If you have kids and love to travel, you have already asked yourself if traveling with kids is worth it, or even possible. If you think coming up with a road trip playlist for hip kids is hard, try keeping them entertained on the other side of the world. After all, globe-trotting is a lot easier when you are by yourself. You have absolutely no restrictions, no compromises, and no one else to worry about, keep happy, or entertain. That is a pretty good way to do some extended travel and see the world. You can take risks like staying in that sketchy hostel or eating that meal in someone’s no-star backyard pit they dug. What could possibly go wrong?
Traveling with a spouse or adult companion amps up the difficulty because you have to worry about their comfort and safety. You have to take their preferences into account. That said, there are some notable benefits like having someone you love to share the adventure. What good is seeing the perfect sunset if you have to see it alone? Sharing a photo of the perfect meal is not the same as sharing the experience of a perfect meal. Then, there are the kids. That adds a whole other level of complexity to travel. Here are some of the biggest issues and suggestions for how to deal with them:
Pain Management
If you are more of a casual traveler that likes to take things slow and lazy, you are going to have a hard time traveling with children. They are rambunctious, energetic, and kinetic in the extreme. That energy cannot be contained by stern commands to be quiet and still. That is not going to work and you are going to have to have a strategy when you bring kids with you.
Keeping up with the kids is probably going to hurt in ways that ibuprofen won’t touch. This is especially true if you have a bit of arthritis or other ailments. If CBD solutions work for you at home, be sure to pack plenty of CBD gummies and hemp moisturizing cream. Soothing your skin can be just as important as relaxing your aching muscles. You don’t want to keep your kids from enjoying all the fun activities. You can’t say activity without saying active. When you bring active kids on an extended trip, plan out activities that everyone can enjoy. And give yourself every opportunity for success by bringing those pain remedies that work for you. Don’t count on finding your special remedy in some remote village on the other side of the world.
Minor Injuries
Kids are injury-prone. That is partial because children are not cautious in the least bit. They literally don’t know the meaning of the word. Even the Supreme Court recently recognized that a child’s brain is not yet developed. It doesn’t happen until around age 25. When they behave in a way that suggests that they don’t know the meaning of danger, it is because they don’t.
That is why you have to be doubly vigilant. You have to look out for your own safety as well as theirs. When traveling, things can go tragically pear-shaped without a moment’s notice. Be sure to keep a basic first aid kit with you at all times. If your trip is going to involve water activities, teach your kids to swim before you go. Don’t assume that your kids would never sneak off to the water when they aren’t supposed to. They’re kids. They are contractually obligated to try to get away with as much as they can. It is your job to make sure they are kept as safe as possible while surrounded by so many exciting temptations.
Adults-only Activities
Some of the more interesting activities you will encounter are not kid-friendly. That can be a problem when you have kids with you. It is no more reasonable to be with your kids every moment of the trip than it is when you are at home. Before you leave for the trip, you have to source childcare services and kid-appropriate places where you can leave your kids for a few hours. That doesn’t make you a bad parent. It makes you a responsible traveler.
Traveling with kids means you will deal with more activity and pain management, more worries over safety, and more effort to hire sitters when appropriate. Even so, it is more than worth it.