Why Travelling Doesn’t Have to Stop When You Have Kids

Some of my friends were serious travel junkies before they had kids. So naturally, when they had kids, daughters and sons, they were worried that it could impact on their lives. They were over-the-moon about their new bundles of joy, but worried that they’d never get to travel again.

Fortunately, they were wrong. Now, some of them have added another child to the crew and practically turned into a family of nomads. There are ways to make it happen, it’s all about the belief and re-organising your life. For once, I’m putting myself in the mind of a parent for this post, even though I don’t have that experience yet. Though it is my dream. I love seeing my nephew George, who I have met three times so far.

When you have kids, traveling definitely changes, but so does everything. If you love to travel, there’s no need to stop. You just have to adjust your way of thinking.

Here are a few reasons why you should plan to travel with your kids.

1. See the world through their eyes

You thought it was amazing the first time you saw the Grand Canyon? Well, it gets better. Imagine seeing the look on your child’s face as she gazes upon the vast openness of the canyons before her.

It’s truly awesome to witness your children’s reactions to the same things that rocked your world, whether as a child or an adult.

It’s also kind of cool to hear what your kids think about your travels. At the end of each day, you can sit down and talk about all the things you’ve seen, done and heard. And I promise you, the more kids you have, the more perspectives you’ll get.

2. Take different types of vacations

So, you probably wouldn’t have taken a trip to Sesame Place on your own, but go and tell me you didn’t enjoy it (you can’t).

When you vacation with children, you have even more of an excuse to live your life like a child. This is important for everyone to do every now and again. Sometimes, I think it’s even a good reason for having kids in the first place.

3. Raise kids more cultured than you

You may not have taken extravagant vacations as a youngster, but imagine if you did. Kids who get to experience different cultures are better prepared to deal with the real world. They won’t have any xenophobic tendencies, and they’ll understand that our way isn’t the only way.

Instead of just learning about things in school, your kids can see and experience historical landmarks around the world. It’s one thing to memorize all the state capitals, but it’s quite another thing to visit them all!

4. Learn to become more organized

Kids are known for creating chaos, but they’ll also force you to become more organized. If you’re not organized while you’re traveling with the kiddos, you’ll encounter many more frustrations than necessary. Preparation becomes your new life motto. Never again will you forget something at home or spend twenty minutes digging in your bag for the tickets. You’ll know exactly where everything is and will be able to access it at a moment’s notice.

5. You’ll take more road trips

Before you have kids, it’s a little easier to hop on a plane and fly anywhere. With kids, it can get a little pricey. You’ll be forced to pay full ticket price for every child over the age of two, so road trips are often your most economical bet.

Because you’ll be in the family car instead of the airplane, you’ll get to explore the areas around where you live. You may even see some local sights that you never knew existed.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t travel with kids. You may have to make some adjustments to how and where you travel, but you can still scratch that travel itch as a family. And you’ll all be better off for it.