Why Travel with Kids?

I get it. When you close your eyes and picture a vacation, it might include laying on a remote beach somewhere, sipping adult beverages, and being stress-free. Your vision probably doesn't include chasing kids on that same beach, ordering chicken tenders or fries at a fancy and exotic restaurant, or panicking and trying to find a doctor in a foreign country because your kid is very sick. There are absolutely stresses that come with travel with kids and it's essentially just parenting in another location in a lot of ways, but there are also SO many rewards for both the children and the parents, and I would even argue for the greater picture and the world as a whole.

First of all, you cannot wait 18 years for your children to grow up in order to take time to travel. This is your life too, and you deserve to see the world! The benefits of travelling as a family for the adults is getting to take the trips you want to take now while you're young enough to enjoy them and be active, getting to see the world and these exciting places through the eyes of your amazed kids (this is actually the exact place the gladiators were?!), doing some fun adventures that maybe you wouldn't have done if it was an adult-only trip (like the mosaic art making class my family took in Barcelona!), and making memories you'll never forget with your family. When I told people we were taking our young children on amazing trips, I'd often hear something along the lines of "Why? They won't remember it anyway." It's true, if you're travelling with a kid under 3-5 years old, they are not going to hold on to memories of the trip, but guess who will....you! Your memories matter too! You get to enjoy parenting them and making memories of their baby years, even if they don't.

And so your kids maybe don't remember all of the vacations, but there are benefits for travelling with young kids for the kids too, even if they don't have fully formed memories of the places. First of all, research shows that early travel makes children more adaptable. My oldest son could sleep literally anywhere because of how many times he had to sleep in cars, on planes, in make-shift crib areas perhaps in the bathroom of the hotel. It also promotes social skills and empathy when you expose young children to other cultures and other people. New or unusual experiences promote neural networks in the brain development of kids, so you're actually helping their brain grow! These experiences promote curiosity in kids and help them to feel comfortable in a variety of different experiences. For instance, my children are completely comfortable navigating public transportation with us or looking for signs in airports for which way to go or exploring remote woods with a variety of animals and insects. I've been around other kids like their friends or family members who are very uncomfortable in diverse settings or different types of neighborhoods or in crowds, but my kids walk with confidence because they've been doing it for so long. And as they get older, aside from also now making amazing memories together, you are bringing their education to life. It's one thing to read about the Roman Empire, the Egyptians, Greek gods, Pompeii, the Terrorist Attacks on 9/11, etc., but when the children can actually step into the place where it happened, can see it with their own eyes, can hear about it from an awesome tour guide, and can picture themselves there, that's when real education happens. And it works in both directions- I have times where my kids travelled somewhere first and then later learned about it in school, and their prior travel experience helped them when it was time to learn, but I've also had times where they learned about something first and then travelled there and it helped bring it to life for them. There's nothing more awe-inspiring and amazing to kids than to be in the actual place where something they learned about occured. As they get to be school-aged kids and teens, you continue to expose them to different people and cultures, opening their world-views and making them more open-minded and empathic and accepting people. You teach them life skills, like looking for signs to navigate, asking for directions, using gestures to communicate with someone who speaks another language, considering the types of items and clothes that will be needed for certain weather or adventures and packing accordingly, etc.

Finally, the benefits aren't just for the parents alone or the kids alone but the family system as a whole. My two sons are truly like best friends....well at least 98% of the time. I really believe that a big part of that is because of the travels we have taken. On vacation, they don't have any other friends or options except each other. They have these shared experiences with one another that no one else shares with them. They have made lifelong memories together, adapted to difficulties together, and learned how not to kill each other on long car rides. If that's not some serious sibling bonding, I don't know what is! Similarly, parenting in a different time zone while everyone is jetlagged and carrying heavy luggage up stairs because there's no elevator and everyone's hot without AC and in need of a snack...at the end of the day, that brings you together. You start to be able to recognize signs that someone's needs aren't being met or something needs to happen to fix it. You learn how to adapt together and struggle together and then ultimately adjust and have a blast together. Any time that I ask either of my children about their favorite memories or major life events, it is absolutely always a vacation, or many vacations, that are mentioned. And those memories we have all made together will keep us bonded for life.

Walking hand in hand in Florida

So I encourage you- brush off the naysayers, embrace your anxiety, and plan that family trip. It may not be perfect the entire time. There are going to be stressful moments or bickering times, but I guarantee it'll be worth it. And in the end, when you look back, you won't remember those bad times or wish you were just laying on a beach alone with an adult drink. You'll be happy you all went together as a family. In 18 years, you can relax on that beach. Go adventure with the kiddos now!

Heading into a lava tube in Hawaii