Travelling with your toddler is not as daunting as some parents may think. Yes, there are additional travel expenses when they tag along. Yes, you have to pack extra stuff and lug them around. Yes, it's a hassle to change diapers on the fly. Yes, you wouldn't get to do as much as you had planned (you, OCD, you). Sure, it is often frustrating, but there are many rewards to be had and the ROI's gained through travel are guaranteed to make a long term impact on your and your children's lives.
A first-class view of Positano
Napping at the Acropolis complex in Athens
Swaying to the rhythm of son music in Havana
Many things to smile about in Manhattan
Traipsing around Essaouira
On our travels, we have made many new acquaintances because of our daughter. In family-friendly restaurants and hotels, the staff are almost instant babysitters, even if it were only for a few minutes - enough to plow through our meal. As well, playtime with local children is not only a great way to entertain your child, but it also provides us valuable insights into local culture.
Making new friends with waiters in Rome
Testing the pool with Mrs. Vassiliki in Mykonos
Some random guy in Santorini
Playmate Cely from Havana
With Meriam in Marrakech
Food is another concern that frequently arises when it comes to family travel. How about the child who is a finicky eater? Don't want to feed them McDonald's (who does)? I find that most countries will have some variation of neutral-tasting carbs that are easy on kids' palate: pasta is always popular in Western countries, as are bread made with whole grains; couscous and mashed chickpeas (hummus) are healthy alternatives in the Middle East; rice is a staple in South America and Asia and has been sustaining children for centuries. When it comes to food and travelling, the rule is to keep it simple, just like our forefathers did.
Well-behaved with a plate of pasta at Mario Batali's Babbo in New York City
Another plate of pasta at Le Tourville, Paris
Ravioli at Les Quinze Nuits in Barcelona
Enjoying her first tagine at the Djemaa El Fna in Marrakech
A cup of freshly squeezed orange juice in Marrakech
Travelling teaches your toddler early independence and gives them a headstart on this valuable life lesson. Spending enjoyable time outdoor means that your child is developing a good regimen for exercise and activity. Meanwhile, learning about a new country creates a blueprint for imaginative exploration.
Some parents may think that children don't remember travel anyway, so why bother? I beg to differ. I am an advocate of children and travelling! Even though kids may not remember specific details of a trip, their powerful minds would have absorbed the gamut of emotions attached to travelling - the excitement of spotting their favourite safari animal; the joy of riding local transportation; the wonder of hearing a foreign language; the delight of exploring a new landscape; the pleasure of immersing in another culture. These feelings will all add up favourably to a child's EQ (Emotional Quotient - the other measure of capacity and ability).
Making friends with a stray kitty in Havana
More stray kitty moments in Essaouira
Making a connection
I think she likes her...
So, if you do have the means to travel with your family, do it! Remember, even though it's not always smooth sailing on the road, with a little teamwork on the parents' part, it is possible to have a relaxing vacation with your toddler. Trust me, the experience is priceless - for you and for your child.
Travels with our daughter G: 2007 - Southern Italy and Greece / 2008 - Cuba and New York / 2009 -Paris, Barcelona, and around Morocco
42 comments:
Wow, Jen, this is one of my favorite posts of yours - oh absolutely ! These photos are all too amazing, each one has such a story and emotion to it; it's wonderful! Thank you for sharing these past trips - and your family with us.
As for your daughter, she is TOO precious for words. Ok, the penguin pajamas - love them! And all her little outfits, too cute. The subway smiles are fantastic, the pasta plates (that toddler eats WELL!), the OJ with her feet so perfectly together, I love it. My favorite though - petting the kitten with her finger. TOO ADORABLE. And beautifully photographed, bravo. By the way, what setting/effect are you using to get the color/feel like you did? When I opened your blog, I thought that first Positano shot was a true oldie! Fabulous.
Jen!
HUGE KUDOS to you for this post! I am with you 100% - travel with your kids!
We have been traveling with our little girl since she was 2 months old - and now she is 17 months and LOVES to get on an airplane, meet new people, listen to different languages, indulge in exotic foods, and dive into any culture. There are no barriers on who she talks to or plays with...her world has expanded so much through travel. Just returning from Spain, and she continues to dance the Flamenco and say 'ole' after every song that ends. She loves to hear others speak to her in French and Spanish. I could go on and on, and need not to with you because you understand! Thank goodness you do because SOOOO many people look at us like we are crazy, but we wouldn't live life any other way.
Love the photos of your daughter and the life she has already lived to this point...think about the wonderful addition these two well-rounded girls are going to be to this world!
Oh those kitten photos!!! Are you kidding me??? You're trying to kill me with the cuteness, no?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaww.
Your kid is traveling at an early age! Looks like she's going to follow in your vagabond footsteps! :)
The kittens are so adorable!
Hear hear! As a young traveller myself, I totally agree with this post. Seems I never quite shook the travel bug either!
We tried to travel leaving the 'lil one behind and it is not the same. We felt that sense of emptiness and regret not bringing her along with us.
Love the quote, "some random guy in santorini". Hilarious!
thats one well travelled - and very adorable - little girl!!
Absolutely wonderful photos. Thanks for this set!! There is pure magic in watching a child experience the world. It enhances everything.
Woops. You can ignore my photo question... lomo. Got it. ;)
My tot isn't as well traveled as your beautiful little girl, but she has quite a few passport stamps, whereas I didn't get a passport until I was 21. Even if they don't remember specifics, I think we're helping to make them adaptable and tolerant. And I know we get a sunnier reception almost as a rule. Kids break down all sorts of barriers, no?
Great post and I absolutely love the picture in the Subway! That's very precious. And your daughter is a doll. She is too cute for words.
I agree that parents just have to get over the fear of traveling with children. Sometimes, if we open our mind and get creative, we can all travel as a family. We have never had any trip without our kids yet.
I can see that she will grow up with such a rich experience and I think that's the best gift we can give to our kids. Bravo for another great post. :)
Jen, this is such a great post.
you have outdone yourself with your photos.
you cannot photograph if you are not in love. and the love that your little family share is just, well, lovely.
kind of makes me want to start my own tribe, but then that defies your point.
make the most of your current situation (with those that make up the situation).
i am so glad you are sharing all your experiences with your cutey. feeding her imagination.
making her rich in the currency that counts.
she will thank you.
and in the meantime,
thank you
p.s. positano, pasta, subway - wow.
a bout de souffle
i just love these photographs. i'm so moved, almost making me cry. truly beautiful!
oh these photos are amazing.
the photos are fantastic - though i feel they are tricking me with their faded / cross processed look (nice job!)
And it's so true, there are so many moments you'd never experience and ways you'd never look at things without that very different perspective.
this is such a great post, thank you for the inspiration and advice, i'm forwarding it on to my husband too:)
i love the kitten pics!
My favorite post by far! :D capturing moments like these with the tykes are the best. G is onve very, VERY LUCKY girl! Make sure to bring her here to your homeland SOON!!! Mika will be waiting ;)
what a beautiful and lucky little girl.
oh my, these photos are so adorable!! that last two photos with the cute kitten killed me with cutesness :D
What breathtaking photos! I agree, I think travel is a fantastic opportunity for children, no matter how young. My daughter is not quite four and has been to Amsterdam, London, Torino, Edinburgh, lived in Paris, and visited Toronto many times as it's home for me and my husband and where she was born. She is living a completely different life from what I had growing up, and while I'll always be uneasy about some aspects of being so far away from home in Canada (we're in England) I'm happy that she is able to see the world. I can't imagine how that will enrich her as a person.
By the way, your daughter is just so gorgeous and adorable! Maybe we will meet one day in our travels, we have much more to see!
Wow, cutest post ever. I loved watching your daughter grow in the photos as well. I will pass this post on to my friends with children. You are living proof that travel with kids can fulfilling and fun!
love the post Jen! And ur daughter is definitely adorable. She's going to be quite the world traveler. i love traveling with my daughter, too. Glad we're into the same things!
You are right, having kids does not mean you need to stop traveling. We just tweaked the way we travel, and we continue to have as much fun as always. By the way, the pictures of your daughter are adorable! And thanks for leaving a post on my blog - it's nice to know when it's been read.
These photos made me smile so much! When your child is older there will be so many cherished memories you'll share, as well as many travel stories.
Great post and inspiration for me as a parent...I will definitely have my husband read this post this evening. Maybe this will be the jolt we need to get our family movin'...The photos are priceless.
this is a fantastic post about a child in travels.
Normally, they go nuts in airplanes, tantrums on new places, tired and fed up on field trips.
But this one, is a gem, she enjoyed it with gusto.
When is next stop? Monaco?
What a beautiful family.
Wonderful post and I completely agree - whether or not we consciously remember it, travel at an early age does influence us.
So many of us can't sit still because of it and are travelaholics!
wow! the family that travels together stays together :D
Great post Jen and very inspirational. We've also travelled a bit with our 1 year old (mostly in Asia, with one long trip to back Sydney). While it definitely has its challenges it's still worth doing - and I can see it'll only get better as she's a little older and can interact a little more. Having kids doesn't mean you should stop doing the things you love!
Such a sweet post. She seems to have a natural affinity with strangers and animals.
Nicely done with the photography effects.
There can be a magic in travelling with children, but I think there are phases - with one or even two young children, things are manageable as long as you slow down and enjoy things at their pace. With two or three, suddenly everything becomes more difficult and tiring to organise and the beach holiday starts to look very attractive.
Then there's the phase when they don't really want to go out with you but they are too young to leave.
Then magically they get to the teenage years and you can leave them for a while to go off exploring and you have some freedom to pursue your own interests again. That's the satge we're at and it feels great!
I don't think there is anything new I can say but, yes, great pics, very nice color you got there, your baby is absolutely delicious and although I don't have kids, I do intend to travel with you. Very nice tips there.
Cheers
Your daughter is beautiful. I think that so many cultures around the world welcome small children so much more than in North America. No dirty looks in restaurants etc. if a wee one starts crying.
Absolutely beautiful photos...you really captured the moments.
I envy G, am I too old to be adopted? hehe
A once again amazing post and yes I do agree with you...the bonding between child/parent is the most important element in life...well done sista...keep on trucking
what a lucky and beautiful child you are raising! bravo!
We took our daughter on her first international trip when she was seven months old and have always traveled with her. While it's sometimes exhausting, it's always rewarding, and she has got more and more out of it as she's got older (now nearly 7). Great post.
Great to have the pictures, otherwise she will remember nothing... ;))
Lovely post!!
...ok, there is one more thing for me to say... I want those tinny feet with that tinny orange cats that looks like mine on my ikeepwalking's facebook! :D sooooooooooo cute!
Aww your family is sooo adorable and wow, photogenic lol! I agree with you, the subconscious memories they'd get would be worth it, plus who wants to cut out travel for so long in their lives just b/c their kids are little? :)
Btw, I was wondering if you'd be interested in trading links?
jen - yes, one of my favorite posts, ever. i echo so many people here! i love the photos of your daughter all around the world. people can be so very kind, when there are kids involved. thanks for reminding us how important it is.
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