At What Age Can Children Vacation Solo?

Ten-month old Lisa Irwin might have been kidnapped from her Kansas City, Mo., home on Oct. 3. The news that an intruder allegedly abducted a chubby-cheeked baby out of her house puts into the spotlight the troubles that ordinary law-abiding parents may have in traveling alone with one of their children—especially for international travel. Many foreign governments require official documentation from parents traveling by themselves with children to comply with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Canada, for example, has strict rules to prevent US kidnappers from bringing children across the border. Canada requires children to carry their own valid passports. The following documents may also be required:Birth certificates showing the names of both parents. Any legal documents pertaining to custody. A parental consent letter authorizing travel (if the child is travelling with one parent, the letter must be signed and dated by the other parent; if the child is travelling without his parents, the letter must be signed and dated by both parents.) A death certificate if one of the parents is deceased. Mexico, for instance, is the destination of the greatest number of children whose parents abduct them from the U.S., according to the State Department. To prevent kidnappers from entering their country and tarnishing their reputation, Mexico demands a notarized letter to avoid illicit traffic of children. Mexico is one of many countries—such as Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada, and the Dominican Republic—that require parents traveling alone with children (often defined as under the age of 19) to carry a notarized document from the missing parent explicitly permitting the specific trip—no matter whether the parents are married, divorced, never married, or adopters. Parents granted sole legal custody of children need to show notarized proof of that status. In the worst case scenario, officials may require that the documents be translated into their local language. These rules apply to grandparent, too. So, what's a parent to do? Details about each country's entry requirements are published on the State Department's Web site. Go to travel.state.gov and look up the name of your destination to see what you need to have on hand at the airport. Expect to have to show some proof of your child's relationship to you—and a notarized document proving that the other living parent has agreed to this specific trip or proof that you're the sole guardian. The irony of this situation is that travelers face an unfair burden of proof that they're not kidnappers. The "Baby Lisa" case, if true, would be extremely rare. According to the Associated Press, about 1,500 parents kill their own children each year and often try to pretend that the kids were abducted. Out of 278 recorded infant abduction cases during nearly three decades, "only 13 cases involved a stranger coming into a home and taking a baby, and all but one of those children were recovered unharmed." Yet a parent traveling alone with a child remains guilty until proven innocent. What are your thoughts about parents traveling alone with a child? Share them in the comments. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Your Top 5 Money-Saving Cruise Questions—Answered! Introducing the New "All You Can Drink" Cruise Confessions of...A Cruise Ship Musician

Help your child become more engaged in your family's vacation by lending them a camera of their own to play with. Kids will savor having their own point of view. And picture-taking will pull them away from their portable game consoles, engaging them in the experience that you're all supposed to be sharing. Here are some tips to enhance the fun. Keep nagging them to wear the wristband. Don't feel guilty about insisting. They'll drop or forget the camera otherwise. Buy a Gorillapod for your kids. This clever camera tripod has twisty legs that latch onto anything from fences to car doors to help keep the camera steady for better shots. Your kids will probably think it's fun to adjust the squishy, Gumby-like legs. Kids often have jump hands, so this will help them take steady photos—especially helpful when taking shots of animals in motion. joby.com/gorillapod, recently $7 on Amazon. Encourage your kids to try unusual views and angles. Demonstrate for them some unusual ways to take photos, such as putting the camera on the ground of an airport underneath a seat looking out a the passengers in the terminal. These surprising angles may make your kids become more aware of their surroundings and could unleash their creativity. Prod them to photograph other children. Depending on their age, your child may need a push to ask other children encountered on a trip if he or she could take their picture. This is a hassle that's worth it, though, for the potential bonding moment. If your child has a digital camera with an LCD screen, the picture can be shown right away. This picture-sharing is a way of breaking down social barriers and helping children build confidence to talk with peers their own age. If your child really takes to photography, think about buying a camera as a gift. For under-7s, consider the Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera (from $47; Amazon) It has kid-friendly side grips, a two-eye viewfinder, and waterproof casing. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 16 best summer attractions for families in 2011 Travel games: Scavenger hunts by cell phone are all the rage Wow the kids with these age-appropriate dream trips

We've all been there. Trapped on a flight next to exhausted parents and their soon-to-be-mid-tantrum bundle of joy. Or perhaps it's your own tot about to have a meltdown in the middle of a piazza. In either case, you share a wan smile with your fellow travelers, close your eyes, and channel serenity for all of your sakes. Malaysia Airlines has recently gone as far as banning babies from flying in certain sections of the plane (first class for long-haul flights) but as long as child-exclusive seating is the exception rather than the rule—on planes or anywhere—here are some helpful tips for keeping kiddos content while traveling. • Having the right supplies on hand can be the difference between an easy trip and a disastrous one. BootsNAll travel writer Jenn Molholt describes her experience in her article, "The New Parent's Guide to Travel with an Infant," offering suggestions on what to pack, how to plan your trip, and valuable in-flight advice—Molholt recommends bringing along a Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe for infants, available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. • TravelingMom.com offers what it calls "a survival guide for moms who travel," with tips on where to take young children, product suggestions, inspiring tales of family travel, as well as listings to family-friendly restaurants around the country. Be sure to check out the site's "Deals" section, and its "Free things to do in the 50 states" page. • Bringing your child's favorite toys along for the ride can be a bulky adventure in itself. Toy designers at Melissa & Doug have come up with a fun way for kids to play with—and store—their vacation toys with Trunki, a toy–suitcase hybrid made especially for travel. Available at retailers for a suggested price of $39.99, Trunki has enough handles, wheels and decorations to work wonders for kids both on vacation and at home. • For those needing inspiration to take their infant out-of-bounds, look to "Bambino on Board," by writer Jerry Soverinsky, for some guidance and inspiration. In search of bonding time with his wife and 9-month-old son, Max, Soverinsky booked a month-long trip for all three of them to explore Italy and Switzerland this summer. Rather than enduring dirty looks because of a fussy baby, the trio was embraced by locals who were charmed by Max, whether being heartily welcomed in the corner cafés or being invited to a private Italian villa simply because its owner had taken a liking to the kid. When traveling with an infant, the most important thing to remember is that the trip should be fun for all of you, a chance to create once-in-a-lifetime memories. With a little planning and forethought, you'll be well prepared to enjoy yourselves. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 15 Places Your Kids Should See Before 15 A Family Field Trip Around the World How to Create an International Field Trip

To entice families out onto the slopes, ski-crazed states like Colorado and Vermont host programs in which middle-school skiers and boarders ride for free—often for the entire season. The programs are typically known as "Passports," and participants must sign up in advance—so don't simply head to the slopes expecting your kid to be handed a free lift ticket. Even though the ski season has begun at most resorts, it's not too late to sign up for the programs offered in many states. For example: In Colorado, applications will be accepted if turned in by January 30, 2011. The state's program offers fifth-graders three free days of riding at each of the 21 member resorts (meaning up to 63 free days!), and sixth-graders are eligible for four days of skiing at each resort for a one-time fee of $99. In New Hampshire, when you pay a $25 processing fee and complete out the necessary paperwork, fifth-graders get one to three free days at downhill and cross-country resorts around the state, along with occasional discounts off of the lift tickets of adults tagging along with their kids. In Utah, fifth-graders can ski free for three days at each of the state's 14 participating resorts, and sixth-graders who have Utah Passports get one day free at each resort. Utah, like N.H., charges a processing fee of $25, and the fee goes up to $35 after January 31, 2011. In Vermont, fifth-graders ski up to 94 days for free at downhill and cross-country resorts around the state. A $10 processing fee is required, and Passport holders must be accompanied by a full-paying adult each day. Similar programs are also offered in Idaho, Maine, and New York, among others. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Ask Trip Coach: Ski Vacations Kids Ski Free Top 10 Old School Ski Resorts Vote now: Help us identify the coolest small town in America!