Whether your teenager is going abroad for the first time, joining you and your family on a road trip, spending a weekend camping with friends, or heading off to college, it’s important for them to know how to pack light while still being prepared for anything that comes their way. Unfortunately, this is often a trial-and-error process, and your teen might find themself in a tight spot without the necessary materials. This can be frightening not only for your teen, but for you as well!
When your teen leaves the safety net of home, you want to be sure they have everything they need for what the future holds, but you also don’t want them to over pack and be encumbered by unnecessary material items. With this in mind, here are my top tips for helping teens travel light and stay equipped in case of an emergency.
Always Do Your Research
No matter if your teen is heading to Cancun for spring break, up to the mountains for a camping trip, or going abroad for a semester, it’s vital for them to know what to expect from their destination. For instance, if your teen is moving to a new city in a foreign country, what is considered appropriate attire? What’s the weather like? Will they need sunblock and a pair of sunglasses, or their ski jacket? It’s important to know what kinds of clothes and extra accessories will be necessary for the upcoming trip before packing. Otherwise, your teen may end up packing things they don’t need and eliminating space for more essential pieces of equipment!
It’s also crucial to research luggage restrictions before traveling. Make sure your teen’s backpack or suitcase meets any carry-on requirements. One of the whole points of packing light is to avoid checking things on and paying hefty fees. If you know what’s allowed, it’ll be much easier to know how much your teen should be packing!
Make a Checklist
After doing the research, have your teen brainstorm a list of things they think they’ll need. This should range all the way from exactly what clothes they should bring (including how many pairs of socks and underwear) to extra items like books, laptops, phones, and chargers. It’s crucial to only bring what’s absolutely necessary. Don’t bring a laptop on a backpacking trip, for instance, and instead, bring a compact book.
Once they’ve made the list, make sure your teen sticks to it. This might seem like a chore at first, but they’ll be thankful once they realize they have exactly what they need for any situation and can still travel with relative ease.
Never Pack the Day Of
Teenagers are notorious procrastinators, but packing should always be done with plenty of time to spare. If they rush around the day of their departure, they’re bound to forget something important and bring things that aren’t actually necessary. I recommend making the list and packing everything possible the night before, then double-checking to make sure they’ve got all the essentials. Some things can’t be packed until the morning of (like toothbrushes and chargers, for example) so it’s important to do one final check before leaving home.
Layers are Your Friend
If your teen is traveling somewhere known for being cold but still needs to pack relatively light, it’s time to layer up! Jackets, flannels, hoodies, and raincoats are usually what take up the most room in any bag, but they can easily be worn during travel. This way, you keep room in your bag free while still bringing enough clothes to stay warm. It might mean an hour or two of uncomfortable travel, but it’s easy to shed layers once the trip has started. They also make great pillows and blankets on long bus or train rides!
Utilize Technology
One of the best things about traveling light is that technology has made it easier than ever! While bags used to be filled with maps, travelers checks, books for entertainment, and possible emergency gear like flashlights, many of these things are not pocket devices. There are tons of great travel apps to track weather, location, and funds throughout any trip, and e-books and puzzle games make entertainment both easy and portable! If your teen is going abroad, make sure you look ingot possible data plans so they can take advantage of their phones while they travel. Not only are they awesome tools for many different occasions, but they make it easier to track your teen and make sure they’re staying safe!
Author Bio:
Andy Earle is a researcher who studies parent-teen communication and adolescent risk behaviors. He is the co-founder of talkingtoteens.com, ghostwriter at WriteItGreat.com, and host of the Talking to Teens podcast, a free weekly talk show for parents of teenagers.
