Traveling with your child can be a transformative experience, and I can confidently say it’s worth every moment. Sure, there were tantrums along the way—after all, we’re dealing with small children here! There were definitely trying moments that tested our patience. Parenting on the road is undoubtedly a challenge, but when you compare it to parenting at home? It’s not harder; in fact, it might even be easier!
One thing I’ve realized is that the challenges we face while traveling are simply part of being a parent to a young child—no matter where you are in the world. The pros of embarking on adventures with preschoolers or younger children far outweigh any cons.
Through our travels, I’ve witnessed some incredible lessons unfold before my eyes.
1. Watching my child gain confidence has been one of the most rewarding aspects. She has learned how to connect and make friends with children from diverse backgrounds and cultures—all without letting language barriers hinder her playtime.
2. Through our recent trip, she discovered that life doesn’t always operate at the fast pace we’re accustomed to back home. Her parents were more present without the daily stressors of work and home activities, and she wasn’t rushed around or along for the ride on a day full of errands. This slower rhythm allowed us all to appreciate that many things we often take for granted.
3. She learned that many of her wants and needs—are actually luxuries in different parts of the world. I watched her fall asleep on cots on the floor, planes, buses, even golf carts! I watched her try new food like freshly caught fish, new fruits, and things I could never make at home because chicken nuggets are not a universal staple. I watched as various asks weren’t met, simply because it was not possible. Sorry love, no hot water or WiFi here. Sorry, babe there is no sound machine and temperature controlled room to nap in here. You want a babydoll? There is not a Target down the road, here is a seashell. I watched her problem-solve.She drew eyes and a smile on the shell, called it a mermaid and carried it around the whole trip.
Traveling together has opened up new horizons for both me and my child, enriching our lives in ways I never imagined possible. So if you’re contemplating whether or not to travel with your little ones, take it from me: go for it! The experiences you’ll share will create lasting memories and invaluable lessons for both you and your child.
Here are a few tricks from yours truly to help your travel be successful with a little one.
1. Know your audience 🙂 traveling with children can be wonderful and make sure that your activities are age and developmentally appropriate. My little one probably would not have enjoyed an afternoon at the Lourve , but she certainly loved walking around looking at fish on docks and going in a kayak with her daddy. Probably not the time for a history tour, but a food tour and local cooking class where she helped cook the meal was a big hit!
2. Bring little things from home. While an immersive experience into a diverse culture is an incredible experience, it is a lot for a little one. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw my little “chicken nuggets and fries only” child try new foods even though I was wary (she ate fish meatballs…we still have no clue what was in them). That being said, about ten days into our trip she had a day or two where she was clingy and whiney… and too overstimulated with all the new things. An applesauce pouch and granola bar from home was just what she needed as she had quiet time listening to her familiar, travel friendly, tonie box. Her favorite stuffie was also with us every step of the way.
3. Forget the routine but also focus on the elements of the routine. On days where we were on the move or traveling, we couldn’t follow the usual meal and nap time schedule. That being said on days that we could, we did! On days where there was no rhyme or reason or time change became a challenge, we focused on elements of the routine without the time elements…Like having time for rest, quiet, play, uninterrupted, parent time, and ensuring basic fundamentals like food, water and potty were offered frequently.
To summarize and answer the last blog’s burning question…is traveling with young children worth it? Yes, yes one thousand times YES!
You are going to have ups and downs either way, might as well go explore the world!