Kids are amazingly adaptive to new experiences and are constantly absorbing the world around them with excitement, enthusiasm, and ceaseless learning. These skills help children understand travel is synonymous with adventure and opportunity for new and interesting activities – things adults often forget to enjoy!
By traveling with my kids, I’ve been able to see the people and places of our adventures through their eyes and nothing has ever been more rewarding. Yet, it seems some parents find their children incapable of experiencing life as anything other than a fast-food filled frenzy of scheduled activity on the edge of a giant temper tantrum. At least that’s my take of CNN’s 5 rules of traveling with kids.
I adamantly disagree with everything this article implies about the abilities of kids and parents to have a fabulous trip together and I hope no inexperienced family travelers have stumbled upon this drivel and been discouraged. For those who may have, please please don’t believe everything you read and whatever you do in life, travel with your kids, and never follow any of these traveling myths.
Myth #1 Young Child, Big Suitcase
In spite of the advise provided, young children absolutely do not need to bring along every book, toy, and blankie they’ve ever owned on your travels. Go back to my opening phrase “kids are amazingly adaptive”. I promise you won’t traumatize your two year old by leaving behind the inventory of Toys-R-Us. Little children have small clothes, thus less space required. The suitcase used – if a dedicated suitcase is needed at all – should be absolutely proportional to the size of the child. Our two year old does indeed have her own suitcase and it is small enough that she can pull it herself!
Myth #2 Younger Child, Worse Jetlag
Jetlag is a real and debilitating fact for anyone traveling great distances via plane, but implying children have an increased reaction. Your toddler may very well be up at 3am local time the first night in a new country, but it’s highly likely you will be too!
Myth #3 French Fries Required
This is the worst myth of the entire “rules” article. The belief that your children must have only fried fast foods to enjoy travel is ridiculous. I love a good french fry as much as the next junk-food raised American; yet, my kids are perfectly happy to try new and interesting foods throughout our journeys. Not all menus have something that looks appealing, but kids are the ultimate survivalists. Expose them to new types of sustenance and they will eat enough to survive, and they might even identify a new favorite food – just ask Sammi if she wants some camarones con frijoles refritos and watch her eyes light up!
Myth #4 Nonstop Inflight Entertainment
Flights can be long and boring for all of us, but no matter what the age of your children, expecting to keep them happy, engaged, and enthusiastic throughout extended air travel is setting yourself up for failure. Pack a few things to do on the plane, a few things to eat, and let go of the expectation that your children need constant stimulus. If it’s the first time on a plane, they’ll be excited enough just to take in all the new sights, sounds, and activities of the flight attendants. If it’s not their first flight, they can provide a short list of their own activity needs and be responsible for carrying any accompanying gadgets.
Myth #5 Strollers Necessary but Unusable
When my children were babies I loved my stroller. It was convenient to keep in the car and have ready whenever a trip around town converged with sleepy little ones. But, strollers are absolutely not required! In many parts of the world strollers are not available and children still make it from place to place. For those of you travelling with babies, find a comfortable carrying alternative. My personal favorite was the Moby wrap, but there are many choices to fit your personal preference. If you must have a stroller, or you have a child who insists on one, invest in a lightweight, foldable stroller that is travel friendly and leave the fullsize babymobile at home.
Travel with kids is amazing. There may be times you make compromises in your traveling plans to accomodate your kids, but packing 102 toys and tracking every McDonald’s on a continent is not required. Embrace travel experiences and your kids will too!
See what other traveling families have to say about the ridiculous rules of traveling with kids:
A King’s Life: The Surprisingly Easy Truth of Traveling with Kids
The “Secret” to Traveling with Children by Susan W
Worst Family Travel Advice I’ve Ever Read by Gabi Klaf @The Nomadic Family.com
Debunking cnn’s rules for traveling with kids by Mary @Bohemiantravelers
How Do you Travel with Children? by Alisa @ Living Outside of the Box
5 Rules of Travel With Kids: A Traveling Child Responds by Jennifer Miller
CNN’s Ridiculous Rules About Travel With Kids by Corinne at Have Baby Will Travel (@hvbabywilltrvl)
Shocking Tips on Traveling with Kids That Went Unnoticed…It is Time to Demystify The Five Rules of Traveling with Kids by Claudia Looi @travelwritingpr
5 Amazing Reasons To Travel With Your Kids!
French fries and chicken nuggets are travel essentials: The worst family travel advice ever by Nancy Sathre-Vogel @familyonbikes
More Than French Fries by lisa Shusterman
Rules are What You Make Them: Paving Your Own Way Through Family Travel by Jessica @Suitcases and Sippy Cups
Why “Easy” Travel Options Aren’t Always the Best for Kids- a Rebuttal to CNNGo “5 Rules of Traveling With Kids” by Jody Halsted; Family Rambling @iatraveler
CNNGo Five Rules of Travelling With Kids Are You For Real
My Reality (Not Rules) When Traveling with Kids by Keryn Means/Walkingon Travels (twitter: @walkingontravel)
Forget the Rules of Travel – Try Backpacking with Kids in Yellowstone National Park by Sandra Foyt @sandrafoyt
Yes ! It is possible to travel with children of all ages by Susus 7
19 comments
12 pings
Amber says:
March 1, 2012 at 9:44 pm (UTC -7 )
Great post! I am a first time mom (my daughter is almost 1.5 years) and we’re planning our first vacation with her this summer. I have been doing a lot of ready online about traveling with kids because the idea of it is/was so intimidating! Many people have told us to pack lots of toys and snacks for the plane ride. I appreciate your insights!
Adriana says:
February 24, 2012 at 7:06 am (UTC -7 )
thanks for share!
Claudia Looi says:
February 19, 2012 at 7:01 pm (UTC -7 )
I agree that kids are adaptive to new experiences. They are naturally enthusiastic, are constantly absorbing and learning from the world around them. The ones who are given the opportunity to travel may be the leaders in their generation. Great article.
Susan Verbeeck says:
February 18, 2012 at 6:52 am (UTC -7 )
I like that statement about embracing the love of travel and your kids will too.
And for on board entertainment, yes, watching the crew can be interesting for kids. When my younger brother was 3 and in the aisle seat, a flight attendant was taking a beverage order right next to him. While sucking his thumb on one had, he took his other hand and stretched back her stocking and let go as it snapped back onto her calf. He was not being mischievous, just curious about what the thing covering her leg was. It was pretty entertaining for me to and my other siblings !
Susan
lisa Shusterman says:
February 16, 2012 at 12:24 pm (UTC -7 )
You’re right – traveling with our kids gives us a different perspective. It also pushes the edges of our envelopes. There are things that we did while traveling because the kids wanted to do them that otherwise I never would have done; and that would have been a huge loss!
Mary says:
February 16, 2012 at 6:53 am (UTC -7 )
“Embrace travel experiences and your kids will too!”…I love this, it is so true. We are great models for our children so if we snub our noses at new food they will too.
Lisa Wood says:
February 15, 2012 at 11:36 pm (UTC -7 )
Totally agree – kids can and do adapt to where ever they are going, and to whatever adventure awaits them!
Our boys are good as they will eat anything/everything and love exploring new areas, and new adventures!
The CNNGO article was so wrong on so many levels!
Cheers
Lisa
Living Outside of the Box says:
February 15, 2012 at 9:14 pm (UTC -7 )
I love that your 2 year old has her own suitcase! My baby is 18 months…and I’m looking forward to him being mobile enough to “pull his own weight”…haha! The older girls just love having their own bags to be responsible for! thanks for your article–very well done!
Susan says:
February 15, 2012 at 7:38 pm (UTC -7 )
Loved how you closed out your post: “packing 102 toys and tracking every McDonald’s on a continent is not required”
I find it odd that even Walt Disney World, with all the different restaurants inside the parks, has a huge McDonalds outside their gates! The golden arches are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean our kids HAVE to eat that junk to be happy when traveling. And the toys…who has time to keep up with them all? I know if it were our family, if we took that many, I’d be the one cleaning them up. Not my idea of fun travels.
Great response to that original article from CNNGo.
Corinne @ Have Baby Will Travel says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:00 pm (UTC -7 )
Don’t you hate it that articles like those are deemed to be by “experts”? I find it upsetting that it might put off new parents hoping to travel with their kids.
Kate says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:54 pm (UTC -7 )
Definitely find it annoying. I wanted to ask the author to show me the scientific studies about some of her “facts” : )
A King's Life says:
February 15, 2012 at 3:35 pm (UTC -7 )
Some parents forget that their children are incredibly adaptive. They must feel that if something changes, the entire balance of their day will be thrown off. The advice of the CNN article seems to have been written by someone who wants to control their children instead of enjoy them.
Kate says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:50 pm (UTC -7 )
I guess it can be hard to remember kids are adaptive for parents who aren’t.
Jessica says:
February 15, 2012 at 11:56 am (UTC -7 )
Great, sensible article! It’s a shame you didn’t write the first one.;)
Kate says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:53 pm (UTC -7 )
Thanks Jessica! I’m not sure I would try and tell other parents how to best travel with their kids, but I clearly don’t like it when bad advice like this gets out there.
Evy says:
February 15, 2012 at 8:55 am (UTC -7 )
Great article! I enjoyed reading every part of it.
Sammi definitely has some good tastes if she likes camarones con frijoles refritos! Yum!
Kate says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:48 pm (UTC -7 )
Thanks Evy! She definitely loves food, and the more flavor the better!
Marina K. Villatoro says:
February 15, 2012 at 8:20 am (UTC -7 )
I think traveling with kids opens our eyes for so many new expereinces that we would miss if we didn’t take them or worse of all, if we sat at home saying that traveling with kids is too hard!
Kate says:
February 15, 2012 at 6:47 pm (UTC -7 )
I totally agree! Traveling always lets us see new and interesting things, but when we travel with kids, we experience things in such a different, and I think better, way!
CNNGO Five Rules of Travelling With Kids Are You For Real | New Life On The Road says:
February 17, 2012 at 1:10 am (UTC -7 )
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CNN’s Ridiculous “Rules” About Travel With Kids | Have Baby Will Travel says:
February 15, 2012 at 4:36 pm (UTC -7 )
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Shocking Tips on Traveling with Kids that Went Unnoticed…It is Time to Demystify The Five Rules of Traveling with Kids says:
February 15, 2012 at 1:47 pm (UTC -7 )
[...] essica @Suitcases and Sippy Cup 12. CNNGo Five Rules of Travelling With Kids Are You For Real 13. Myths, NOT rules, of traveling with kids by Kate Rehkopf, Experiential Family @experientialfam 14. My Reality (Not Rules) When Traveling with Kids by Keryn Means/Walkingon Travels (twitter: [...]
w/ says:
February 15, 2012 at 1:33 pm (UTC -7 )
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Yellowstone National Park | Backpacking with Kids says:
February 15, 2012 at 10:58 am (UTC -7 )
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The Surprisingly Easy Truth of Traveling with Kids | A King's Life says:
February 15, 2012 at 9:58 am (UTC -7 )
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How do you travel with children? | Living Outside of the Box says:
February 15, 2012 at 8:55 am (UTC -7 )
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My Reality (Not Rules) When Traveling with Kids « walkingon travels says:
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Rules are What you Make Them: Paving Your Own Way Through Family Travel says:
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The world's worst family travel advice | Family on Bikes says:
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