Travel Insurance – the Perfect Solution for Enjoying a Peaceful and Relaxing Vacation!

Travel insurance is one of the most searched from all the insurance policies available, one that is especially created in order to cover a range of financial and medical expenses, as well as other unavoidable losses that occur sometimes while traveling, be it on a local level, within one’s own country, or internationally.

Regarding its elaboration, you should know that travel insurance is one of the most “comfortable” insurances from this point of view, meaning that this particular type of insurance can usually be arranged when you book a trip and has as the specific purpose of covering all the risks that may arise within the duration of the trip. Or if you are a more “careful” person, you can always choose a continuous insurance that can easily be purchased from (in most cases) travel agents, travel insurance companies, or you can get it directly from different travel suppliers, such as cruiselines or tour operators.

Regardless of the way of purchasing it, you should definitely not leave in a trip without having some kind of travel insurance, because this specific type of insurance offers in many cases a coverage that is as complete as it is worthy of any cost and that certainly has the ability of satisfying the tastes of different tourists. Travel insurance policies have diversified at the demand of potential insured clients complaining of the lack of diverse policies, suitable to varied needs and financial possibilities. Now we can choose between adventure travel, business travel, student travel, leisure travel, cruise travel, and international travel – all these options having the possibility to be included within regular travel insurance.

The risks that are most encountered in the coverage provided by a travel insurance are:

• Accidental injury, death or disablement benefit

• Cancellation

• Curtailment

• Delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items) etc.

If you have solved the insurance problem it means you have already chosen from the range of travel destinations choices the one that best suits your personal preferences. Your dream vacation should definitely include the top holiday destinations of 2007, even though the prices may be a little bit spicy. The votes have already been counted. This year, professionals in this field have scoured the globe and gathered an “army” of authors and experts with the specific purpose of identifying the most emerging, surprising or thriving travel destinations. After an elaborated process of thinking and taking in consideration many different aspects, they’ve announced the places not to be missed in 2007.

The top travel destinations are:

• Krakow, Poland – Krakow is now, with its outstanding historic landmarks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo has the largest metropolitan gross domestic product in the world for a city, and it held the title of the world’s most expensive city for over a decade from 1992 through 2005

• Minneapolis, Minnesota – A Midwestern city famous worldwide for its fine arts community and gorgeous city layout, Minneapolis is experiencing a cutting-edge design boom

• Panama – Panama has the same kind of appeal as a destination like Costa Rica – rainforests, snorkeling and volcanoes

School’s Out, Summer’s Here! Tips for Enjoying the Summer Months With Your Ad/hd Child

As children count down the days to the end of school, many parents with children with AD/HD and executive dysfunction start to worry about what to do during these less structured months.  Many of these children thrive on the structure of the school day, knowing what they are expected to do, and following familiar routines.  While many neurotypical kids cannot wait for the school year to end, many of my clients are ambivalent about school ending.  They want to know, “Now what will we do?” 

Here in the Northeast we are fortunate to have several quality day camps (and a few sleepover ones, too) that specialize in working with children who have attentional, and/or social difficulties.  These camps fill quickly, and can be quite expensive. Some families do not have the means or access to such experiences, so here are some tips to enjoy the summer with your kids. 

1.       Set up a daily routine and weekly structure at home.  A child who thrives on structure will not do well with a “find something go do” approach to summertime.  Post your daily schedule somewhere at home where everyone can see it and check it if they want to know what will happen next.  Have some “anchor” activities that happen every day-  One example: 

·         breakfast

·         get dressed

·         outside play

·         lunch

·         free choice fun

·         quiet time

·         dinner

·         TV

·         get ready for bed

2.       In your daily schedule, plan for outside play time.  I often hear my clients say they sat indoors all summer and played video games.  This is not good for brain or physical health. Get outside!!

3.       Create a “What to Do When I Am Bored” list with your child.  Inevitably, children will come to parents and say, “I’m bored.”  Plan ahead by sitting with your child and listing 5-10 things she can do when boredom hits.  The list should include outside and inside activities such as read a book, color/draw, play with bubbles, help mom with housework, plan a dinner menu, listen to music, etc.  This list will have much more success if your child comes up with the activities.

4.       Prepare children in advance for change in routine. For example, if one day is going to be gloriously sunny and warm and you decide it will be a great beach day, tell your child ahead of time, so he can get used to the idea and not resist when you are packed and ready to go.

5.       Explore nature.  There is a growing body of evidence that says children with AD/HD function better when they have exposure to nature and all things “green.”  Go for a nature walk, plant and tend a family garden, rent a canoe and go for a paddle, check out tide pools, or (my all time favorite) fly a kite on a windy day.

6.       Plan vacations with your child’s social, emotional and sensory needs in mind. A well planned vacation can be a relaxing way to bond as a family.  A poorly planned vacation can leave everyone feeling anxious and miserable.   For example, if your child needs a lot of active running around during the day, do not plan a road trip where he will be sitting in a car for long periods of time.  If she has sensory/tactile issues a trip to the beach with sun, sand and water may not be the best choice. 

7.       Get together a box of bin with “summer surprises” you can pull out when the kids have just run out of things to do.  These can include:  sidewalk chalk, bubble soap with cool bubble wands, new crayons and coloring books, new books, funky shoelaces to re-lace shoes, squirt guns, water balloons, etc.

8.       Kids at a loss of what to do during free choice time?  List fun activities on slips of paper and have kids pull them out of a hat.  Activities can include playing in the sprinkler, making popsicles or ice cream at home, rearranging the furniture in the bedroom, a family walk, choosing what is for dinner .  Get creative with your kids and have them write things down (that you approve of first).  This is a great way to give your child new experiences within the structure of the day.

Many of us have great memories of our own childhood carefree, unplanned summers that seemed to go on forever.  Parents hope to pass on those experiences to their children and can become disappointed when it is suggested they structure the summer as much as the school year.  The reality is: some kids just thrive on structure, are happier and more productive when they know what to expect and they will remember a happy, safe, carefree summer because someone cared enough to plan it for them.