Travelers often like to venture off the beaten path. But needing to be rescued as a result is a whole different story.

     Leaders of the village of Baunei, on Sardinia’s eastern coast, say that’s just what’s been happening to travelers following the popular Google Maps app. And they’re trying to put an end to the misdirection that has prompted a reported 144 emergency calls from drivers and hikers over the past couple of years, according to CNN.

Misleading The Tourists

     “Too many sedans and hatchbacks are getting stuck on unpassable tracks — sometimes off-road vehicles, too,” Baunei Mayor Salvatore Corrias told CNN. “All because they follow Google Maps, whose instructions are often misleading on our roads.”

     So the village is urging people to use local tour guides or paper maps instead — just definitely not the technology they may be used to in their everyday lives.

     The Baunei Facebook page shows roadside police signs that say in Italian and English: “Do not follow the directions suggested by Google Maps.” It also includes images of vehicles on rocky paths, including some with ropes attached for apparent towing.

#Blocked

     According to the Daily Beast, the mayor has taken steps to get the navigation app blocked on the mountain village known for its hiking. He has also asked managers of tourist sites such as hotels, restaurants, and museums to use paper maps, the publication reported.

     “We’re aware of an issue in Sardinia where Google Maps is routing some drivers down roads that can be difficult to navigate due to their terrain,” a Google statement said. “We’re currently working with the local government to resolve the issue, and are investigating ways we can better alert drivers about these types of roads.”

International Road Blocks

     Other destinations have had their own Google Maps mishaps in the past. Between 2015 and 2017, tourists looking for the Blue Mountains in Australia were directed to a dead-end road more than 20 miles away, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Occasionally, those visitors would knock on residents’ doors looking for a restroom. In March 2017, a woman driving to the Grand Canyon followed Google Maps’ directions down a road in Arizona and ended up stranded for days when her car ran out of gas, the Dallas Morning News reported.

     Tourists in Italy blamed the navigation app in 2016 when they drove over a pedestrian bridge and along the Grand Canal in Venice, according to the Local. That same year, some tourists searching for Mount Rushmore were led by Google Maps instead to a church camp, the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal reported.

 A woman who worked at the Storm Mountain Center camp about 13 miles from the national memorial, Ashley Wilsey, told the newspaper that she often had to break the news to visitors that they were in the wrong place.

     “For the most part, people have been very friendly, but some people are very insistent that this is where Mount Rushmore should be,” she said.

Do you have any new parents in your life? Perhaps you have friends who just had a baby, or perhaps a family member or coworker recently became a parent?

If someone in your life is just starting their journey of parenthood, they’re going to need more support than they might feel comfortable asking for. If you want to help them, but don’t know how, here are some of the biggest struggles they’ll face and ways you can provide your support.

They’ll have low energy for basic tasks

New parents will naturally be low on energy, whether it’s from staying up all night soothing a crying baby, feeding every few hours, or stress. This lack of energy will make it hard for them to accomplish even the most basic tasks like doing the dishes and scheduling appointments.

One of the best ways to help a new parent is to manage the tasks they don’t have the energy for. Granted, this is easier to do when you live with them or if they’re a family member you see often.

The most important task you can take on is handling their appointments. Find out their schedule of availability and once you know their schedule, you can make all of their appointments for them. For instance, if they need lactation support from a professional breastfeeding consultant, schedule their consultation with an IBCLC so they don’t need to make the phone call or deal with the logistics.

In addition to managing their appointments, consider doing household chores like laundry and dishes. You’d be surprised to learn how the smallest tasks can help the most. Here are some more ideas for small tasks you can take on to help:

• Basic yard work
• Making school lunches for their older kids
• Picking up and dropping off older kids for school, sports, and appointments
• Coming over for dinner and cooking for the whole family
• Grocery shopping
• Run random errands like going to the hardware store
• Anything else that would alleviate stress and/or save time

They might be exhausted from breastfeeding

Many new mothers face unexpected challenges with breastfeeding. Sometimes they don’t have the energy to breastfeed throughout the day, but don’t want to depend on formula when it’s not necessary. In this case, you might be able to help make breastfeeding less exhausting.

One thing new parents can do is pump ahead of time to make sure they always have enough milk on hand for the baby. You can help with this process by feeding the baby for them and offering to clean the pump and bottles so they don’t have to work so hard.

They might need emotional support

Chances are, the new parent in your life will need your emotional support. The stress of being a parent can be extremely taxing and a little emotional support can go a long way.

You can spend time with them, share meals with them, or just make them a cup of coffee and talk. It also helps to simply be an ear or a shoulder. It never hurts to ask your friend or family member exactly how you can support them. If they know what they need, they’ll tell you.

Supporting a new parent emotionally is sometimes even more important than supporting them with money or taking over their household duties. New parents are going to be exhausted, and emotional support can sometimes be the magic pill needed to reduce stress and help them feel more rested and relaxed.

Ask what you can do for them

The number one way to support anyone is to ask what you can do for them. Most people know what they need and will tell you if you ask, even if they wouldn’t normally offer the information.

Ask the new parent in your life what you can do to help them while they figure out their new routines and get settled into parenthood. Let them know that no request is too small and if they don’t have any ideas in the moment, make sure they know they can reach out to you at any time.

Every ounce of support makes a difference

It doesn’t matter how much or how little you can offer the new parents in your life. Being a new parent is challenging, and every ounce of support will be appreciated.