There are a lot of adjustments and sacrifices parents make for their kids. However, of all the things we may need to give up, traveling doesn’t have to and shouldn’t be one of them.
But you might say, there are plenty of reasons not to travel with kids! While I don’t need to tick down that list (no relaxing/sunbathing on the beach or partaking in wine/beer tastings or…), I will instead counter with the list of reasons why we choose to travel with our kids. And perhaps that will encourage you to travel with the little ones in your life as well!
- Creating Memories. There is nothing more important to me than making memories together as a family. Whether that’s seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time or swimming in the Mediterranean Sea or just going to an aquarium (albeit one that’s in an old Nazi flak tower in Vienna), some of my favorite memories are from our travels. I hope our kids will say the same as they get older.
- Teaching Them Flexibility. I love getting my kids off schedule. I know, that sounds horrifying, especially to new parents, and it can be! Kids like routines. But I also think it’s good for them, from time-to-time, to have to adjust a different routine. When we’re traveling, they stay up later, eat meals at different times, eat different types of foods, don’t have their toys, etc. This helps teach them to be flexible and adapt to their current situation.
- Opening Their Minds. This is one of the best things about traveling in Europe. The opportunity to expose kids to different languages, cultures, foods and more is endless! I want them to be curious about the world and see just how different and the same we all are.
- Exposing Them to History. I’m not a history buff by any means but, I have learned more European history during our recent travels than I did in the first 30-some years of my life (John is cringing while reading this). I hope that by starting that hands-on education with the kids during their early years, it inspires them to want to continue to learn the history of the world around them.
- Getting Exercise – This isn’t a real reason, but also it is! My kids can be as lazy as any others. If I let them play with Lego’s or draw all day (or watch movies…), they’ll do it. But when we’re on holiday, they better get ready to do some walking. You’ll quickly see from our schedules that we don’t pay for cabs and typically don’t have a rental car; sometimes we take public transportation, but usually we just walk a lot, and expect the same of the kids. Wear your comfy sneakers!
Can traveling with kids be stressful? Yes. But can it also be an amazing experience for the whole family? Without a doubt. It’s why we prioritize spending money on travel over buying things. So, if you can do travel, do it.