Little Ways in Which Young Children Can Make Travel More Joyful
Traveling with children often evokes a sense of feeling overwhelmed or tired, especially when the little ones are too little. Parents can find it tricky to catch a break when babies continue to be demanding, never mind how beautiful the views are outside.
But let’s observe it from a different perspective, a clean lens. Traveling with young children can also be beautiful in many ways. It holds that we all have different experiences—some children may be easy to handle, able to amuse themselves, and free of motion sickness. It is also true that child-free people may not understand the challenges in essence (or even at all).
But in the interest of finding new perspectives in life, here are some joys of traveling with kids, whether you accompany them as a parent or another family member.
They Find Wonder in Everything
Children view the world with compassion and wonder—traits we often forget as we grow older. Traveling with them can open your eyes once again to the beauties of the natural world.
For example, the simple pleasures of a vacation day, such as sitting by the river and feeding the ducks, may make children overcome with delight. The sight of a rainbow in the sky or going on a rollercoaster may become eternal memories. Kids can appreciate newness, finding adventure and hidden meanings wherever they go.
Carl Sagan thought that children lose their sense of wonder as they grow up because of the way parents and teachers react: with ridicule and irritation. When kids encounter such negative responses one time too many, they stop enquiring. Moreover, peer pressure to excel or seek instant gratification may also be at play.
Traveling with little ones may be a fantastic way for both kids and adults to rekindle and sustain a sense of wonder, an essential tool for a fulfilling life.
They Help You Appreciate New Tastes and Textures
A Reddit user has a helpful list of foods many kids love on vacation: pizza, hot dogs, fries, and fruit [r/Preschoolers]. Indeed, many parents feel their kids seem to survive on air. Or they eat chicken nuggets and fries for every meal.
Not all preschoolers may be picky about eating. Still, when you deal with those who are, it can make you appreciate your food more! After all, vacations are an excellent opportunity to taste new cuisines and enjoy exotic flavors. Pickiness will only mean losing out.
The situation will be different when traveling with babies who are still on milk or early solids. Parents need to be cautious about formula and store-bought baby food, tasks that may leave little energy to try restaurants. Recent media reports about the Similac lawsuit suggest that some formulas based on cow’s milk may not be safe for premature babies.
In fact, TorHoerman Law recommends that any parents who have felt their baby’s discomfort after certain formula milk products should maintain feeding records. It may be necessary to do so during travel also and carry additional units of your tried-and-tested brand.
On the sunnier side, any food you do end up trying after the baby is asleep will probably taste twice as divine!
They Prioritize Fun Over Bucket-List Ticking
Too many of us pack our vacations with too much stuff to do and see. Many tourists who visit bucket-list types of destinations face crowds and long queues outside every attraction.
CNBC reports that more travelers now want to visit less-crowded spots and enjoy relaxing experiences. Some lovingly call this trend JOMO or the “joy of missing out.” A large percentage of the surveyed population wants to travel to help reduce stress and anxiety by building stronger connections with loved ones.
Children can be excellent travel partners when it comes to furthering this trend. While most kids love exploring new places, their priority is having fun with people they love. They couldn’t care less about ticking items off a bucket list to prove a point to someone.
Being with travelers of this mindset can inspire more mindful, slower experiences. These holidays will also be more authentic and heartfelt.
They Encourage You to Savor The Present
Finally, children can teach us a crucial message: the only time we have is the present.
The end of a holiday can be painful for adults. It reminds us of stressful routines and the sameness of everyday life. Sometimes, the thought of returning can mar the entire vacation experience because we struggle to live in the present.
Children can offer brilliant guidance in this regard. For them, the only time that matters is now. No wonder they want to enjoy every moment and let their hair down at all odd times of the day and night! The enthusiasm of little kids can be so infectious that it eradicates our anxieties about the future.
The next time you plan a holiday that involves kids (yours or someone else’s), it is worth considering these perks. Although small children can limit the possibilities of a vacation in some ways, they also add to it with energy and excitement. Spending time with them can help us realize what truly matters in life, and it is certainly not that one email you had left unread in your inbox.
