My childhood was filled with moving here and traveling there. Visiting places that felt like home and some that felt totally forgein all via road trips, flights, buses and the like. You see, my mom was in the military, so moving was just part of life. I know I didn’t always like moving, but taking a short trip to the beach or our extended family summers in the south were the best! I don’t know about you but going someplace new makes me light up inside!
Besides breaking out of the daily grind, traveling with your kids is important for so many reasons. I know you might be thinking that you WANT to get away form your precious little monsters – not take them with you. But let me tell you why it will be far better for all of you to take them along whenever you can:
Unplug from monotony and connect with each other
Even taking small short trips gives you the opportunity to spend time doing things with your kids without the stressors of work, household duties, and endless social media scrolling weighing you down. You will have the opportunity to spend quality time together in a new environment with new experiences. Your family will have to rely more on each other as traveling will open up lines of communication a bit wider than normal as you move through your adventure. This means your teen will actually have to talk to you and not stare at their phone constantly – hallelujah!
You’ll strengthen family bonds
Since your family will have to communicate more while traveling, the opportunity appears for thoughts and ideas to be shared. Trust is built as you all have only each other to depend on for comfort or support during travels. Just the act of traveling takes a person out of their comfort zone and can bring out characteristics or interests that were hidden before. Usually you end up learning something more about yourself, your partner, or your kids.
It teaches flexibility and patience
This one. I am not the most patient person, or the most flexible either if I’m really honest. Our kids are actually better at this than I am! Delayed flights or waiting in long lines at attractions can test both your amount of patience and your willingness to be flexible. Try not to rush through your adventure and take in the details of your new surroundings while you wait. Be willing to try another day or time of day to visit a spot that could normally be crowded. Traveling gives you the opportunity to practice both.
Learn real-life problem solving skills
So you’ve missed the train, airline lost your luggage, or arrived to mixed up hotel reservations at the end of a long day of travel. These are all major stressors that your kids get to watch you handle. So take a breather and then involve your kids in coming up with a idea or plan that solves your problems. This is a skill that everyone needs to learn how to do, even if they might not do it well at first. If you happen to lose your GPS signal, but have an atlas, they get a chance to learn to map reading skills. Kids are also excellent at seeing a solution that is so simple that adults just seem blind to.
Kids learn just how huge the world is
Now, I’m not saying they have to hit all the continents by the time they graduate high school, but taking them to a variety of locations help kids understand how much of the world is outside of their local daily area. You want them to understand how enormous the world actually is. Maps and geography studies help some, but nothing beats seeing something in person you’ve read about or seen on tv. This helps them realize that their opportunities are just as vast and helps them learn to think big!
Exposure to different cultures and customs
This is one of my favorites! Learning about the cultures and customs of other places is so fascinating. You get to discover new foods, see how other people greet and interact with each other, and hear diverse languages. Wait until your kids find out what real pizza tastes like in Italy! Connecting with people from outside of your “normal” can end up producing rewarding life-long friendships. These experiences stretch and grow your family, promote gratitude, and increase compassion and understanding.
You’ll share lasting memories
You’ve got to make the most of the time you have with your kids because, sadly, that time passes faster than you think. The place I remember most fondly as a child is Italy. Those thoughts have stuck with me and now fuel me to build new memories with my own kids. The adventures you take together, good or not as good, will give you all memories you will laugh about later on. It results in “Do you remember that time that…” and “I can’t believe you actually…” kind of stories, cool pictures, and even sometimes new running jokes or nicknames.
Trust me. It’s worth it.
I know I literally cannot wait until we can all get out of the house on another adventure so we can continue enriching our kids lives. I’ve given you some of the most important, life-enhancing reasons to travel with your children. Your family will explore, learn new skills, and be more in tune with each other. You will cultivate well-rounded, little global citizens. What better gift to give the world! Your family will have experiences and memories that will last and it will totally have been worth it.
What are some of the places or trips you were hesitate to take your kids on? What kind of experiences did your family most enjoy? We’d love to know! Leave a comment below!