We are firm believers in traveling – and traveling with our kids. Many don’t get it, and often ask why we travel with them when it’s so much easier to travel without them. I look at it as, we do lots of other things with our kids, why wouldn’t we want to travel with them? Here are 5 reasons why you SHOULD travel with your kids:
1. I want my kids to see the beautiful world God has created. If we don’t travel, or travel without our kids, they will have no idea of what’s out there. They won’t know the beauty of the Grand Canyon or the gorgeous waters of the Caribbean. They’ll know only what’s familiar to them – home.
2. I want my kids to meet new people, try new foods, and learn about other cultures. There’s so much out there. So many wonderful people, so many different types of cultures and food. Why rob our children of knowing about these different cultures just because it may be a little more inconvenient to take them along on the trip?
3. They force you to slow down. Life can be busy. Very, very busy. When you travel with kids, it forces you to slow down (usually) and take time for the important things.
4. Models problem solving and adaptability for your kids: Even if you planned your vacation for months ahead of time, lots of times things don’t go as planned. The weather can change, flights can be delayed, or your car has car trouble. How you react to these issues is important! Kids see and learn how to be flexible and adapt to different situations by how you act. It’s such a good lesson learned from traveling with kids!
5. Provides learning experiences: Whether it’s a far destination or close, traveling with kids is a learning experience. It gets them out of their comfort zone and “life bubble”. We homeschool our children, so we take lots of time to travel and learn about the world. We take the classroom with us. This is one perk we LOVE about homeschooling.
6. Creates memories and traditions: Taking time away from the everyday schedule creates memories and traditions that will be talked about later on in life. Funny things that happened on a trip or stressful things even will be thrown into your everyday life for years to come. Your kids will treasure those memories and tell their kids about those memorable trips. It most likely will create your children and their children to be travelers as well.
All childhood experiences shape the people we become. When my oldest was 2, we traveled to Uganda for almost 3 weeks. My sister and her family were missionaries there at the time and we went for Christmas to visit. He remembers meeting and being around the people of Uganda even though he was so young. He remembers the red dirt roads that had potholes all over it. He now talks about the difference in Africans and Americans. I had no idea taking him when he was so young would be something he remembers. Now, he is asking to go on a mission trip to East Africa at 9 years old. I pray that he keeps that passion for Africa and that he’s able to go sometime soon. Who knows what that will bring for his future too. Maybe a missionary? Maybe someone who starts a non-profit? Who knows. But I’m thankful he has the memory of that trip and the little seed that was planted during that time.
I realize going out of the country isn’t an easy thing financially or for the sake of time. I’m not suggesting you get up and take your family out of the country. I am suggesting, you plan a trip with your family, even if it’s just a weekend getaway an hour away from home. Detach from the daily grind, teach your children how to adapt to new situations life may throw at you, see the beauty of different areas, connect as a family, and create memories together. I promise you’ll be glad you did.
What are some of your favorite places to travel to as a family? What memories do you have traveling as a child?
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