently, causing an accident or hurting someone. They should also keep seat belts on to prevent being thrown in unexpected turbulence or air pockets, and they should know where the sick bags are in case they feel unwell.

Car travel will also be greatly eased if children are entertained with portable electronic devices, in addition to the old family favorites of "Twenty Questions" etc. Bored, bickering children can be distracting for the driver, which is hazardous. Obviously, children must keep safety belts fastened at all times when the car is moving.

Whatever your mode of travel, have on hand;

1) Parent-monitored

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