As my husband and I prepare to take a vacation for our anniversary, we are truly blessed with wonderful parents (his), in-laws (mine) and grandparents (our children), who have generously offered to take care of the kids while we take a week to ourselves (not sure we remember how to relax anymore but I am sure we will remember quickly).
We have been planning this trip for quite some time now, not just travel arrangements, but making sure our bills are paid while we are gone, our estate plan is up-to-date, and the house is clean, and so on. All the craziness you endure so you can enjoy your vacation and not fret. The past few weeks I have been dealing with the details of the children, who goes where and when, what day does so and so bring in snack, basically waking up at 2 a.m. jotting down “don’t forget X”-all the fun schedules that come with having school age children in various activities. As I have planned this I realized all the things we do day in and day out as parents without thinking about it. While our children are very close to their grandparents, they live out of state, and don’t know their day to day routine, and may not know all the answer to medical questions should there be an emergency. I also realized the need to inform the various schools and organizations of our departure and provide consent for grandma and grandpa to make any decisions while we are gone, including medical decisions.
While we can’t always plan for every situation there are a few things, not all inclusive, to think if you are planning on being away from your children:
- Have you informed your child(ren)’s school and/or daycare someone else will be caring for your children while you are gone?
- Is there an “authorization to pick-up” form and is it necessary to include everyone or will a quick email work for a temporary situation?
- Have you completed a “Consent for Medical” care form for each child?
- Is your child’s temporary caregiver aware of any allergies your child may have? Including food, medicine or seasonal.
- Are there medications your child takes on a regular basis?
- Are there medications your child takes in certain situations? (i.e. Epipen, inhaler)
- Does your caregiver know where these are located?
- Can your caregiver get a refill if necessary?
- Where is your child’s birth certificate, immunization records, passport?
I know our children are in very capable hands and will have a great time while we are gone but I will have a better time knowing we have done all we can to make sure everything is easier for grandma and grandpa.
