Written by Christi Sparrow
We have been traveling for four months! Some days it feels like the past four months have flown by, and other days it seems like a lifetime since I slept in my own bed. Either way, our time on the road has both challenged and rewarded our little family, and it has offered some valuable lessons learned about traveling with young kids.
Much of the allure of traveling is the notion that at any time something unexpected could happen. On one hand, it’s an undoubtedly exciting prospect: awe-inspiring sights, chance interactions with locals, hidden gems, and unique flavors beckon. On the other hand, it’s a borderline terrifying possibility: travel complications, awful illnesses, homesickness, and the general unknown loom.
Above all though, travel is one of our great teachers. It teaches us about other cultures, solving problems, living in the present, and being resourceful. But perhaps most profoundly, travel teaches us about ourselves. Here are some thoughts on our lessons learned traveling with young kids so far. Some lessons are new, but most are not.
Traveling with kids is hard.
It can be draining. It requires daily mental pep talks. And some of the travel experiences we once enjoyed before having kids, i.e. dining out at a nice restaurant, can be a nonstarter with little ones. But just because traveling with kids is different doesn’t mean it’s worse. Enjoying a picnic of local food at a new park can be just as enjoyable as that fancy restaurant meal. Experiencing a new place through a child’s eyes really is an incredible gift. Our kids are continually reminding us to slow down and take it all in.
Kids are resilient.
Once we are settled at a location, we do our best to maintain nap schedules, meal times, and bed times to keep the kids’ bodies on a consistent rhythm. Travel days and recovering from jet lag are another story. We try to schedule flights and trains that make sense to our kids’ body clocks, but that’s not always possible. We pack snacks and entertainment, talk it up, make it as fun as possible, and hope for the best, knowing that we may need to adjust course at any moment. And in the end, the kids adjust. They follow our lead. (And sometimes they adjust better than their parents!) Kids are amazing little humans.
Love pets? Get FREE Accomodation!
Something will go wrong.
I remember learning this truth when I was planning our wedding, (*cough, cough*), 15 years ago. No matter how well you plan and prepare, something will go wrong, so just be prepared to get resourceful and roll with it! Trains get delayed. Flights connections get missed. Kids have meltdowns. Baby wipes run out. Accommodations don’t work out. Someone gets sick. Jay and I have made a conscious commitment to remain positive!
Useful related posts: 10 Toddlers Airplane Activities
It takes a village.
Mom and Dad need alone time to recharge and couple time to reconnect. This is true no matter where we are, but when we’re traveling we’ve learned to be hyper intentional about scheduling time for each of us to work, explore, or exercise— alone. It’s easy for both of us to slip into 24/7 parenting, but we’ve learned that approach can lead to burnout. We are far from having the secret sauce figured out, and each time we transition to a new location, the learning process seems to reset. But our goal is to be diligent about giving each other some regular time to recharge. Next task: find childcare so we can schedule a few much-needed dates!
Expectations are key.
Whenever you travel with any sort of group, the needs, interests, and limitations of each individual traveler influence what the group does. A family is no different. With young kids we move slower. We prioritize and choose our activities carefully. We have lower expectations for the quantity of items on our calendar, and we are constantly mindful of the quality of those items.
It’s also worth mentioning that sometimes reconciling expectations and reality is difficult. On this trip I’ve had lots of days when I felt like I wasn’t the best mom I could be, and that frustrates me to my core. Constantly re-strategizing how to manage schedules, find or cook healthy meals, procure supplies, challenge the kids, or fit in a workout for myself is tiring and doesn’t leave me with much energy.
Routines are continually disrupted. This is the part of traveling with young kids with which I knew I would struggle. But as we travel we are learning how to set ourselves up for success, for example, we need a two-bedroom place so that everyone has a chance at a good night’s sleep!
Related post: 12 Essential Travel Tips with Kids
The vast majority of people are very kind.
Of course there is skepticism that creeps up when meeting a stranger, and we’re used to negative headlines that highlight some of the worst in our societies. But we have encountered simple, genuine kindness everywhere we’ve been. Most often it’s the small random acts of kindness that leave impressions on us. Welcome cookies from a neighbor. Assistance from a stranger helping us with our luggage on and off a train. An invitation to dinner from another traveling family. A complimentary snack for the kids from a local shopkeeper. Free help with our website from a fellow traveler. A little extra care from a flight attendant. These experiences have reminded us to always be on the lookout for simple ways to pay it forward as we go.
Below
– Chloe enjoys a photo with a local Red Songthaew driver in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As a result, Chloe was all smiles because of his kind personality.
– Camden enjoys his first hair cut in Hinckley, England, by the same barber that Jay grew up using. Chris, the owner, cut both Camden’s and Jay’s hair for less that $7 as a kind gesture.
Homesickness is real.
Everyone’s threshold is different, and everyone’s triggers are different. Homesickness crept up on me about three and a half months into our trip as Christmas approached. At that point we had completed all of the travel plans that we made before leaving home, and we were starting to plan and book our travels on a rolling basis. I missed the simplicity of having my days figured out at home, and I missed our house.
It’s easy to loose a little bit of yourself without a home base. One of my goals for 2020 is to find ways to ground myself and inject consistency and reliability into my days through small habits or routines that can easily travel with me.
As I close my laptop tonight, our four-year-old daughter Chloe is dozing next to me. She has just recovered from an awful bout with the flu which grounded our family activities for a week and involved a trip to the local hospital in Chiang Mai. As I study her strong, healthy body and her sweet, soft face, I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for her. She, Camden, and Jay are my home, and I am humbled to be on this journey with them.
In closing, these are just some of the lessons we have learned traveling with kids, however I am sure there will be many more as we continue our adventure. Don’t let the challenges of traveling with kids stop you from exploring with your children. You will encounter good days and bad days. Just remember each day you are together as a family you are sharing your journey, no matter where you are.
Considering Starting Your Own Blog?
PLEASE SHARE
14 thoughts on “Lessons Learned Traveling with Kids: 4 Months”
Beautifully written Christi!! Thank you for sharing. Our “kiddos” aren’t so little anymore. Wish we had some of your tips back then. But we got through it, and our kids are pretty good travelers now. In fact, Parker has been on his own European adventure for the last 2 weeks. He is managing quite well without mom and dad. We miss y’all bunches!! Sending love and hugs from your Texas peeps!! Happy New Year and safe travels on your next adventure!!
Thanks, Norma! And way to go, Parker! Can’t wait to hear about his trip. Thanks for reading our posts, and we miss you too!
This is so awesome! My husband and I traveled for 6 months (we don’t have kids). but find your story very inspiring. You will forever look back and remember these days, moments and stories. Rooting for you and looking forward to reading more of what you write!
Your kids are so lucky to have parents who know the importance and true meaning of ‘adventure’!
Emma, Thank you for your kind words. We look forward to sharing more stories as we continue with our journey. Sounds like you had an amazing trip! We now also have a newsletter if you would be interested in subscribing?
It’s challenging enough raising kids, adding a travel lifestyle in the mix is a whole other layer but I know it’s worth it. The benefits of what it offers our kids in experiences is priceless!
Thank you, Lorraine! Parenting sure is a trip, wherever you do it! 🙂
What are some of your favorite travel destinations?
Christi, you’re an amazing mom! Thank you so much for sharing all the highs and lows. I hope you’re keeping sane and having fun along the way. You’ll have to tell us how you do all the special celebrations like Christmas, New Years, and birthdays. Love all the Thailand adventures. Feel better soon sweet Chloe
Katie, thank you so much for taking the time to read our posts! Most days we maintain an acceptable level of sanity. 😉 For Christmas we were housesitting in Plauen, Germany, which was a lovely town with a charming Christmas market. Chloe picked out a small tree, (about her height), and Santa found us!
Pingback: 12 Essential Travel Tips for Traveling with kids | Puddles and Passports
Pingback: 12 Essential Travel Tips When Traveling with kids | Puddles and Passports
Beautifully written, Chris. So thoughtful and insightful. Great lessons learned and advice for all of us traveling with little ones. 😊
Thank you Kate. It’s a journey and we are learning every day. We are enjoying sharing our experiences with others.
Expectations (or lack thereof) and adjustments are key when traveling with kids. I always had a go-go-go itinerary, and I learned that made them all miserable and in turn, I was miserable. I had to adjust to this or they didn’t like me. Nowadays, if I really want to do something and they don’t, I go off on my own and do it. I limit our activities so they can have their downtime. And everyone is happy. I have loved reading your posts and seeing your images on Ig, be safe.
Pingback: The benefits of traveling with your kids | Bookaway Blog