If there's one piece of travel advice that Jamie Lynn Sigler, star of The Sopranos and co-host of the “MeSsy podcast,” wants you to hear that you should always expect the unexpected.
“Spills happen. Accidents happen. Always bring a change of clothes in your carry-on or in your backpack or personal bag for your children,” said Sigler, 43. Travel + Leisure in a recent interview.
And while she likes to be prepared when it comes to traveling with her husband and two children, she lets her sons Beau and Jack feel like they're part of the process.
“We’re like, ‘OK, here’s what we’re going to do. What do you need?’ I also do this in the hopes that one day my sons’ future wives will thank me,” she adds with a laugh, noting that she also asks her sons to unpack their own luggage.
Plus, she has another travel rule that actually applies to the whole family: only bring one piece of carry-on luggage, whenever possible.
“I’ve tried to be the ideal family that puts everything we need in a carry-on. We don’t check bags,” she explained. “I think it gets everyone excited. It makes planning easier.”
With Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Aisle seat or window seat?
Normally I sit in the aisle, but if I'm alone I take a window seat.
What is your favorite family vacation destination?
New York is always a top destination for my kids.
An item you can't travel without?
My iPad.
Which 'Sopranos' Star Would Make the Best Travel Companion?
He hates traveling, but Robert (Iler).
Dream destination just for you?
Greece.
And that level of preparedness can also be found in Sigler's home thanks to his Amazon Alexa.
“I love our Alexa. I can talk live about the comfort and peace of mind it has given me and my family. Just knowing that in case of an emergency, we have a plan,” said Sigler, who partnered with Amazon to learn more about the app. Alexa Emergency Assistance service, shared.
“The plan is as simple as yelling out loud, ‘Alexa, call for help.’ I think you can have these emergency plans with your kids, but when that moment comes, a lot of those plans go out the window. So the Alexa Emergency Assist service has really empowered my kids to know what to do in an emergency, but also to make decisions. I think it gives them a lot of confidence and autonomy in terms of their safety,” she said.
Amazon announced Wednesday that its Alexa emergency assistant is now available on the road via the Alexa app. Users can activate it with their voice, use the app’s SOS button, or type “Alexa, call for help” to be connected to emergency services as quickly as possible. Once connected, emergency services can see your profile details, including preloaded critical information, and your last known GPS location to dispatch help.
“For example, one of my sons is very allergic to a lot of medications. I have my own health care, and my other son has his own,” Sigler says. “The peace of mind that can give you in an emergency is invaluable.”
For the longtime actress, her Alexa also functions as a self-care mechanism, as the busy mom wakes up 45 minutes before everyone else for a quick meditation and her own morning routine.
“I sit in my kitchen, just me and my Alexa, I make coffee, I read the headlines, I read the weather, whatever,” she said.