5 Must Know Tips For Parents Traveling With Children At The

It takes a lot of time and energy to get through airport
security screening. Add to that traveling with small children
and the stress of toting all the extra bags, it is a major
challenge. As a former TSA Security screener, I saw my share of
overstressed parents and very confused children.

My first week on the job as an airport security screener, I was
at the Walk Through Metal Detector (WTMD). A family of five
approached the divesting table. Mom and Dad were no doubt
stressed out. Dad tells his four and six-year-old to walk
through the WTMD. Dad goes next and alarms. I stop Dad and tell
him to divest all metal and walk through again. In the meantime,
the kids are running around having a ball, and Dad is
frantically yelling for them to come back. The kids ignore dad.
Dad walks through and alarms again. Now he is required to go
through secondary screening. I have never seen a man turn that
shade of red before. In the meantime, Mom is desperately trying
to collapse the stroller while holding the baby and taking off
her shoes at the same time. Dad is yelling at Mom to hurry
because he is stuck in secondary screening and the boys are
still running around. I hope that those parents learned
something that day. I know I did.

First of all, Dad and Mom should have controlled their family by
keeping the kids between them. Dad holds the baby so Mom can
take off her shoes and then he gives back the baby to Mom. Dad
collapses the stroller and places it on the x-ray belt with all
the bags and bins, and walks through first while Mom watches the
kids. After Dad gets through, one by one the kids go through.
Finally, Mom and baby go through together. See how easy that
could have been?

After witnessing this family's circus act, I decided I would
teach passengers how to make the process a pleasant experience.
It is the parents responsibility to control their children and
for the children to listen to their parents; however, we know
this is not the case some of the time. I had a bird's eye view
of how things needed to be orchestrated, and from that day on, I
took command of the WTMD. After that day, passengers had no
problems walking through with me there guiding them.

On another day, I witnessed a young couple make a big mistake by
allowing their three-year-old to walk through the WTMD by
himself. First, the child stops and starts to walk, which is
incorrect. You must walk through without stopping. Second, the
child teeters and holds onto the side of the metal detector, and
now the child has alarmed. Don't allow this at the WTMD. Carry
your young children; it is easier for everyone involved.

1. Prepare you children in advance. They will need to divest all
of their toys, dolls, or security blankets for screening.

2. Expect the screener to require everyone to remove his or her
shoes (think slip-ons).

3. Collapse your stroller and place it on the x-ray belt.
Parents help each other out. It helps to buy a stroller that
will collapse at a touch of a button.

4. One adult should walk through the metal detector first, then
the children. Follow this order to keep the family unit together.

5. Carry your child if he or she will not follow your directions
or is upset (remember that children do not understand what is
going on).

About the author:
Natalia Ippolito, a former airport screener and author of: I
MIGHT AS WELL BE NAKED: How to Survive Airport Screening With
Your Clothes On.

Receive her FREE Tip of The Week, Sample Chapter Ultimate
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