Do I need a note to take my friend's child?

[BLTtinkerbell]

We are taking my friend's 14 year old with us. Will we need a note from his parents to take him on the plane? Flying JetBlue, domestic flight.

 

[Alesia]

Nope.

 

[sam_gordon]

To take him on the plane, no. *IF* there is some kind of medical emergency (or just need treatment), a note (along with a copy of insurance card) could come in handy.

 

[Alesia]

To take him on the plane, no. *IF* there is some kind of medical emergency (or just need treatment), a note (along with a copy of insurance card) could come in handy.

A copy of the medical insurance card, definitely. The note is useless - they will treat a life-threatening emergency without it and they won't treat a non-life threatening emergency with it. They will need verbal consent from a parent. Make sure you have the parents cell phone numbers with you.

 

[sam_gordon]

A copy of the medical insurance card, definitely. The note is useless - they will treat a life-threatening emergency without it and they won't treat a non-life threatening emergency with it. They will need verbal consent from a parent. Make sure you have the parents cell phone numbers with you.

Would a "limited Power of Attorney" take care of the non-life threatening issues?

 

[Gracie09]

Would a "limited Power of Attorney" take care of the non-life threatening issues?

Probably not. Whose to know if the note is authentic etc.

 

[Superchikk]

Would a "limited Power of Attorney" take care of the non-life threatening issues?

We have Medical Powers of Attorney for our each of our kids for grandparents and a few family members, and I have had them done for a sitter who's stayed overnight with my kids. It says that they are authorized to make medical decisions for my child in my absence. They were created by our attorney when he did our wills, but you can find generic forms online. We had them notarized so there wouldn't be as many questions.

Personally, if I was taking someone else's minor child on a trip like that, I would want something like that. I would definitely send a release form or medical power of attorney if I were allowing my child to go on a trip with another family.

 

[Alesia]

Would a "limited Power of Attorney" take care of the non-life threatening issues?

Nope. They will still call the parents to discuss treatment options and get verbal consent.

 

[sam_gordon]

Nope. They will still call the parents to discuss treatment options and get verbal consent.

What happens if the parents can't be reached? No treatment?

 

[Alesia]

What happens if the parents can't be reached? No treatment?

Yep. If you send your child with someone else, make sure you can always be reached.

 

[Aliceacc]

I chaperoned a ski trip once. One of our kids wrapped herself around a tree, fractured a rib and punctured a lung.

The hospital got verbal consent from the parents before taking her into the ER( even though we had the standard permission slip.) This was before cell phones, but fortunately the permission slip included the home phone number (as well as allergies or the lack thereof- that's IMPORTANT!) so her kid brother was able to get us grandma's phone number, and we were able to reach mom and dad.

As I understand it, without parental permission, they will do what's necessary to keep the child alive, but very little more.

In this day and age, there's no real excuse for not being reachable, especially when your child is away.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

We are taking our son's best friend with us next week (also 14). His parents are giving me his medical insurance card, his passport, a medical release waiver and permission for him to travel with us (both notarized). This family has taken my 14 year old son on vacation with them and I have done the same. They have never needed the info, and I'm sure we won't either, but it gives me peace of mind to have as much back up info as possible in case of an issue.

 

[jessicamouse]

We have flown with our children many times, with no incidences. However, there was one time that a TSA agent asked our children who we were, in other words, asking them to identify us as their parents during our clearance. I think when traveling with someone else's child, it is always helpful to have as much documentation as possible. In addition to the items mentioned above, I would personally get a note of explanation from the parents and have it notarized.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We have flown with our children many times, with no incidences. However, there was one time that a TSA agent asked our children who we were, in other words, asking them to identify us as their parents during our clearance. I think when traveling with someone else's child, it is always helpful to have as much documentation as possible. In addition to the items mentioned above, I would personally get a note of explanation from the parents and have it notarized.

A notarized note of permission to travel with an unrelated minor in the U.S. is absolutely unnecessary and a waste of time and money.

 

[rwdavis2]

A notarized note of permission to travel with an unrelated minor in the U.S. is absolutely unnecessary and a waste of time and money.

This is correct. TSA will not accept or look a them or any written note. These things are easy to counterfeit.

 

[ParrotBill]

Make sure you explain to the teen that at the Airport security checkpoint, the officer may quiz then about who they are, and if they are traveling with another family with permission... and no jokes or silly answers please. My teen daughter is always asked if we are her parents.

 

[Gracie09]

We have flown with our children many times, with no incidences. However, there was one time that a TSA agent asked our children who we were, in other words, asking them to identify us as their parents during our clearance. I think when traveling with someone else's child, it is always helpful to have as much documentation as possible. In addition to the items mentioned above, I would personally get a note of explanation from the parents and have it notarized.

I can create a notarized noted in under ten minutes. They mean nothing in this situation. Tsa agents can ask children a variety of questions from name to age to where did they go. It's part of the security screening. They weren't questioning who you were in relation to them just appraising the situation. I've travelled with multiple children some my biological kids some obviously not. Never has there been a situation where having a notarized letter would have made a difference.

 

[sharona]

Make sure you explain to the teen that at the Airport security checkpoint, the officer may quiz then about who they are, and if they are traveling with another family with permission... and no jokes or silly answers please. My teen daughter is always asked if we are her parents.

I can create a notarized noted in under ten minutes. They mean nothing in this situation. Tsa agents can ask children a variety of questions from name to age to where did they go. It's part of the security screening. They weren't questioning who you were in relation to them just appraising the situation. I've travelled with multiple children some my biological kids some obviously not. Never has there been a situation where having a notarized letter would have made a difference.

My DD12 is quizzed by TSA just about every time we travel. Sometimes they will ask her age or her last name or just for her middle name. Other times they will ask who she is traveling with or where we're going. I always assumed it was because I was the only parent there...

 

[bumbershoot]

However, there was one time that a TSA agent asked our children who we were, in other words, asking them to identify us as their parents during our clearance.

They do that every so often. They're just looking at the demeanor of everyone.

DS called me by name for a long time (with my total permission; I have no need to be called by a title by anyone), and the MCO TSA asked him "who is this?" pointing at me. He said "Molly!" Ah, calling a parent by name in the Southern part of the US doesn't go over as well as in CA or WA (and it barely goes over there, either, as I well know as I was raised in CA by a mom who didn't mind me using her first name)...good times. Wasn't a big deal though. I said "he's asking you who I am *to* you" and the kidlet said "she's my mom" and we went along our way. NO biggie.


For fun, if traveling with other kids, I would probably run by the bank and get a note, with no expectation of needing it at all. Just feels better to do, though. At my bank there's no money involved, and I go to the bank every so often anyway.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

If it's not life threatening they don't care what kind of permission forms you have. My sister had my nephew in the daycare that both my mom and I worked at at the time and he dislocated his elbow while she was in court (back before she had a cell and we left a message, not like you take phone calls in court anyway) and even with the medical permission forms you have to fill out for a daycare and having his grandma and aunt as the ones there in addition to the forms, they would do nothing, absolutely nothing to help him until my sister got there. As soon as she showed up (thankfully, they got a message to her fairly quickly) they popped it right back in and he was good to go. It was infuriating because it was so easy to fix and he was in so much pain and just little, like 3 I think. My mom couldn't even stand to be in the room with him because of the pain he was in, so I got to deal with it solo.

We also worked at a summer camp for awhile and had a camper who needed stitches and we transported him and mom and dad were hours away, couldn't get a hold of them at all. We did finally get an aunt there who lived nearby and they very reluctantly did the stitches on her say so because it had been hours without getting his parents. We had all kinds of paperwork authorizing the camp to seek medical care too and they wouldn't do a thing until it had been hours and the aunt showed up.

So you can take permission forms if you want to, but the most important things are the numbers you can reach them at and the insurance card.