Going Abroad (And Not Crazy) With Your Kid
I hemmed and hawed over whether it was a good idea. We wanted to go to Ireland, sure, but Declan – at age 6.5 – was he really ready? At least, was he ready for the kind of trip *I* wanted to take, with museums and castles and history and all that crap? I’d been to Germany several times by the time I was Declan’s age, but that was to visit *family.* This was going to be a real, bona fide, run around the country like tourists VACATION.
With whirling lights and whirling traffic (on the other side of the road, no less) and about a thousand miles of running around the Irish countryside.
How would he handle it?
Mostly, awesome.
Sure, the first day in Dublin was heinous. We’d only one hour of sleep, after all. Who wouldn’t be heinous?
And there were several bouts of selfish, unreconcilable, incomprehensible 6/7 year old behavior. And you know what? I can handle selfish. Heck, *I’M* selfish. But selfish + nonsensical drives me right over the edge. So, trust me, we had a few minutes were I felt like howling in the wind just like the boys are jokingly doing above. [Which by the way, are the edge of the Aran Islands, in case you are wondering.]
But in the middle of his tantrums, we kept our eye on the prize. An amazing family vacation where he is finally old enough to remember things. So what if it’s only the bumper cars at the bizarre fair in Kinsale (which also happens with be the culinary capital of Ireland) that he remembers? Or playing tag in the park with his dad. And yes! He LOVED feeding swans straight from his palm, using leftover chips (fries) from his lunch. Let’s not forget the absolute joy in seeing his name everywhere (Declan is an Irish name) … AND having people pronounce it correctly. No DEEE-clan for you in Ireland, boy-o!
So, yes, I am a Type-A uber-planner who had a specific, separate calendar for all the things I wanted to do and see in Ireland. But even me, the crazy control freak, knew those little moments we just happened upon, the ones we let unfold, would be among the most special from our trip to Ireland.
And so they were.
Have you ever traveled to faraway lands with your kids? How did it go? Any tips or tricks?
P.S. I am still editing photos, but the full group is being collected here.
What a fabulous trip! We haven’t taken Claire (3yrs old) abroad yet, but we have traveled with her since she was but a wee lass. (And, when you’re days and days from home, it may as well be the other side of the world.) We lucked out with a really easy kid who loves to road-trip. We try to mix the familiar with the element of surprise, and we try to remain calm in the face of the unexpected.
What an adventure!
This brings me hope, Aimee, since I’ve been wanting to resume our traveling lives for 8 years now. I think the kids — they are both around Declan’s age — are ready.
I lived in Japan awhile back. I just got the urge (thanks to a recent Denver Post article) to return, this time with my husband and kids.
Now we just have to save up.
Oh Lori – that would be amazing! Japan is high on our list too.
I keep reading for tips & tricks. My youngest is only 22 months, so we’ll be waiting a few years (like 5) before any BIG trips, but our Aussie neighbors will be moving home in a couple years, and they’ve already mentioned we might have place to stay if we end up in their neck of the woods. Uh, I’ve been daydreaming about that one every since that conversation…
This was the year of travel for us, but nothing outside of the US (not completely true, we did a one day trip to BC from Seattle earlier this year, but that doesn’t totally count). I think you are just at the right age for traveling with kids and still being able to enjoy yourself.
We each know our children and our own tolerance threshold. Plus, the last thing you want is to return from your trip feeling like it was a waste of money, if not time. It’s hard with kids, but can certainly be done.
No matter where the trip is, I think there are a few keys to a great vacation: 1. Build in down time 2. Plan kid friendly activities and 3. Never, ever go anywhere without snacks and drinks!
Yes! Love that you took him and love that he had a great time too!
Last October we took our two children, ages 3 and 6 to France for two weeks. We stayed the first week in an apartment in Paris and the second in a house in Southern France. The journey was unbelievable. Having the children with us made the trip so much better. They allowed us to see things through their eyes that we would have completely missed. Plus, it slowed us down so that we really did enjoy every little bit of it. The French people could not have been more kind and courteous. They helped us with our strolled on the metro, directions on highways and suggestions for kid friendly restaurants. I would say the only negative side of the trip was that we didn’t get to dine in any fancy French restaurants, but the journey with the children surpassed any escargot! Maybe someday my husband and I will return without the children to dine out more often.