Traveling with Kids: Raising Your Children to be World Citizens
ByKay
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“I want to travel the world before I settle down and have kids!”
How many times have you heard that before?
Life supposedly goes like this. You become an adult. You do FUN stuff like travel and dye your hair weird colors. The world is your oyster and you’re just a rollin’ stone, going wherever your *~*heart*~* takes you.
And then, you decide to have kids and then suddenly all of that stops and you have to be an adult-adult. Whatever that means. Right??
WELL, in case you haven’t heard the good news, kids don’t have to stop anything, especially not your travel plans! In fact, if you’re a parent, YOU CAN TAKE THEM WITH YOU! I know, revolutionary, right? In case you’re a parent wondering the ins and outs of traveling with kids, or if you’re just curious on how other people do it, GET READY FOR THE PANEL OF THE CENTURY.
With us today, we have the moms from three amazing traveling families:
Thais, from World Trip Diaries!
The World Trip Diaries are a fun family of 6 digital nomads and world-schoolers, hoping to inspire you to travel too!
Iliah, from Negra Bohemian!
A free-spirited mamá leading around her crew of curious traveling humans: three brilliant children growing up with cultural and global exposure and faith-led values. Welcome to la familia!
And Vicky, from Miss Tilly and Me!
Miss Tilly and Me is a collection of laughs, tears, and memories of a mom and her daughter exploring the world.
And I will mostly be sitting this one out today. OKAY STOP YOUR CHEERING. I don’t have any kids, but I have traveled with some of my many younger cousins, so I might pop in here and there with something to say. But for the most part, they have the whole floor.
Let’s get started!
1. How old are your children? When was their first experience traveling?
Thais: My kids are 6, 11, 13 and 14. I started traveling when the oldest was a few months old. We went on our first international trip when she was 2.5 and my second child was 18 months old.
Traveling with kids is not easy. It requires planning, patience, and resilience.
Iliah: My oldest daughter, Amaris, is 10 and took her first trip to the Dominican Republic at three months old. My second, Ariela, is 8 and she went to Panamá at five months. Baby boy, Nasir, is two and we went to Argentina when he was just a month old.
“Global curiosity and activism were imparted to me at an early age by my grandfather; he gave me books to read, globes and maps to study, while demanding that I ask hard questions and seek their answers. He taught me to feel deep empathy to oppressed people in all parts of the world, and to always live my truths even when they are misunderstood by others. “
Vicky: My children are 26, 24,23 and 8. I have traveled with the older kids to Jamaica, NYC, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and backpacking in Southern Ireland from the ages of 9, 7 and 6. But With Tilly I have traveled to throughout Europe and Eurasia. Tilly was 3 years old when she first traveled abroad, Her brother was working in Norway and it was the first time I flew with her.
Tilly, catching flights before she could form sentences. She’s a pro!
2. How often do you travel with your kids?
Thais: We spent the last 2 years traveling full time and have just come back home. Right now we’re doing our best to make this new house a home, but our plans are to travel nationally at least once a month and internationally 2-3 times a year, if we can!
Vicky: I try to travel once a month, even if its a day trip to London or a travel across the country to see some family.
Do you know why the houses in Amsterdam are so narrow?? Tilly knows!
Iliah: How often we travel varies. Sometimes we visit eight countries in one year, sometimes it’s three. We also take trips within the U.S.
“We have visited many nations and had the opportunity to bask in their beauty. But we don’t travel just to gloat by quoting a large number of countries- this has never been the reason “why” I do it. “
3. Is travel shaping their personality and views about the world? How so?
Vicky: Tilly regularly talks about the places that she visited and her experiences there. I love that she knows the world is bigger than her country or even the town that she lives in, so many children don’t get the opportunity to experience it. Tilly picks up on different languages and gasps that there are different ways of life. I think it was more prominent on our trip to Turkey, where we visited mosques in Istanbul. Her views and eyes were opened to a new aspect of religion and culture, and she embraced it.
Tilly learned so much about Turkish history, culture, and people that she met on her holiday.
Iliah: Umm, yes! Travel has definitely shaped their personalities and views about the world in an amazing way! They are all so open, flexible and adventurous- travel has a large part to do with that!
Travel has shaped their views about this world, and the people in it, in many ways. This is most evident in their perceptions toward Muslims. Since we have traveled through predominately Muslim countries, and met so many amazing people who became family, these experiences have shaped who they believe Muslims to be, instead of preconceived stereotypes formed out of ignorance. They have absolutely no fear of Muslim men and women, and honestly don’t even realize that many others do.
“One of the greatest impacts that travel has had on my children is their love and respect for all. Travel reinforces their passion for social activism and radical justice. They have learned empathy and authentic coexistence from their travel experiences. “
Thais: Oh, yes! They used to think that the world was this wild, crazy, unsafe place, and they used to be very scared of the unknown. Now, I can see they’re super confident and trusting. They’re open to trying new foods, meeting different people, trying to communicate in every language. And they’re smarter now. In New Zealand and Japan, where they spent most of their lives, it’s so peaceful it can be like living in a bubble. While traveling, they had to learn how to deal with pickpockets, locking doors, being alert, and haggling!
They don’t think that those bad things make those places or people bad necessarily, it’s just a different environment with different circumstances.
João : “We were having a walk on the beaches at Cananeia, with my cousin, my aunt, and my uncle when we saw a small little yellow crab, scuttering here, there, and everywhere.”
4. What kind of lessons or ideas do you hope your kids take away from their traveling experiences?
Iliah: To be open while standing firm in who they are and what they believe. We are devout Christians, but we have much love and respect for people of all faiths. I want them to fully accept the spiritual beliefs – or non-beliefs- of others, while holding onto their own faith. I also hope that they have limitless views of themselves, who they can be, and what they can accomplish in life.
They have learned perseverance through unfamiliar circumstances, and these lessons will carry them into adulthood. I am constantly blown away by my children’s abilities to adapt to change, and how they feel comfortable no matter where they are. Lastly, I desire that they gain a curiosity that will last for a lifetime, and pray that they want to discover new things no matter how old they are.
Thais: I hope them see how beautiful and precious the world is. And life. I hope they treasure it, and care for it, and understand that even though there are differences, it’s all connected. That they don’t have to be afraid of the unknown! Differences are welcome. Respect is the key. I hope that they know they are unique and irreplaceable.
Just breathe – and enjoy life’s mysteries
Vicky: Tilly learns so much from every travel experience. In the UK, we have a law that says we can’t take kids out of school for holidays. We get fined £60 per parent and per child. This law is ludicrous because kids learn so much more from travelling. Everything is a lesson when you travel because they learn about different cultures, languages, you eat different foods and meet different foods. Every day on a holiday is a learning curve.
Weekend trips to a new city or museum exhibit can be a great learning experience!
5. Do you think travel has ever negatively impacted their school performance? What about any positive impacts?
Thais: This is the first question we hear every time we talk about traveling long term. If people don’t ask, they always make uncomfortable faces. My kids are actually homeschooled – they’ve been for a long time now. So no, it’s never impacted. We carry on working on things everywhere we go.
What I see is that traveling has made them a lot quicker to find a place on the map, know the capital, and the currency. They can tell how much almost everything costs in New Zealand, and compare it to other countries. They’re also very good with time zones and directions. People just don’t expect them to be normal kids, and they are. They aren’t shy (except for Melissa, but that was born with her), they aren’t socially awkward (mostly), they can read and write fluently in two languages, count, and do fractions. The kids know how to use tools (from calculators to real power tools), code, build stuff (even though they don’t really like it), sew, cook, play instruments, and create art. They all have friends, play dates, sleepovers, and parties.
They just don’t do it at school.
It’s not easy to find them all together working on something!
Vicky: I feel that she got a bit behind on her actual work that was done in school when we took 7 school days off, but I feel that she learned 10 times the amount that she could have learned at school. I wrote about the things she learned here
Iliah: I don’t believe that travel has had any negative impacts on their school performance. If anything, maybe it’s made them a bit bored with conventional school because they can think so far outside of the box. All other impacts have only been positive. Their teachers are always blown away by how aware they are of the world and other cultures. The teachers know that travel – and the work I do at home with them- is what has cultivated this knowledge.
“While I firmly believe that travel is not the only way one can raise global citizens, it has definitely been influential in my children’s lives.”
6. How do your children deal with new places/food/cultures? How do you explain those differences to them?
Vicky: Tilly adapts really well, she understands that there are things she can’t do in certain countries or cities. On our trips, the food is usually the same except for Turkey. But there was a kids buffet with chips and more blander food for kids. I always encourage her to try the foods in the country we are visiting. But Tilly is equally as happy to go to a supermarket and buy food to eat than eat in a restaurant. I think she finds it fun because we often have to guess what we are buying.
A trip to the grocery store can be an exceptionally enlightening experience!
Iliah: My children deal very well with new places and cultures. It really only takes them a few hours to a day to transition to a new place – no matter how drastic the differences. Food is one area that I don’t get too radical with them about- I’m not making them eat bugs and brains to prove how hardcore they are. They will try new things within their boundaries, and they understand that food is a very important element in many cultures. They know that they must respect what other people eat…even if they don’t find it appetizing.
Thais: We’re a multi-cultural family. 5 out of the 6 of us were born in Brazil. I have Japanese family, my husband has Italian and African heritage. We live in New Zealand. It couldn’t get more mixed up than that! They don’t deal with the differences because it’s part of them. I’ve never really had to explain that.
7. What has been your child’s favorite trip? Why?
Iliah: I think their “favorite trip” changes often, and they have more than one from different ages. Amaris’ most recent favorite trip was to Spain. It is because she was able to connect with our Spanish culture firsthand, and we met so many amazing people that made the trip extra special. For Ariela, I would say that it is Morocco. She learned so much about Ramadan, bartering and tried new foods that she loved! I would say that even though Nasir is only two year old, Morocco was also is favorite trip!
“Patriarchy cannot be destroyed solely by raising strong girls. Patriarchy will only be destroyed when we raise our sons as feminists, too.”
Thais: I have 4 kids. They’re very different from each other, there wasn’t one place that was the favorite for everyone. My oldest loved Canada (food, diversity, equality, and Niagara Falls, she said) and England because of Harry Potter (we did do a lot of Harry Potter things there). The second loved Peru because of the food and Machu Picchu. The third loved Costa Rica and its beaches and because we took the time to sit and stay at the beaches, without so much sightseeing. The youngest loved almost everything because she really doesn’t see the difference. She says she likes Japan because of all the food and the little cute things.
They all enjoyed Canada, Colombia, London, and our trip to the salt flats in Bolivia!
How can you NOT love these salt flats??
Vicky: At the moment it is Turkey, She has been wanting to go for 3 years because I go to the hotel every year with my friends. It’s my mum time off. So I took her and saved really hard to make sure she could enjoy it. We stayed in a hotel in Antalya, where she went on camels, visited waterfalls, learned to swim, took a flight to Istanbul, visited two mosques, and went on a banana boat. She exhausted me! When I go, I just lay on the sunbed all day.
Turkey has a way of stealing everyone’s heart
8. How do you kids deal with long plane or car rides? Do you have any tips on how to make the journey easier or more enjoyable for them?
Iliah: Pack activities for them to do: a small puzzle, a notebook to doodle and to use as a travel journal, crayons and a book to read.
Thais: They’re used to them, so they’re pretty much fine. They do get bored, but now they’re older, so it’s easier. When they were little, I kept them away from any electronic (TV, DVD, phones) for a week or so, so when it was time to fly, they were so engrossed with the screen that people didn’t even realize there were kids there.
Just, you know, take their favorite snacks (and give them little by little), a few of their toys or some other comforting item (like a blanket), and try not to book flights that are too early or too late.
For car rides, we have their favorite songs on our phones so we can listen to them and we have quite a few talking games for when we need it, but mostly, they’re fine looking out the window (even though they do say it’s boring), having chips, and listening to music. If you need game ideas, check here!
Classic travel scene: waiting on transport. Bring a book! Not all kids like to read, I know. Tt can be a comic, a manga, a novel, or anything they like.
Vicky: When we backpacked in Europe, I tried to make sure that the train journeys were no longer than about 4 hours, and the flight to Turkey was 4 hours. So Its better for them if you limit flights to that long, although we did longer flights when the older kids were little. I take Tillys Kindle and its full of movies, music and games. More than enough to keep her occupied, but remember to take earphones because not everyone else wants to hear your kids music. I take snacks and water, I take drawing books and a few small toys.
Tilly is going to pass the time by listening to some jams!
Thais: YES. Except for the youngest, she is in training. I think it’s a great opportunity for them to learn the importance of being organized and responsible. I do help them carry if they’re tired, as they help me carry mine if I’m tired. And we help each other pack if we want to or are able to.
Melissa : “I’ve only had one stress attack from packing my bag, I just couldn’t fit everything in, it was on the very first day we packed everything mine into my bag and had to leave everything else in the storage. “
Iliah: I allow my kids to pick a couple things that they want to being with them, but I do all the packing. Until now, they have not carried their own luggage, but the girls will on our upcoming trip.
“Travel has given them the audacity to believe that they can be anything they want to be, and to fill their lives with whimsical magic.”
Vicky: I always make sure Tilly carries her own backpack or pull her own suitcase. She packs it herself and then we repack it together, getting rid of the 50,000 toys she has packed.
10. Do your kids maintain a bedtime while traveling? Are there any other routines you keep up with while traveling?
Thais: No. We don’t have any routine. That’s the same at home and while we travel. If we have something scheduled for the morning, we wake up early. I do advise them to go to bed early, but they’re free to stay up if they want to. What we have is that from a certain time, we need to be quiet and respectful of the others. And keep lights out if someone’s sleeping.
Even kids need alone time too on occasion for reading, drawing, and…well, playing!
Vicky: I am a pretty laid back mum with Tilly, maybe because I am an older mum. But she doesn’t go to bed until 9 pm anyway, so it doesn’t matter if she stays up later on a holiday. In Hungary, we turned up at a hotel and it was disgusting, so we were walking the streets of Budapest looking for a new hotel at 10.30pm, we finally found one and went to Macdonalds for Dinner at 1 am. Sometimes it cant be helped. In Turkey, she was out at the entertainment until after midnight, most nights.
A new travel experience is like an clam: you never know what you’re going to get until you open it.
Iliah: If we are traveling on shorter trips (a week or less), we don’t maintain many schedules and routines. We want time to enjoy the places where we are, and don’t want to waste any of it on routines! If we are traveling for longer periods of time I may try and implement some type of routine…but it depends. In some countries you eat dinner at 9pm and you’re up at midnight hanging out- we like to adapt to where we are. At home they have an early bedtime that we keep, when we travel I’m flexible and let them stay up later…but I won’t make them get up early to ensure that they’ve had enough sleep.
11. What are the best activities and attractions for children while traveling?
Vicky: We always make a travel book when we go away because we can put postcards, photos, tickets, receipts in it, it is a fab memory book for the future.
Thais: My kids love ziplining and swimming, but they also love going to the movies and playing video games. I, particularly, loved hiking with them and chatting about life while we walked. And cooking classes, they’re fun everywhere in the world!!!
Hiking is a great activity for the family!
Iliah: There are many activities and attractions that children enjoy: the beach, parks, museums just to name a few. But kids will also enjoy the jungles, a desert, an art class and cooking lessons! We love it when we get invited to a random wedding or birthday party when traveling as well! It’s these spontaneous and organic experiences that mean the most to us. Feel free to think outside of the box when traveling- you never know what your children may enjoy! Use travel as a time to stretch their interests and to give them new and different experiences.
“Travel teaches them to be brave and to take risks, and that they are able to overcome any challenges life throws before them.”
12. How do you deal with tantrums/bad attitudes while on a trip?
Vicky: Luckily, Tilly has never had a tantrum on a holiday, in fact, she has never been a tantrum child. She has never really been naughty on holiday. I think I am so lucky!
Iliah: Well, like any mother, I yell from time-to-time and tell them that I’m doing my next trip alone! But I mostly try and remember that they are just children and that they are being stretched out of their comfort zones and need grace for that. Keeping them well fed and giving downtime helps prevent some of these situations.
They are wild, they are free
Thais: Honestly, it’s the same thing at home. We just avoid the things that make them upset (like sleeping very little, having little time to rest or being hungry) as much as we can, and when things happen, we just try to reconnect and find the need underneath the behavior. It’s usually because they wanted to do something else, or they’re tired, hungry, or not interested, or they’re not feeling connected.
13. What is one piece of advice for a parent nervous or skeptical about traveling with kids?
Vicky: Just do it! There are so many parents that will offer support and give you advice on what to do. Life is full of regret and don’t let travel be one thing that you will regret. With Travel, you are opening your kid’s eyes to diversity in the world.
Thais: It’s kind of addictive. Kids are awesome travel companions, they see the world from a different angle. Just try it! I’d suggest you keep a few days off of sightseeing – stay in the room of the hotel, watch movies on the TV, play on your phones, read a book, just chat, order room service. Those made some of our best memories and they’re great for recharging the batteries. For us, one day off for every 3 days out is a great balance!
Ask your kids for feedback during and after the trip to see how you can create better experiences together!
Iliah: My advice would be to just do it! Push for aside the fear of what could go wrong or how you think your children may behave or react. The world is a beautiful place that mostly full of good. Dear mothers: Carve your own path; be free like the wind… and take your children along for the ride!
14. How do you feel about traveling with kids? What does it mean to you?
Vicky: It means that I give my child the best start in life, that I educate her on things that she couldn’t learn from school. It means that I get to spend some quality time with her and that we bond even more. Traveling with kids isn’t always easy and there are times when I worry if I am doing the right thing and before I travel, I always worry about what would happen if we were caught up in an accident or if the plane went down. Traveling as a single parent is always a worry, but the benefits will ALWAYS outweigh the worrying. I would always recommend traveling with kids.
The best way to travel with your kids…is to just do it!
Iliah: Travel is one of the most important aspects of our lives. It has taught us about the world, humanity, life, compassion, love, pain, loss, and redemption. It is one of the most powerful tools- but not the only one- that I use to shape them into amazing humans who will change the world. (Psst! Read more on why Iliah travels with her children HERE)
Negra Bohemian’s mission is to showcase authentic family travel on a budget in hopes to inspire other families to trust their children’s learning capabilities and expand their minds with cultural experience, international exposure and never-ending curiosity.
Thais: It means sharing the world with them. I absolutely love it and I’m a bit desperate that my kids are growing up so fast and soon, I’ll have no little kid to want to travel with me. They’re my best friends, and I love to see new places with them and through their eyes. And seeing them learning so much about so many different things at once, with zero need of bribes or blackmail. That’s gold.
Traveling with your kids? Priceless
Thank all of you for your expert insight on traveling with kids! I’ve put all of their links below! Check them out to keep up with their stories, tips, and tricks!
What about you? Do you have any kids? What do you think about traveling with kids? If you want to learn more about the exact OPPOSITE, but just as inspiring, read my post Traveling with your Parents!
I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I…
3 Comments
Love that article! I am 5 month pregnant and so many people tell me that me and my husband can´t travel anymore. I do believe that travelling is good for the development of kids and we definitely want to keep on travelling. It´s great to read some experience from other travelling mums.
Oh my god, my ovaries!!! this was so beautiful and the kids were ADORABLE. Literally made me so excited for my future family (that won’t be happening for a while now haha)
Loved this! Thanks so much for putting together Kay❤️ If I had any doubts of traveling with my future child, I don’t any more thanks to this awesome panel 😊
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Love that article! I am 5 month pregnant and so many people tell me that me and my husband can´t travel anymore. I do believe that travelling is good for the development of kids and we definitely want to keep on travelling. It´s great to read some experience from other travelling mums.
Oh my god, my ovaries!!! this was so beautiful and the kids were ADORABLE. Literally made me so excited for my future family (that won’t be happening for a while now haha)
Loved this! Thanks so much for putting together Kay❤️ If I had any doubts of traveling with my future child, I don’t any more thanks to this awesome panel 😊