I moved from California to Germany while pregnant with my second child. My kids are now 8, 5, and 3, and traveling with them has never been more fun. I had to adjust my expectations and plan a trip that everyone would enjoy.
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When I moved from California to Germany four months pregnant with my second baby, I daydreamed about where I would take my husband and kids. Swimming in the Greek islands, exploring the rugged mountains of Slovenia, or seeing a play in London’s West End. .
My wanderlust was further amplified by Instagram travel influencers espousing the virtues of traveling with young children.
reality was different
But when I travel to my Airbnb in Greece, 1.6 miles from the Ionian Sea, I worry more about my kids breaking the glass coffee table and ornate glassware than enjoying my time. I spent time on that.
At the Eiffel Tower, instead of marveling at the incredible view, I said, “Please stop screaming.”
They spent hours with their friends on the playground every day, both at home and in daycare. They laughed, screamed and acted like children. But on vacation, on planes, in museums, and in rented accommodations, I expected them to behave like little adults.
I wanted them to be open to new experiences. But the trip my husband and I painstakingly planned with our three children, ages 3, 5, and 8, wasn’t fun for everyone.
Changed the way I think about vacation
We needed to change our approach. We looked for a kid-themed vacation nearby that the whole family would enjoy. There was also a trek to Kassel, a stop on the German fairy tale route and home of the Brothers Grimm. It was that week in Leipzig and the zoo was a huge success, but the Bach Museum not so much.
I had to give up trying to get my kids to explore the world and just let them enjoy it.
During our August vacation, we took a 3 hour train ride to see the local art scene on display in the craft room. The food consisted of bratwurst and an ice cream stand. So, I went to a family camp.
It was the most fun I’ve ever had on holiday with my kids because I lowered my expectations of what they could do and let them just be kids.
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Changing my vacation allowed me to relax
Giving my kids some pure fun has helped me relax as much as possible at least as a mother of three young children.
I’m not the type of parent who wants to spend all their holidays at an indoor water park with dozens of loud family members, but I’m learning that age-appropriate fun is necessary. And it seems different than what I imagined (or saw on social media).
As they get older, I’m sure they’ll be able to take the trips I’ve dreamed of. Biking across Europe or seeing the look of amazement on people’s faces when they realize how small the Mona Lisa really is. This idea kept me watching a 45-minute puppet show in a language I could barely understand.
Our next school holiday is going to a small amusement park and an indoor water park. We’re going to spend the day outside in the cold, bundled up in jackets, screaming, riding roller coasters, and eating our fill of expensive cotton candy and homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I never tell my kids to be quiet.
These trips aren’t significantly cheaper than they used to be, but the low-key local vacations we’re taking now offer us something we could never have stayed at in a luxury hotel in Paris or Barcelona: It provides me with the opportunity to enjoy my family.
