7 Reasons Traveling with Your Kids is Worth It

Traveling with your kids can be amazing. Your kids will appreciate art and history. Your family will smile and laugh and create memories that will last forever. There will be no fights between siblings, no fights between my husband and I. We will all be happy the entire week. Have I sold you on taking a family vacation?

The truth is traveling with your kids is much like being home with your kids except you changed the location. Of course we create amazing memories and I wouldn’t trade it for the world but traveling with a big family or little kids can be challenging. Despite all that, I keep planning our next adventure. The reasons that keep me traveling with the kids are simple and there are no signs of us slowing down.

Traveling Shapes Our Family

The moments you have good and bad are what shape you as a family. I like to say our family is a team. We work together to make it work. When you travel this is more important then ever. Everyone works together. The experiences that we have when we travel shapes us. It teaches the kids about different lifestyles and places. We learn to work together and have time to really get to know each other. I love how it brings the kids together and strengthens their sibling relationships.

Traveling Teaches Value of Experience over Stuff

I am going to say this is a work in progress! I want to value experience over things and travel has helped teach this. We (try to) value the experience instead of a new toy. I think that over time my kids will start to understand the value of experience over the latest toy. My kids are susceptible to toy marketing of course and they do get a case of the “I want it.” but I think showing them the value of travel is shaping our family to value the experiences over the things. (Now if I can only avoid the gift shops!)

They May Not Remember Traveling but I Will

I remember the moment each of my three kids felt the sand at the ocean. I remember the first time we walked down Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom. These memories may not stay with them but they will stay with me. To me that is enough reason to travel with my kids.

To see their faces as they experiences different places at different stages of their childhood. It is not always one moment that creates a family memory but a collection of moments.

I remember how my youngest slept in the baby carrier most of our day at Magic Kingdom. He snuggled and was happy while my older two ran in the spray park. I remember looking at my husband during a long road trip with all the kids sleeping and thinking this is the best. These are the moments why we do it. To feel that perfect moment with your family is priceless.

Traveling Removes Us From the Everyday

As the kids get older this one is so much more important to me. Taking a quick weekend getaway or a week at a beach house where you don’t have to worry about carpools and sports schedules helps us reconnect as a family. I love the moment you pull out of your driveway on your way to your destination. Whether it is a road trip or to the airport the energy and excitements is why I do it. Spending a little more time connecting and talking is what travel gives to us. We don’t have to worry about the everyday life. Everyone is a little more relaxed and in those moments you create memories that last a life time.

My Husband & I Get to be Kids Again

Even before we had kids my husband and I liked to visit theme parks and museums. We always liked to travel to see the latest family-friendly destination or attractions. Having kids has opened up all of these and more. We get to experience the fun of visiting places and experience it through our kids eyes. It makes old things seem new and exciting.

Travel Creates Family Traditions

Do you have a place where you go every year? We have a few that we rotate through the years but we try to take a picture at the same place each time. I love to look back and see how the kids have grown and how they have changed. Often I am surprised how much I have changed. Family traditions are so important to me and I love that travel can be a part of it. I look forward to taking our pictures at those special places every time we visit.

We also have a tradition of purchasing an ornament from where we visit. We started the first year my husband and I started dating because even before we had kids we loved to travel. Whenever we are at a new place my kids can’t wait to pick out a new ornament for the tree. It is a great souvenir and a way to remind us of where we have visited.

We Travel because It Makes Us Happy

This one is a little selfish but it is the truth. I love to travel. When we started a family we knew travel would look different but we were confident it didn’t matter. People thought we were crazy to take a road trip from New York to Florida with 3 kids 5 and under.

Truthfully it was crazy! We had kids getting sick, diaper issues, and tantrums but it is one of my favorite trips. It is also the first time my kids met Mickey Mouse, fed a giraffe, and went on vacation with their grandparents. At the end of the day I would rather be traveling. It makes me happy to show the kids different parts of the country and to have new experiences. That is the biggest reason for me. It is why we make travel a priority year after year.

The truth is that it is totally unrealistic to take a family vacation and not have any hiccups. Your kids are still kids. They have their own quirks and needs and that doesn’t change because you are sitting at a beach, exploring a city or visiting a theme park. If you are feeling that pull to travel go for it!! You will have to adapt and at times it will be stressful, but it will be worth every minute. What is your reason for traveling or not traveling with your kids? Let’s chat in the comments!

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