Overseas travel has long been touted for the ways it enriches lives. Though parents of young children may be hesitant to travel overseas with tots in tow, feeling that long flights and foreign lands might not appeal to youngsters accustomed to domestic vacations, the benefits to such trips may outweigh the hurdles parents must clear in getting from point A to point B.

As much as kids might not look forward to long flights or trips to countries they can’t find on a map, once kids visit their first foreign country, parents may see such attitudes change. In the immediate future, parents planning to travel overseas with their children can consider the following suggestions from the American Academy of Pediatrics to make their travels as stressfree as possible.

Explain the screening process in advance. Speak with children about the security screening process before coming to the airport. The AAP advises parents to tell their children that their bags and belongings will be put in the X-ray machine as part of the screening process. Kids who know this in advance will be less likely to throw tantrums when their possessions are temporarily taken away from them.

Go over the itinerary with your children. Parents should make note of the duration of the flights and layovers, if applicable. The less surprises the better. Kids may not be on their best behavior, but parents who discuss the nuts and bolts of travel in advance can harken back to those discussions to calm restless youngsters. If layovers are part of your trip, research fun things to do in the airport. If your layover is especially long, look for things close to the airport that you can do to kill time. Encourage youngsters to help plan how to bide your time during your layover, as they might be more excited and engaged by activities they chose.

Arrange for a car seat in advance. The AAP notes that many airlines allow parents to bring a child’s car seat as an extra luggage item at no additional expense. Confirm if this is true with your airline. If not, make sure you arrange to have a car seat waiting for you at your destination. Don’t wing it and simply ask for one when you arrive at the airport to pick up your rental car, as rental agencies may not be able to accommodate you without advance notice.

Buy your child his or her own seat on the airplane. The AAP recommends that each child has his or her own seat on an airplane, even though Federal Aviation Administration guidelines do not require that for children under age two. The AAP notes the safety benefits of strapping a child into his or her own seat compared to having them spend the entire trip on Mom or Dad’s lap.

Overseas vacations can make for wonderful adventures for families. Parents of young children can learn more about traveling overseas with youngsters by visiting www.aap.org.