Why You Should Travel with Your Kids
Traveling is a passion of mine. From dreaming about destinations, hunting for the best tickets, planning the itinerary, to booking accommodations, I relish every moment. For me, the holiday begins the moment I step into the airport. The thrill of exploring new shops, savoring different cuisines, and immersing myself in a good book instantly puts me at ease. Upon reaching my destination, I fully immerse myself in the new environment, savoring every experience.
For my family, the question was never if we would travel with our kids, but when. Fortunately, our children seem to share our love for travel. However, I’ve noticed many parents who love to travel hesitate when it comes to bringing their children along. Here are five compelling reasons why you should cast aside your doubts, book that trip, and explore the world with your children.
1. Traveling Fosters Happiness
“Collect moments, not things!” This popular travel quote has been scientifically validated. According to a recent article in Nat Geo Traveler, people who gather travel experiences tend to be happier than those who accumulate material wealth. Research indicates that long-term happiness is more attainable through new experiences. Habituation is the biggest threat to sustained happiness. So, step out of your comfort zone, travel the world with your kids, and embrace happiness.
2. Collect Shared Experiences
What’s more enjoyable than traveling? Traveling together! Exploring new countries as a family, creating lasting memories, and sharing stories at the end of each day enriches the experience. Listening to your children recount their adventures and perspectives is truly priceless.
3. Cherishing Quality Time
Both of us have full-time jobs and bustling social lives. This makes it even more crucial to spend quality time as a family. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a three-week vacation abroad, it’s a chance to fully immerse ourselves in each other’s company. We can relax, play with the kids, and simply enjoy being together. It’s truly heartwarming to witness how quickly our children grow and develop when we’re with them 24/7 for a few weeks.
4. Broadening Their Horizons
Traveling is a fantastic way to expand your children’s worldview. It’s an invaluable experience for them to see firsthand that elephants don’t just live in zoos, that children in other countries may not have toys to play with, and that values and manners can vary greatly from their own. These experiences are incredibly enriching and will benefit them throughout their lives.
5. Traveling Brings You Joy
Traveling brings me immense joy. When I share my travel experiences with my kids, I often hear, “You only travel for yourself, your kids don’t care.” Aside from the fact that my children enjoy traveling as much as we do, I don’t understand why doing something that brings YOU happiness is almost seen as a crime. So, go, go, go!
If you love to travel, continue to do so. Take your children with you. I’ve given you five compelling reasons why you should. If your partner has strong doubts, show them this article. If they’re afraid of flying with the kids, check out this article: 5 Tips for Flying with Kids. Travel with your kids, be happy, and create beautiful memories together.