Tag: international travel tips

Embrace, Explore, Go: Essential Tips for a Smooth Family Vacations Overseas

Posted on by Erika Bud
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Having kids is reason to travel, never a reason to stop. – Anonymous

Embrace, Explore, Go: Essential Tips for a Smooth Family Vacations Overseas

Embarking on an international trip with your family can be an exciting-yet-unnerving endeavor. To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience, careful planning and preparation are key. This includes everything from checking travel documents to securing your home before departure. By taking care of these details, you can focus on enjoying your journey and creating memorable experiences with your family. Here are some items you should have on your list, brought to you by the kind folks at Big World Publishing, LLC.

Passport Validity: A Crucial First Step

Before dreaming of exotic destinations, check the expiration dates on each family member’s passport. It’s imperative that these crucial travel documents remain valid for at least six months beyond your intended return date. Many countries strictly enforce this six-month rule, and overlooking it can disrupt your travel plans. Additionally, consider the time needed for renewing passports, as this can vary and might take longer than expected.

Navigating Visa Requirements

Each country you plan to visit might have its own set of visa requirements. It’s vital to research these well in advance to avoid any surprises. Applying for visas can sometimes be a time-consuming process, involving detailed paperwork and potentially even visits to embassies or consulates. Familiarize yourself with the specific requirements for each country on your itinerary, including processing times and necessary documents, to ensure a hassle-free entry.

Securing Your Home

As you prepare to explore the world, don’t forget to secure your castle. Lock all doors and windows, set alarms, and inform a trusted neighbor or friend about your absence. Alongside these traditional security measures, investing in smart home technology can offer significant advantages. It allows you to monitor your home remotely and integrate with existing measures like deadbolts and window locks for added peace of mind. By combining the reliability of conventional security practices with the innovation of modern technology, you create a comprehensive safety net for your home. These steps ensure that you can enjoy your travels without worrying about the safety and security of your home.

The Safety Net of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is not just a piece of paper; it’s your family’s safety net. Investing in a comprehensive policy that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost belongings can save you from unforeseen financial burdens. Moreover, travel insurance can also provide assistance services, like medical referrals and emergency travel arrangements. This peace of mind is invaluable, allowing you to fully enjoy your travels without the worry of what-if scenarios, and ensuring that you are prepared for any unexpected challenges that may arise.

Banking Without Borders

Imagine reaching your dream destination and finding your credit or debit card blocked. To avoid such inconveniences, notify your bank of your travel dates and destinations. This simple step ensures your transactions are smooth and uninterrupted, letting you focus on creating memorable experiences with your family. Additionally, inform your bank about the types of expenses you might incur to prevent fraud alerts for unusual activity.

Staying Connected Safely

While it’s tempting to share your travel joys on social media, doing so can inadvertently signal that your home is unoccupied, potentially attracting thieves. Instead, consider using a free card maker to create fun e-cards. These digital postcards are a personal and safe way to share your adventures with friends and family back home. Plus, it’s a creative way to preserve memories and a thoughtful gesture that your loved ones are sure to appreciate.

Embracing Local Languages

Learning a few key phrases in the local language of your destination is not only practical but also a gesture of respect toward the local culture. Simple phrases like “hello,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” can go a long way in facilitating smoother interactions and enriching your travel experience. It can also help in situations where English might not be widely spoken, and it shows locals that you’re making an effort to engage with their culture.

Tech Readiness: Adapting to Local Electricity

Different countries have different types of electrical outlets and voltages. To keep your electronic devices charged and ready, research the types of outlets used at your destination and pack the appropriate adapters. This small step prevents the inconvenience of being unable to use or charge your devices when you need them most. It’s also advisable to carry a universal travel adapter, which can be a versatile solution for various types of outlets.

Traveling abroad with your family can be one of the most rewarding experiences, filled with learning, bonding, and adventure. Such trips offer a unique opportunity for family members to step out of their comfort zones, experiencing new cultures, languages, and customs together. By following these essential preparation steps, including checking travel documents, understanding visa requirements, and securing comprehensive travel insurance, you can minimize potential stressors and maximize enjoyment. Thorough preparation allows you to navigate different environments confidently, ensuring a smoother and more fulfilling travel experience. The key to a successful family trip lies not just in the destination, but in the journey — and that journey starts with thorough and thoughtful preparation.

What tips do you have for traveling abroad with your family? We would love to hear from you! Please post your comments below.

Make travel exciting for children with the Travel Rangers picture book series Available Here

To hear more about family travel abroad experiences, travel tips, and more, listen to the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast today!

Written by: Charlene Roth

Cruising the World with Your Child

Posted on by Erika Bud

A mother and daughter are on a ship balcony looking out over the water

“Some cruise lines cater to different passengers. Some are known more as the booze cruises, some as the family cruises, cruises for older passengers, and cruises for those who like luxury.” – Erika Bud

 

Cruising the World with Your Child

Have you been wondering what it would be like to take your children on an international cruise? Or have you visited countries sailing on a cruise with your family and you think it’s the best thing in the world? Well, you’re not alone. According to a study conducted by AAA earlier this year, over 58 million Americans are considering a cruise in the next two years (Edmonds, 2022). Prior to the pandemic, ocean cruising had been steadily increasing over the last decade with almost 30 million passengers cruising worldwide (Statista Search Department, 2022). If this many people are cruising, there must be something to this method of travel, right?

Why should you consider cruising for your family?

For most families, convenience is what comes to mind when you cruise. If you want to see multiple destinations, you can do that with ease as you only need to unpack once, if at all, since you’re on a moving hotel. Cruises, especially ocean cruises, are also considered to be fairly affordable, when considering other forms of traveling. This has especially been true since the pandemic. While there are cruise lines that are more luxurious than others, and therefore more expensive, there seems to be an option for almost everyone. Entertainment is another consideration. The types of entertainment will vary between cruise lines and drastically when you’re considering ocean vs. river cruises, but the point is that some form of entertainment is available.

Should I choose an ocean cruise or river cruise?

This is an easier question than you may think. If your children are younger than eight years old, stick with ocean cruises. If your children are older than eight, make sure they are entertained by sites, history, and experiences. If your children need constant stimulation and the idea of experiencing new cultures sounds like torture to them, avoid river cruises. Ocean cruises are like amusement parks and a dream for most kids. Parents also get to relax knowing their children are entertained. Entertainment on river cruises is the sites and activities themselves. There is minimal entertainment on the actual ship because most people are too tired from that day’s excursions that relaxing sounds like the best option. Speaking of excursions, on a river cruise, there is usually at least one or two excursions included each day, which is a big difference from ocean cruising. Ocean cruising is more about the ship, while river cruising is more about the destination and experiencing the culture.

Erika Bud on an ox cart with the river cruise ship in the background along the Mekong River
Erika Bud on an ox cart with the river cruise ship in the background along the Mekong River


Don’t forget about the people! This is a big factor for many cruisers. If you like a quieter experience, river cruising is better for you. River cruise ships only hold around 150 passengers, while ocean cruise ships hold on average 3,000 passengers, up to over 6,000 passengers. Now, while this does sound like a lot and you definitely see the people, because the ocean cruise ships are so much bigger than a river cruise ship, you can still find a rather quiet corner of the cruise ship if you would like. As far as the size of the cruise ships, there are advantages to the larger ships vs. the smaller ships. The larger ocean cruise ships can accommodate more room types, food, and entertainment options than a river cruise ship. The advantages of having a smaller river cruise ship are that you can go to smaller, less touristy ports than ocean cruise ships. This means that you get a more intimate, cultural experience at your ports and you’re not battling the extremely busy ports when thousands of people disembark to visit the same places as you.

large slide on the top of an ocean cruise ship
Large slide on the top of an ocean cruise ship

Cruise restrictions

It is common for people to think that cruises are too restricting. It’s true in that you can’t go where you want when you want. You are restricted to the cruise itinerary, and you must be back when the cruise line tells you to be back. This can be frustrating for people who want to spend more time in a particular port. The great thing is that you know your itinerary before you book a cruise. If you want to spend more time in a destination, make sure to pay close attention to your itinerary. Many people choose a cruise that leaves or returns from a city they really want to see and stay for a couple nights in a hotel before or after the cruise. Similarly, if you want to have more or fewer sailing days, take that into consideration when you’re looking at the itinerary. As far as food options, river cruise options are more limited as there is usually only one dinner time. Again, since the experience is more about the destination, the dinners are timed perfectly so almost everyone is ready to eat at the scheduled time. That doesn’t mean the food is not high quality though! With ocean cruises, you are usually only restricted to specific times if you want to eat with everyone. If you don’t care, there are several food options that don’t require eating at a certain time. It is very rare that you ever hear about a person coming back from any cruise complaining about being hungry. Most every passenger gains weight by the end of the trip because of the ample food options.

Keep in mind

Some cruise lines cater to different passengers. Some are known more as booze cruises, some as family cruises, cruises for older passengers, and cruises for those who like luxury. Using a travel agent who specializes in ocean or river cruises will help to ensure you have the experience you are looking for and get to enjoy every aspect of your international family vacation.

What are your concerns about traveling with children on a cruise for your next overseas travel adventure? If you love cruising with your family abroad, what did I miss? I would love to hear from you! Please post your comments below.

To hear more about family travel abroad experiences, travel tips, and more, listen to the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast at:  https://bigworldpub.com/listen-to-travel-podcast/

Written by: Erika Bud. You can find out more about the author, the Travel Rangers book series, and travel podcast at:  http://bigworldpub.com/

References

Edmonds, E. 2022. Ship Ahoy: 40% of Americans Just as Likely to Take a Cruise as Before the Pandemic. AAA Newsroom, https://newsroom.aaa.com/2022/03/ship-ahoy-40-of-americans-just-as-likely-to-take-a-cruise-as-before-the-pandemic/

Statista Research Department (2022, July 27) Number of ocean cruise passengers worldwide from 2009 to 2021 [Infographic]. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/385445/number-of-passengers-of-the-cruise-industry-worldwide/

 

Travel to Ireland – What I Learned From Taking My 8-Year-Old Child

Posted on by Erika Bud

You never know what kids will enjoy, but you undeniably can’t discount the little things. – Erika Bud

 

Travel to Ireland – What I Learned From Taking My 8-year-old Child

I had always wanted to travel to Ireland with my son. This summer, we were able to enjoy a two-week family vacation in Ireland and Northern Ireland. While I advocate for overseas travel adventures with your children, each time I take my son out of the country, I can’t help but cross my fingers that he enjoys the experience. One thing I have learned is that what you think your child will love is not often what they actually love or will even remember most. When you plan a family trip abroad, as a parent, you really must allow your children to make the trip theirs and not force them to have the trip or memories you want them to have.

Let your children make the trip theirs

What does this mean? As parents, we often want the vacation to be so perfect and so memorable, that we plan out almost everything. Even if we don’t verbally share the plan with everyone on the trip with us, we have a fairly good idea about what we’re going to see or do at a certain destination. One thing you learn when you travel abroad is that children often have different ideas about what they want to see or do. For example, while we were on Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands, we wanted to walk around to see this new town since we were only there for an afternoon. To my son, this was boring. All he wanted to do was walk on the sand by the water, something that he’s done many times before in his own country. This wasn’t what I planned, but it was ok. We decided to do a little bit of both, so we all got to do what we wanted. He was happy, and now when he thinks of this island, he thinks about how much fun he had on the beach. He was making the trip to this island his own, with his own memories.

The surprise that enhanced the trip for my son

One of the best decisions we made on this trip was to bring a digital camera just for my son to use. It was an old, waterproof camera, nothing special. We thought he would use it occasionally, but we could not have hoped it would have enhanced his experience as much as it did. I think it was the fact that again, he was making the trip his own. He was taking pictures of things he wanted to take pictures of, like five pictures of the fat caterpillar he saw in the parking lot. I was worried that he would have a challenging time traveling for hours between destinations, but instead, he took pictures out of the window for most of the drive. It not only enhanced his experience, but it enhanced ours since we didn’t have to hear him complaining during the drive.

You never know what will happen when you’re on vacation

While we were visiting the stunning Kylemore Abbey, a rescue helicopter made a rescue on the mountain across the way. My son thought it was the most exciting thing he had ever seen. It’s one thing to see a rescue on TV or in a picture, but to see this happen in front of him while he was on vacation in Ireland was priceless. He was way more excited over that than he was by the Abbey that many people dream of seeing. It just goes to show you that you never know what will happen when you’re on vacation. My son will always remember that experience (because he took a million pictures with his camera) and where he was when he saw it.

Take chances; they might surprise you

One of the excursions, when we were in Dingle, was to go kayaking in Dingle Bay. My son was excited to go, but I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t nervous he would fall out; I was nervous that halfway into the trip, he would get too tired and complain. The last thing I wanted was to be surrounded by amazing scenery, kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, and not be able to enjoy it because my son was complaining. This excursion really helped to get that way of thinking out of my head and to start giving my son the benefit of the doubt. He absolutely loved it! When he was tired, we took breaks, which was fine because we needed the break ourselves. He brings up all the time how we were kayaking with jellyfish and how he got to hold one and how he felt like such an adventurer since he got to kayak through caves. I am so glad I took a chance as I know he had one of the best experiences of his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the little things

When I take my son to another country, I’m always reminded that it’s often the little things that make the trip fun and memorable for him. Again, what I am excited to see and experience is rarely what he finds exciting. I saw my son’s face light up over things that I would have otherwise forgotten if it weren’t for him. In one of our hotels, you could climb six stories and look down the grand staircase to the bottom. He thought that was so cool and asked us to climb them several times throughout our stay. Another example is when he was having a blast climbing the cannons on the Derry/Londonderry Wall. He had climbed cannons many times throughout his childhood, but these were the coolest cannons because he was in Ireland and on a wall. You never know what kids will enjoy, but you undeniably can’t discount the little things.

What to get a child as a souvenir

I’m a very practical, rather frugal mom. I mean, how else would I afford these family trips abroad? I am not the mom who buys my son whatever he wants whenever we go to a store. This trip to Ireland made me realize that when traveling abroad, I need to relax this a bit. As I said before, I needed to let my son make this his trip, not my trip. While I like to get practical gifts that will provide memories that will last for years to come, my son doesn’t care about that stuff. We wanted to get him a shirt, sweatshirt, or poster…something that would last longer than a few weeks. On this trip, my son asked for a tin whistle and a little box that had a replica of Blarney Castle in it. This gimmicky stuff was not practical to me in the slightest. While I know he will likely lose it and he will lose interest in the whistle soon, I realized I’d rather him love it for a few weeks than wear a t-shirt he couldn’t care less about.

The memories that will always stay with you

As we wrapped up our trip, we all talked about our top three favorite things we saw or did. Hearing that my son could only narrow it down to his top favorite eight things only confirmed how important it is to keep taking him on overseas travel adventures. While we were talking about the Cliffs of Moher or Kylemore Abbey, some of his favorites were rather surprising. They included staying for a night in Abbeyglen Castle, kayaking in the caves in Dingle Bay, visiting Ross Castle, holding a lamb, seeing a rescue helicopter rescuing people, the ferry ride to Inishmore, and Blarney Castle. While his top memories are different from our top memories, those are memories he will always have, and we will always have together.

What did you learn the last time you took a family trip abroad? I would love to hear from you! Please post your comments below.

To hear more about family travel abroad experiences, travel tips, and more, listen to the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast at:  https://bigworldpub.com/listen-to-travel-podcast/

Written by: Erika Bud. You can find out more about the  author, the Travel Rangers book series, and travel podcast at:  http://bigworldpub.com/

 

The best way to travel abroad with children

Posted on by Erika Bud

Just like how products and techniques are not the best for every family, when it comes to travel, what works for one family, may be another family’s nightmare. – Erika Bud

 

The Best Way to Travel Abroad With Children

When considering traveling abroad, what is the best way to travel with children? There are friends and family and even Facebook groups who recommend “the best way to travel with kids.” But before taking their advice, it’s important to remember that every family is different. Most parents remember what it was like when they were pregnant. Everywhere they turned someone was giving them advice on the best products or techniques to use for their child. Travel is no different. Just like how products and techniques are not the best for every family, when it comes to travel, what works for one family, may be another family’s nightmare.

Determining the best way to travel abroad with children

To determine the best way to travel abroad with children, it really depends on one factor: the wants and needs of the adults traveling. Notice the consideration was based on the adults and not the children. Children tend to be adaptable, and if their parents are having a wonderful time, the children are likely going to have the same positive experience. Parents can make it fun for children regardless of the method chosen. Parents also need to remember their wants and needs will change over time and need to be reconsidered when planning each trip. What worked for one family trip abroad may not be the best option for the next trip.

Cost shouldn’t be the deciding factor

While cost is a factor, it is not seen as a determining factor. Traveling abroad as a family is a lifetime dream for so many families. For those who travel abroad with their family more frequently, they are doing so because of the memories and experiences they want to continue to share with their family. Taking this into consideration, families should be conscious of the cost, but if a lower price keeps a family from a fun and memorable experience, it should not be the driving factor in the parent’s decision.

So, what should parents consider with each method when traveling abroad with children?

Individual Family Travel

Visiting family or friends: This option is often seen as the cheapest way to travel abroad with children since accommodation, transportation, and many meals are often provided, but does this option allow for the family to experience the country in the way they want? Can the family go where they want to go and see what they want to see? Is this a once-in-a-lifetime visit where they only have one chance to see and experience their wants and desires or can they compromise because the family plans to visit again and continue to see more of the sites and experiences next time? Experiencing life as a local and truly embracing the culture should also be considered as this method may provide the best opportunity to achieve this.

Plan and conquer: For parents who love to research and plan, this may be the best method for a family trip abroad. This option is often best for families who are good at going with the flow. When planning the logistics, activities, accommodations, etc., it is rare that something unexpected won’t happen. If the family doesn’t let that negatively affect their experience, this can be an affordable option and provide the opportunity for a family to accomplish everything they want to accomplish on their overseas travel adventure.

All-inclusive resorts: All-inclusive resorts are available in practically every country a family could want to experience. This method is great for families who do not need much of a cultural experience but still want to enjoy different scenery and experiences from what they can get in their own country. This is considered more of a vacation than a trip as it is centered more around having fun and relaxing within the resort with an option to experience some cultural activities outside of the resort as desired. The most difficult part about all-inclusive resorts is picking which resort would be best for the family. The amenities and activities at each all-inclusive resort can be quite different, so it’s important to do the research. It’s also important to consider that what a resort says on its website may not be a realistic option (e.g., the amazing spa is booked out months in advance, water slides are too crowded to enjoy, etc.). Facebook groups, friends, and family will be able to provide insight, but it is highly recommended to use a travel agent in this case. A good travel agent will know the best all-inclusive resort for your family’s needs.

Group Family Travel

Cruises: Many children and parents rave about their cruise experience. This is a great method for parents who don’t want to plan how they are getting from point A to point B and want plenty of activities available for the entire family so everyone can have fun. To enjoy a cruise, a family needs to be content with being restricted on the boat while sailing, seeing many of the same people throughout the vacation, and the food options available on the boat. Smaller accommodations can be an issue for some families as well.

Now it’s important to remember there are several types of cruises. Ocean cruises are more about the experience on the boat. Yes, families can enjoy some cultural experiences and activities at each of the ports, but as a lot of time is spent sailing, the ocean cruise lines have tried to think of everything to make sure families can enjoy their time on the ship. River cruises, on the other hand, are more about the cultural experience. The ship is used primarily as a vessel to sleep, eat, and relax, as most of the days are spent on land experiencing the sites and local culture. By the time a family returns to the ship, everyone is often too exhausted to do anything but relax. Ocean cruises also have thousands of people on the boat at one time, while river cruises tend to have less than 200 passengers.

For families considering cruising, this is one method where the children need to be taken into consideration. Most river cruises don’t allow children younger than eight years old, and there are not nearly as many children on a river cruise as on an ocean cruise. Also, because the experience is more about the cultural activities on land instead of on the ship, children can be bored if they do not appreciate cultural activities.

Group tour travel: Similar to a cruise, group travel is a wonderful option for parents who don’t want to plan and want everything taken care of for them. There are many types of group tour travel to consider. Tour companies try to offer options for every family’s needs. From high-end accommodation to hostels. Options are available to stay in one city for the entire vacation all the way up to multiple cities a day and multiple countries in a week. It really depends on what your family wants to accomplish during their family trip abroad. Families can even select how many people they want to travel with as tours can have as few as just your family or a full motorcoach of 40+ people.

There are several pros and cons to group travel to consider.

Pros: Logistics and accommodation are taken care of by the company, often including valet service so you don’t have to worry about taking your luggage to your room. Most options include a tour guide who is responsible for your family’s well-being, will answer any questions (e.g., how to get to a city, where to wash your clothes, etc.), and will help should any emergencies arise. Tours will visit the tourist sites your family wants to see, while still providing your family with alone time to experience the city or sites as a family vs. as a group. Most tours include guides who tell you about the sites and history, so you don’t have to do the research on your own. Families also have the opportunity to bond with other families traveling on the same tour.

Cons: The itineraries might not be exactly what your family wants to experience. While the motorcoaches are usually comfortable, families can spend a lot of time driving between destinations. Tour companies tend to travel to some activities where they get an incentive (e.g., a perfumery or glass blowing lesson, etc.), even though it is not what your family wants to do. For families who want a lot of spare time, it is possible to find a group tour that offers more free time, but the options will be more limited or more expensive.

Digital nomad and worldschooling: A rather new method of traveling abroad with children is to stop traveling on a short-term vacation and live in various countries, worldschooling children and working as a digital nomad. This is an option for families who understand the benefits of experiencing other cultures and learning about other countries. Surprisingly, this option can be very affordable depending on where a family lives, and colleges and universities tend to love worldschoolers, so their education is not negatively impacted if that is the direction they choose. The hardest thing about this option is taking the leap and not being able to see family and friends as easily.

Are there any methods of travel that I missed? How do you prefer to travel abroad with your family? Please post your comments below.

To hear more about life as a digital nomad and worldschooling or to find out more about different travel methods, listen to the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast at:  https://bigworldpub.com/listen-to-travel-podcast/

Note: While travel agents can be extremely helpful with determining the best all-inclusive resorts, cruises, and group travel companies for a family, they tend to have their favorites so make sure multiple options are given to consider with reasons each option was suggested. The travel agent is not going to risk their reputation suggesting a poor fit for a family though, which is why a travel agent is still recommended. They can often pass on incentives that are not available to the public as well.

Written by: Erika Bud. You can find out more about the  author, the Travel Rangers book series, and travel podcast at:  http://bigworldpub.com/

Traveling the world as a single parent

Posted on by Erika Bud

traveling the world as a single parent

Your child assumes a responsibility as your travel partner. You are not the parent traveling with your child. You’re traveling together. It puts the responsibility on your child, and there’s no shame in this.- Joy Lopez

Traveling the World as a Single Parent

You love going on vacations with your family. Your partner is there to help you, and you couldn’t imagine traveling the world without their help. So, what do you do when the unexpected happens and you divorce or separate from your partner? Do you stop traveling with your children or do you start traveling the world as a single parent?

Determining the best way to travel abroad with children

There are many reasons for single parents to stop traveling with their children. It can be more difficult to be responsible for everything and everyone. It’s much more expensive to travel when you don’t have that second income. It’s easier to lose your patience when you’re the only parent listening to your children complain about doing something they don’t want to do or eating something they don’t want to eat. But with all this being said, what it comes down to is do you believe there is a benefit to traveling the world with your children? If your answer is yes, then you can find a way to make it happen. Your outlook will guide the experience to ensure you and your children have a memorable time.

It’s not easy to transition from family travel to single-parent travel

It is true it’s not the same when you travel with your children as a single parent. You’re reminded by it with everything you do, whether it’s going through TSA, entertaining your children on the flight, or navigating how and what you’re doing at each destination.

“Transitioning from family to single parent is hard because families are what’s traveling. Your feelings of resentment and frustration can start as soon as you start looking.” – Joy Lopez

Joy Lopez, single mother to nine-year-old Wilson, was surprised by the positive aspects of traveling as a single parent as well. In some respects, she felt it was easier because she could do what she wanted on the trip instead of taking her partner’s opinions into consideration. It also made it easier to find dates to travel since she only needed to consider her schedule instead of her partner’s. Joy made a great point by highlighting that when you travel solo with your children, your children focus less on the fact that only one parent is there and focus more on the airplane ride and the new experiences. If you focus on the excitement, your children will be excited. If you wallow or focus on the negative aspects of the change in dynamic, your children will pick up on that negativity as well.

Focus on the positive side of traveling solo with your children

Another positive outcome of traveling as a single parent is that it pushes you out of your comfort zone. If your children want to engage in an activity that normally your partner would participate in, it forces you to step out of your comfort zone to enjoy that new experience with your children. It also forces your child to step up as your travel partner.

“Your child assumes a responsibility as your travel partner. You are not the parent traveling with your child. You’re traveling together. It puts the responsibility on your child, and there’s no shame in this.”  – Joy Lopez

Not only does this help you to stay sane and less overwhelmed, but your child enjoys feeling like the “big boy” or “big girl.” How many times do your children try to do something you think they are too young to do? They do this because they enjoy feeling empowered and love being able to help you and show off their abilities.

Parents are stronger than they realize

There is a lot of strength and courage required to travel as a single parent. The best part is if you focus on the experience for your children, you don’t realize how much strength and courage it’s requiring from you because it’s just something you know you need to do if you want to give your children the experience. When you think about it, as parents, this is what we have been doing since the day our children were born.

As far as the cost, there is no denying this becomes more difficult as a single parent. There are still many ways to make it happen though, so don’t let money be the reason you don’t travel with your children. Get an airline credit card to pay for your flights. Travel with your friends or family so you can share the expenses with them. Consider flying at crazy times or off-season when the cost is lower. As you start to travel, you will meet many great people from around the world. Don’t be afraid to take them up on their offer to visit and stay with them. They can always say no, but what do you have to lose?

Adventures await you and your children

What it all comes down to is the fact that while there are many components that change the dynamic of traveling with your children as a single parent, there are still so many adventures for you and your children available for the taking. Start where you can start and expand from there.

Do you have any other international travel tips for single parents? Are there any benefits to traveling solo with your kids abroad that were missed? Please post your comments below.

To hear more about Joy and Wilson’s overseas travel adventures and international travel tips, listen to them on the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast at https://bigworldpub.com/listen-to-travel-podcast/

Written by: Erika Bud. You can find out more about the  author, the Travel Rangers book series, and travel podcast at:  http://bigworldpub.com/

 

Why travel the world with six children?

Posted on by Erika Bud

Why travel the world with six children?

Ben and Meghann are the proud parents of six children. While most parents would find it challenging just to go to the park with six children, Ben and Meghann make it a priority to travel the world with their children. They took their first child out of the country when she was only ten months old and have now traveled with their children to nine countries. 

So why do Ben and Meghann make traveling abroad a priority? Ben and Meghan’s parents both traveled abroad with them when they were little, and they think it’s important to do the same for their children.  Now they feel that taking the kids traveling is one of the most enjoyable experiences. As Ben pointed out, adults don’t tend to react to things in quite the excitable way that kids do, and when kids get to see new things for the first time, their reaction is incomparable. 

Quality time is another important reason to travel the world with children

Everyday life is very busy, but when you travel, there are no distractions from devices or friends; there’s just family time. Traveling is the best time to focus on the kids and connect with the kids. It can be difficult to connect with the kids, but traveling provides that special opportunity by changing the dynamic in a good way.

Ben and Meghann don’t pretend their kids remember every detail about their vacations abroad or that their kids completely appreciate what they are seeing or experiencing. But they do know the emotions and perspective stay with their children, and it often surprises them with the obscure things they remember. For example, when they are in a country and their children see someone who has less than they have, they reflect on it and discuss what they are seeing as a family. Not only does it make all of them appreciate what they have a little more, but it helps form their perspective of other parts of the world and have compassion as the children always want to do what they can to help them.

Even when their children don’t want to go to a site or enjoy the same experience, Ben and Meghan find that often their kids either end up liking it or later down the line it comes up and it provides a moment to connect with their kids and discuss the experience. Sometimes they have to remind their kids about the importance of what they are seeing, but it just helps to get them excited about it. Furthermore, every time their kids pick up a picture and they remember the experience, it reinforces those good times they had and that memory, and they believe there is nothing that compares to that. 

Do their kids argue on their international family vacations?

Of course they do; they’re kids. But as Meghann and Ben point out, no matter what they do, their kids are going to argue and complain. Since this is the reality of life with kids, they believe they might as well explore another country and experience the benefits of traveling abroad.

Setting expectations when traveling the world with children

To help with the arguing, one of the many things Ben and Meghann have learned over the years as they travel around the world is to set everyone’s expectations. For them, they know traveling to another country is a trip, not a relaxing vacation. Reframing their travels in this way has helped them to enjoy the experience more.

Setting their expectations with the children has also helped to make it a more positive travel experience. Each day they let the kids know what to expect. In this way, the kids are prepared if they are not necessarily doing something they enjoy, but they also know what part of the day they will enjoy. Ben and Meghann make sure each day of their travels has at least one thing the kids will like. It could be seeing a particular site or as simple as ice cream. What a great idea and since this helps with their six children, it’s easy to believe this will work for other families traveling abroad.

Do you have any other international travel tips? Are there any benefits to traveling with your kids abroad that were missed? Please post your comments below.

To hear more about Ben and Meghann’s overseas travel adventures and international travel tips, listen to them on the Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast at https://bigworldpub.com/listen-to-travel-podcast/

“With the challenges that come with lots of family time, the benefits definitely outweigh those challenges.” – Ben Schwartz

 

“Yeah, it’s challenging, but so is going to the park with your kids…the reward is so great.” – Meghann Schwartz

 

“When you see the kids talking about the trips to their friends in a positive way, it just makes us want to keep doing it.” – Ben Schwartz

002: Traveling the World as a Single Mom & Student

Posted on by Erika Bud

Joy is an inspiration to so many single moms. It’s difficult enough being a single mom, but when you add on school and traveling the world with a limited budget, it’s remarkable how she does it all. Join us as Joy provides international travel tips, explains how family travel abroad changed once she got divorced, and explains how she plans affordable international vacations. Don’t miss a special bonus when I am joined by Wilson, Joy’s nine-year-old son, as he explains why parents should travel abroad with their children. I think you’ll finish this episode with a smile…I know I did!

To find out more about the host, the Travel Rangers book series, or if you want to be a guest on this show, go to: https://bigworldpub.com/

To get updates on upcoming podcasts, share stories, pictures, or tips, or ask questions related to family travel abroad, follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/planestrainskidsabroad