Country Kids in a Big City

My fingers have been itching to write! I never posted after our Berlin trip. What a wonderful city known for always changing but somehow remaining the same. The weather was gorgeous and with our Berlin Welcome Card, we traveled all over the city on the transit system without having to worry about purchasing or validating more tickets. I still remember getting around the city on just my military ID card back in the day, but I am dating myself with that comment. Since our boys are 10 and 12, I had to go over the "yes we are in a big city, and we're not in Kansas anymore" speech. Here's what I told my kids to give them the tools they needed, not to get lost and how to handle themselves should something go wrong.

Here are some tips you can use for the speech to your kids:

• Look around. My kids tend to walk and yak and yak and before they know it, they are way ahead or way behind. Have them look around and be aware of where they are. Don't let them cross the next crosswalk until you get there, and always keep them in front of you rather than behind.
• Arm them with a cheap prepaid cell phone. They only cost 20 euro, and it is worth the peace of mind should they get separated. Preprogram your cell phone number into the phone.
• Paper with hotel name, number and your cell phone number. Everyday, they carried an index card with this information on it. When you are scared, you can get forgetful and forget everything.
• Small change in pocket. This was psychological. It's not like the change would make a difference in anything other than the confidence it instilled in my children.
• Store owners/managers or police officers only. I have always told my kids, even when they were little, if they ever were to get separated, they were to immediately approach someone working in a store or a policeman. This is their best chance of someone being honest and truly helping them.
• Clue the kids in on your schedule. My kids always know the schedule of events of the day. That way, they could say where we were going next.
• No names on backpacks or bags. You might as well put a sign on your kid saying, "hey child molester, over here!"; knowing a child's name gives a sexual predator a huge leg up. Research shows that a child will become more trusting of someone as soon as that person starts using their name. Don't write it on their school backpacks either, unless you write it on the inside somewhere out of sigh.
• Have the talk. Tell your kids about peoples' appearances and looking perfectly normal but not knowing what they are like on the inside. It is okay to be wary of people and not talking to someone you don't know is not considered rude.
  
• Walk on the inside. On sidewalks, have them walk on the inside, away from the street. While you are at it, keep your purse on the inside too. In Italy especially, you will regularly see mopeds whipping by with someone looking to grab someone's purse.

What tips can you share for kids out and about?