Am I crazy? Yeah, I guess I am.
But really, doesn’t it sound crazier to cut from your life something that makes you happy?
That’s what travel was, and still is for me, a genuine source of happiness. One that I almost gave up when motherhood knocked on my door in 2018. I didn’t know anyone who’d dare travel with kids before. So I decided to create my own family travel story.
Yes, I travel with my kids, and yes, if you want it, you can do it too.
The Big News
It was September of 2018, just a couple of weeks before our scheduled 3-week backpacking trip to Southeast Asia. My husband and I were looking forward to this trip since it was almost 1 year since our last adventure in Europe.
And then it happened. That very bright pink line on my first pregnancy test ever was there, staring back at me, waiting for me to realize that life as I knew it was about to change, from that moment on.
I felt the fears of a woman, who’s pregnant for the first time, start to creep in. What’s going to happen with my job? Will I still be able to do hot yoga? What about this Southeast Asia trip happening days from now?
Then the worst fear filled my mind…WHAT ABOUT MY TRAVELS?! Is this it? Do I have about 9 months left to travel and then I’ll just be…a mum?
Once I’d sort of made peace with it, I committed to enjoying the last “few” months I had left to travel, starting with that Southeast Asia trip. We explored everywhere, taking my unnoticeable 8-week bump with me.
As my belly expanded, I felt my travel life slipping away even faster! My friends and family comments about us finally settling down seemed to be getting more real. Before parenthood arrived, we decided to take one “final trip” to the Riviera Maya. I was 6 months pregnant. This trip was a “Goodbye travels, hello motherhood”. And there may have been some crying involved!
How I started travelling with children
But then something unexpected happened! Something that I couldn’t have predicted until I was able to hold my magic Nala in my arms. There she was showing me the most powerful and pure love of all. And what seemed crazy before, suddenly made more sense than what I’d allowed myself to believe.
I couldn’t imagine doing anything that brought me joy without her ever again. More importantly, I decided she deserved to meet her mum in her truest happiest self. I wanted her to meet her mama doing what she loved! Travelling and seeing the world. Except now we were going to do it together. I was going to show her why I’d fallen in love with travel.
So we started.
At 3 months old, Nala boarded her very first flight to Ecuador. Did I have any idea of what I was doing? Probably not! Was I scared? You bet! Did I let that stop me from taking that massive first step? No, it did not!
Every trip after that has been a learning experience. And now, at almost 4 years, a new baby boy, and more than 50 cities around the world later, I keep learning. Isn’t that one of the reasons why we travel in the first place?
Lessons about travelling with children
If travelling with kids is something that you’d love to do, getting some guidance from someone who’s done it before is a great starting point. I didn’t have it when I started but in the process, I’ve learned a thing or two that could make the jump a lot smoother for you.
I’m going to share some of the benefits we’ve experienced since we started family travelling, and then I’ll share my best tips so you too, can start travelling with your children.
Benefit # 1
We spend valuable time as a family doing things we love.
Routines and worries take a back seat which allows us to stay in a better state of well-being. As parents, we’re able to fill the early and fleeting years of our kids with landscapes, adventure, laughs, food, and music from all over the world.
Benefit # 2
We expose our kids to unique learning experiences
When we travel with kids we cultivate their curiosity and learning abilities. Getting immersed in different cultures, different languages and different lifestyles give them a broader perspective of the world and incentivises critical thinking. Kids who travel usually ask more questions and have highly developed social skills than those who don’t.
Benefit # 3
We inspire people around us
Since I became a Traveller Mum, I suddenly became a magnet for other women wanting to do the same. I realized that just by taking action on my dream, I had started a chain effect for more women and more mothers to choose to follow bigger dreams.
Now, let’s dive into the juicy part. How can you make a Family Travel Lifestyle your reality?
1. Decide it’s possible for you
Believe it or not, this is by far the most important and the very first step you must take to become a family traveller. When you decide that no matter what life throws at you, you’ll still travel the world with your kids, everything will become much simpler. Not easier, simpler. You’ll learn to see travel through the eyes of possibility. Things like the amount of time or money you have will no longer be deciding factors for you to incorporate travel into your family life.
2. Start slow
The key here is transition. Even as a seasoned traveller, when you bring children into the mix you embark on a brand new learning journey. One that takes practice and one that will build your own family travel experience. It’ll be easier for you and your kids to handle a couple of nights in a place close to home first, instead of taking a 15 day-trip miles away on day one. Adjust yourself to being on the move one step at a time.
3. Don’t over plan your itineraries
We like to be in control. We do. And as new mums, we like it when things go as planned. But you know what? Travelling with children can very often mean your expectations go out the window! (Preferably a window on a plane going somewhere ;))
In all seriousness though, life as a mum can be quite unexpected sometimes and these rules also apply when you’re travelling. I’ve found that the best way to deal with “surprises” is to leave enough room in your itineraries. Choose a maximum of 2-3 activities per day and try to not have a fixed schedule. That way when diaper changes occur, or when mama needs an extra glass of wine, it’ll be easier to fit them right in.
4. Keep a positive mindset
I believe in the power of energy – big time! I think we’re able to create our reality by deciding what we focus on and I’ve decided to bring positivity with me in all my travels.
Problems become easier to solve, things aren’t such a big deal, and life issues get taken a lot less seriously. If you approach family travel with a positive mindset, when mishaps occur, you’ll be able to find solutions with more resourcefulness and with far more clarity.
5. Leave enough space for rest
Tired parents are angry parents. Tired babies are angry babies. See how the fun in family travel can disappear so quickly? Yet sometimes we completely forget that a big part of travelling involves resting. Disconnecting, resetting, and recharging. When you’re building your amazing family trips, make sure to include time for “doing nothing”. This time can be used for naps, laying down on a hammock, walking on the beach, snuggling your babies, etc.
6. Travel light
Probably one of the biggest challenges we face as family travellers. Call it the inexperience of motherhood or the fear of urgently needing something that you left at home. Deciding what to bring with you when you travel with kids can be quite the task!
Here’s my rule of thumb: For long trips, bring enough clothes and baby supplies (diapers, wipes etc) for about 6 days. Contrary to belief, you are very well able to refill on supplies and wash your clothes almost anywhere in the world. You may have not thought about this before, but I promise! There is a very high chance that there are local families with the same needs in the places where you’re travelling to.
7. Choose your Family Travel style
This is the fun part because you’ll get to try as many as you want! Travelling with kids is not a one size fits all type of travel. You may find that you prefer outdoor travel over city travel or adventure locations over luxury locations. You may even decide that slow long-term travel is your goal but until you get there, you’ll enjoy plenty of weekend getaways. Discovering what style of Family Travel you love will help you choose destinations and activities that you’ll enjoy more. It will also help you create more of it since you’ll have less wandering when trip planning.
My current Family Travel life
After saying yes to that first family trip in 2018, my family and I have marked from our world bucket list some incredible places like Istanbul, Dubrovnik, The Loire Valley, Athens, and The Galapagos Islands. In 2021 we welcomed our boy Luka and at the time of writing this article, he’s been on 14 flights and visited 6 countries.
In November 2021 we decided to try the Nomad Family Life, starting with a 5-month stop in Ecuador. Right now we’re travelling in Brazil and hope to stay in South America building dreams, inspiring other families, and chasing adventures for quite some time.
About Ana
Ana is a Certified Family Travel Coach, Travel Writer, Speaker, and Online Business Owner.
She’s been to over 50 cities around the world with her 2 mini travellers and now helps other mums see the world with their kids. She believes travel is magic and motherhood is magic too. One should not live without the other.
Connect with her
Life Lovers Magazine® 