Traveling with my kids and why I find it so important!

Traveling with my kids is something I've found more important as they grow older.

Some of the best memories I have with my family is our long road trips.  In our old travel van in hot summers and looking out the windows seeing what there was to see.

For me it was the best because I had two weeks with my parents and we got to explore and learn new things.  Now, for my kids, I'm sure they won't look back with the same memories I did, but this is not for them, it's for me.

I am forever grateful for my memories with my parents growing up, and I'm thankful for creating new memories with my kids.  Some trips are like our CA trip where we did Grand Canyon and Yosemite and Disneyland, but others are like our NY trip this last month.

This trip was more about seeing family, experiencing snow, and getting family time together.

These trips do many things:

1) It unplugs us from our normal commitments and schedules.

It's so easy to get caught up in the every day chores, commitments, and sometimes drudgery of life.  Getting away with no dishes, no school, and no daily commitments can be a good way to just reset and unplug as a family.

2) Learn about other areas and cultures.

Even though we stay in the US (for now anyway) our kids have met people from all walks and styles of life.  They have spoken with people all around the world and have heard their stories.  It also lets them try food and styles from other parts of the United States.  This last trip, they got to fully enjoy the SNOW.  For these Texas kids, that was a major life event.  It let them understand why some people have different references for Winter than we do.  It gave them a perspective that did not previously have.

3) Gives us family time

Granted, we get a LOT of family time with homeschooling and being with our kids 24/7, but it's different when we travel.  We talk about what we are traveling to, thinking about, or learning about every day instead of getting caught up in the day-to-day of regular life.  We learn to live with a lot less for periods of time.  Less stuff, and more time.

When you are in close quarters for any length of time... you really get to bond.  There is no hiding out.

4) It gives us memories.

Yes, we all have memories as children, but I love that the most memorable ones are the things we do outside our normal lives.  I pray that my kids look back on these adventures and learn to find the adventure in their lives too when they some day become parents.  I want them to seek adventure and cherish family.


I'm thankful for the life that my husband and I have and that we are able to travel and do things we wouldn't typically be able to do.  It doesn't come without a lot of hardship in other areas, but I'm very thankful for the good and the breaks we get in between.