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BS!
IMO, It’s all fake, shallow and show off in front of the camera.
More opinionated crap.
Small kids have no value for travel.
Sight seeing is not their thing.
There is a proper time for many things. Travel and sight seeing is one of them.
I loved traveling when I was a small child- LOVED IT. Yes, the diaper age is difficult and I might recommend waiting until after that age to go, but that period will pass soon enough. I couldn’t wait until vacation time when was in elementary school. I think when I went on a cruise at 3 or 4, I escaped from the daycare and was excited to explore the ship on my own. I was thrilled to see the pyramids at age 5. I found travel to be an incredible gift. I had a coworker who took her two kids with her sailing around the world and I think they did a second round with just her husband... they loved it.
A 3 yr old daughter and a 3 month old boy will derive no pleasure out of this plan to extensively travel..
This is the essence of the matter. It will be difficult and possibly dangerous to do this with such young children, and of absolutely no benefit to them. Wait until they are elementary school aged. Meanwhile, keep building your financial support, so that you will have more money to do it with, maybe 5 or 6 years from now, when the kids are older.
I’ve read everyone’s responses so far and taken them to heart. We asked our 3 year old if she’d like to get on a plane and travel to far off countries or stay here, with all of her toys, close to her friends and both sets of grandparents. I did not sway her with my tone and admittedly I tried to sell her on staying here near family and toys. She didn’t hesitate for a second and said she wanted to travel on a airplane and stay in a hotel. Last year we traveled from Tokyo to Bangkok over 5 weeks going on planes, trains and automobiles. She plays airplane every day making us sit next to her and eat play food and pretend we’re flying to South America. She also turned the coat closet into her Tokyo apartment with a kitchen and bedroom, etc...
She’s also been to Costa Rica already and loves playing on the beach and in the sand, but selling our house and living overseas for an extended period is a different beast... and we have her little brother now, so I understand the comments about selfishness and him being too young. As far as waiting 5-6 years, I just think she will be in school and we will not be able to break away for a year or 18 months as easily.
I think it is interesting that there are posters commenting so certainly that children do not receive anything from traveling, and yet they have no children themselves. In my experience, my daughter has grown and learned more from traveling than staying in one place, playing with toys. She seems bored and asks us everyday when our next road trip or airplane ride will be.
We’re very lucky. There are pros and cons to leaving sooner rather than later. When it comes to adventure I admit we are a bit impatient, but it hasn’t been a negative... yet.
I’ve read everyone’s responses so far and taken them to heart. We asked our 3 year old if she’d like to get on a plane and travel to far off countries or stay here, with all of her toys, close to her friends and both sets of grandparents. I did not sway her with my tone and admittedly I tried to sell her on staying here near family and toys. She didn’t hesitate for a second and said she wanted to travel on a airplane and stay in a hotel. Last year we traveled from Tokyo to Bangkok over 5 weeks going on planes, trains and automobiles. She plays airplane every day making us sit next to her and eat play food and pretend we’re flying to South America. She also turned the coat closet into her Tokyo apartment with a kitchen and bedroom, etc...
She’s also been to Costa Rica already and loves playing on the beach and in the sand, but selling our house and living overseas for an extended period is a different beast... and we have her little brother now, so I understand the comments about selfishness and him being too young. As far as waiting 5-6 years, I just think she will be in school and we will not be able to break away for a year or 18 months as easily.
I think it is interesting that there are posters commenting so certainly that children do not receive anything from traveling, and yet they have no children themselves. In my experience, my daughter has grown and learned more from traveling than staying in one place, playing with toys. She seems bored and asks us everyday when our next road trip or airplane ride will be.
We’re very lucky. There are pros and cons to leaving sooner rather than later. When it comes to adventure I admit we are a bit impatient, but it hasn’t been a negative... yet.
I certainly think children can learn a great deal about traveling the world, meeting people with different backgrounds who speak different languages. That being said, you haven't provided much info as to where your children will be educated. Have you thought about language barriers and trying to meet other families and make friends with other children or parents?
Asking a child if they like to get on a plane and go on a vacation, well, of course all kids like vacations. Are you sure you've thought everything out? 5 weeks is a long vacation, but what about doing this for a couple of years? This might change things.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alwaysmiling
I’ve read everyone’s responses so far and taken them to heart. ...As far as waiting 5-6 years, I just think she will be in school and we will not be able to break away for a year or 18 months as easily.
....
We’re very lucky. There are pros and cons to leaving sooner rather than later. When it comes to adventure I admit we are a bit impatient, but it hasn’t been a negative... yet.
Please don't let school (USA style) alter your future travel plans
There are a zillion things more valuable to your child than being sequestered in a classroom with 30 - 50 fellow bored students of the same age.
Fortunately there are wonderful options.
1) don't bother with school!
International living & traveling worked excellent for ours and many other kids.
They graduated college with the gold cords by age 20, and have great careers, and hobbies (international travel and mentoring) . (no thanks to us, who neglected to keep them in school k-9. (they were Off to (free) college by grade 10).
Most people were horrified we would subject our kids to such risks / detriment as living away from USA .
I'm glad we didn't get unnecessarily swayed by the concerns of others.
Do realize you may be setting your kids up with wanderlust.
I grew up in the seat of an OTR semi truck and never recovered. Very happy about being GONE... it is staying home that is a stretch.
It's not just about sightseeing. It's about being exposed to different ways of life and cultures.
But you're going to believe what you want to believe. I'm not going continue to try and change your mind. Have a nice day.
They haven't watched any of their channel I guarantee it. I've watched every single episode they've posted and the kids are some of the happiest I've seen.
Sounds fun, if it's only for a year or two or if you're planning to settle down and be an expat somewhere. Forging connections with family, friends and community is one of the most important things for long-term happiness and well-being, so I think that would be a big sacrifice to basically be a permanent tourist with no real relationships. But for a couple years, if that's what you want to do, sounds good.
Here are a couple blog posts from an American raising kids in the Philippines - sounds quite idyllic!
Kids that age are not going to get anything positive out of the experience, unless you stay in the same country long enough for them to become fully bilingual.
Wait several years and rethink it, with regard to the personalities of your children. I know adults who came to America at 5 or 6, and their years abroad had no meaningful impact on them at all. Even their childhood language is lost.
I think this is a great idea. Children don't NEED toys and a preschool and a yard. Your children will have the world. The education they will receive will be invaluable. There are dozens of schooling programs available online and most areas of the world have good internet connections unless your out in the wilderness, in those situations you plan ahead with education. They will graduate school probably earlier than other children and will have an amazing understanding of the world at large and will be poised to be global citizens. You will nurture in your children a love of people and they will learn far more than an American school will ever teach them. Instead of learning geography they will live it. Instead of reading about the pyramids, the taj mahal, the greeks the mayans they will experience it. Go to England when its time to study English and writing, visit Shakespeare's birthplace and take Harry Potter tour. Go on archeological digs. Visit active volcanos. Take cooking classes all over the world. Trek through the jungle. Teach your children to live their education and youll never have to teach them.
They will grow up without fear of the world and they will appreciate what they have. And online homeschools have meetups and groups you can belong to so if another family is going abroad for learning experiences you can meet up and your kids and learn together and play together.
I think this is a great idea. Children don't NEED toys and a preschool and a yard. Your children will have the world. The education they will receive will be invaluable. There are dozens of schooling programs available online and most areas of the world have good internet connections unless your out in the wilderness, in those situations you plan ahead with education. They will graduate school probably earlier than other children and will have an amazing understanding of the world at large and will be poised to be global citizens. You will nurture in your children a love of people and they will learn far more than an American school will ever teach them. Instead of learning geography they will live it. Instead of reading about the pyramids, the taj mahal, the greeks the mayans they will experience it. Go to England when its time to study English and writing, visit Shakespeare's birthplace and take Harry Potter tour. Go on archeological digs. Visit active volcanos. Take cooking classes all over the world. Trek through the jungle. Teach your children to live their education and youll never have to teach them.
They will grow up without fear of the world and they will appreciate what they have. And online homeschools have meetups and groups you can belong to so if another family is going abroad for learning experiences you can meet up and your kids and learn together and play together.
Very well said!
And I'm sure someone will say "they're too young. they won't remember any of it!" They don't understand that children, even very young toddlers, are sponges. Even if they don't remember particulars, their experiences shape and mold them. And if they start traveling young, there won't be any "getting used to" the lifestyle.
My sister, who had traveled extensively around Laos, Guam, Mexico City, Hong Kong, and a few other places I'm forgetting, all before the age of 5, has many more crystal clear memories of her early childhood, than I do having grown up my entire early childhood in suburbia. I can't remember much of anything before 5 years old. I attribute a lot of that to how much travel and how many cultures she was exposed to at an early age. Yep ... I'm insanely jealous.
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