Give the World to Your Children
My husband and I honeymooned on a Princess Cruises Alaskan Cruise. The ship held thousands of people on it. However, since the vast majority of people on board the cruise were at least 35 years older than we were, the younger passengers stuck out. Let's just say that we were known on board as the honeymooners! But, I will tell you what, the folks we met on board could zipline like the best of them!
While on board our cruise, we met another young couple with a young daughter. This young lady was smart, respectful and knew a ton about the world. You see, her parents gave her the greatest gift you can give to your child. . . the world. It was then and there that my husband and I decided that we would do the same for our children.
9 years later and our children are now ages 5 and 7. They have been on 3 cruises, spanning 4 countries. They have also visited more than 10 U.S. states. My daughter learned about Washington, DC in her Kindergarten class. So, we went there! After having the wonderful opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the Atlanta Braves game, my daughter was obsessed with it. So, when visiting friends in Baltimore, we visited Fort M'Henry (where the anthem was written). It was amazing watching my then 6-year-old sing along with the historic videos played in the museum. Both of my children began learning Spanish in school. They had the opportunity to practice speaking in Spanish in Mexico.
We treasure our time together as a family. Experience is everything. Your children won't remember every toy they received for birthdays and holidays. They will, however, remember the time you spent with them and the experiences that you gave to them. Clients tell me that they worry that their child is too young to travel. We took our children to Disney World for the first time when my daughter was almost 3 and my son was almost 1. My daughter, to this day, remembers that trip and so do we.
Here are just some benefits travel will have on your child(ren):
1) The ability to experience what they learn in school, rather than just reading about it
2) Appreciation for and understanding of many cultures that are different than their own
3) The understanding that the world is so much bigger than just their own little piece of it
4) The ability to experience new activities, music, foods and scenery
5) The opportunity to learn different languages and communication skills
6) A sense of direction when navigating a new place
7) Geography - where destinations are located and what is unique to them
8) Memories that will last them a lifetime
