Why It Doesn’t Matter if They Remember…Travel With Kids is important at any age!
One of the most common objections we get from parents to taking their kids on a big international trip is, “I want to wait until they’re old enough to remember” Well, as a parent who has traveled with my kids to 50+ countries, I have come to learn what they remember about the trip isn’t as important and here are some reasons why you shouldn’t wait.
They grow up fast! Seriously fast! And the older they get the faster it seems to go! It seemed like we blinked between the two pictures below. Both were taken at the Mayan pyramids in Coba in Mexico; the first when they were 4 and 6 years old, the second seven years later. Seriously…we blinked! I don’t know about you, but I want to take full advantage of every summer we have with our kids (we only have 18 ya know!) before they are “Grown and Flown”. So, whether they remember every detail is not that important to me…the details live within each of us!
Nathan, Jeremy, and Seamus at Mayan pyramids in Coba in 2006 and 2013
What they do remember may surprise you! Often times one of the kids will tell me about something that we did or saw years ago on a trip…and I’m talking when they were in preschool or primary school…and I, not remembering myself, am like “uh huh” (just glad to have a teenager talking) and in trying to jog my memory they describe in detail and, either a sibling or another traveler will jump to their defense…”Oh yeah…(fill in more details)” My point: Often times I don’t remember certain details of a trip taken 20 years ago, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate taking that trip. They also remember different things…perspective that traveling with kids brings to the table. While I might remember riding horses down the beach on Jamaica’s north shore, they will recall playing pirates together in a colonial building that was tilted from seismic activity.
Riding horses in ocean near Ocho Rios in Jamaica
Playing “pirate” in tilted colonial era building in Jamaica
It’s more about the bonding than the details each family member can recall. The time we have spent together uninterrupted by the daily work/school lives plus activities at home is priceless. We learn together, try new foods/activities together, discover new things together…it becomes part of how we relate to each other as a family and how we see one another…he’s the adventurous eater, she’s terrified of heights but overcame it, he will dance with anyone, she will know how to say at least five words in the local language…and on and on. Examples: Nathan will try anything (even if Mom is too scared to watch!), Seamus will befriend pets and babies anywhere we go!
Nathan walking in the canopy on adventure course in Cambodia
Seamus talking to a toddler he has befriended in South Africa
The global perspective…the history they learn…the compassion for people they meet along the way…the conservation heart they develop when immersing in nature as a family…that all becomes a part of who they are growing in to….whether they remember the details of every trip or not! Immersing in various cultures around the world builds a deep-rooted understanding of the ties that bond humanity increasing empathy and compassion.
Learning to dance and sing with Maasai tribe in Kenya
They learn valuable, real life skills! From flexibility when having to skip the snack to rush to make the train that leaves in five minutes to the responsibility that comes with packing and keeping track of their own bags to patience on long flights and delays, travel has many real life skills to teach us all…and they’re great for kids to learn early. Plus, there are the other fun skills that you learn together along the way. And it’s great for your kids to see you try (and maybe even fail) at a new activity or skill, especially one that’s a little outside your comfort zone. It teaches them to have courage and faith and that it’s OK to put yourself our there and risk failing. We’ve learned skills together like archery, scuba diving, skiing/snow boarding, zip lining, cooking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and more. It’s been a great bonding experience for all of us and teaches us to try, to relish, to embrace, to live, and to soak it all in!
Seamus’ check out dive with Kids Sea Camp in the Bay Islands of Honduras
A word of warning…so many people say “Oh, we’ll wait until they are in junior high or highschool”…I’m here to tell you it only gets harder to pull them out of school or away from their activities or their jobs or their friends. When they are younger, you have more control on where and when you are going. As they get older and grow into their own lives, it gets more difficult to schedule the time away…especially when you are dealing with multiple family members and all of their activities! So, schedule the time now…put it on the calendar, request the time off work…and GO!
Another example of the blinking….
Jeremy, Nathan, and Seamus at Cliffs of Moher in 2007
Nathan, Seamus and Jeremy at the Cliffs of Moher in 2016
Started as a television series “Travel With Kids” (that still airs on PBS – new season coming soon – and Amazon, Roku, iTunes, and YouTube) when our kids were three and one, we’ve spent the last sixteen years traveling together. We have visited more than 50 countries together and wouldn’t change a thing! In 2013, we started offering escorted family tours as well! Amazing, authentic family travel experiences that families can experience with new travel friends! This summer, our tours are going to Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa, and more. We also book independent trips for families who want to set out on their own following our tried and tested itineraries. For more information on how to join one of our tours, visit our tour website.
TWK Vietnam
TWK Thailand
TWK South Africa
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