Thursday's Child: How to raise a family that travels

Thursday, March 19, 2015
Start with two people who love to travel. (Pictured above: my mom and dad on their honeymoon, in New York State.)

Add a three year old about to take her first big trip. My Aunt Lois gave me a nifty suitcase/umbrella combo for Christmas that year. Not only did I feel like a big girl on the airplane, I played with the suitcase for years.

Be lucky enough to have relatives who live in California. And when you and your mom fly there for your cousin's baptism, you get to visit Disneyland.

True story: when I was two-and-a-half, and my sister was six weeks old, my parents took us camping. The campground was only twenty miles from home. What could possibly go wrong?

Some time after we reached the campground, the car keys went missing. My parents searched the campsite but eventually realized they were irretrievably lost. So my dad hitchhiked back to the farm and got a spare set from my grandfather, while my mom waited with the toddler and the newborn at the campground.

You'd think after an experience like that, they'd give travelling a miss for a while. But they didn't, and we kept travelling every summer. To the best of my knowledge, we never lost the car keys again. (Although they probably started taking a spare set.)

And if that isn't enough to keep you from taking a trip every year, you just might end up with a family that loves to travel.

21 comments:

Joanne said...

Wow! Your parents had a lot of courage. I'm not sure I'd be ready to take a six week old camping, but it sounds like it all turned out okay and look at how much of a traveler you've turned into!

Kayte said...

Such a cute post. I love that suitcase toting 3 year old, she is adorable beyond words.

Barbara said...

Your little red suitcase and umbrella were adorable! My parents were not travelers. Boaters, but only Great Lakes and Canada. Think Mexico once was as far as they ever traveled. I didn't do much either to begin with, but had my kids take any and all trips offered at school. My daughter took a semester at Le Rosey. My dad warned me...once she gets a taste of that, she'll never stop. Why the warning I wondered back then? He was right, she's never stopped AND takes me along. I disagreed with my dad...still can't figure out his reasoning.

Angie's Recipes said...

I LOVE LOVE that suitcase/umbrella combo...totally cute and practical.

Pam said...

Oh, good for your parents--camping with a newborn! Traveling is great. We have neighbors who won't venture any further than where they can sleep in their own bed at night. And then we're the opposite. I did growing up also. Your suitcase is the best and I love your little white gloves too! Those were the days!

amy (fearless homemaker) said...

Oh my goodness, you were the cutest little tot! We grew up traveling somewhere "big" at least once a year, usually twice, and I have so many fond memories of those family trips. And now, at almost two years old, my daughter already has 8 airplane flights and one roadtrip under her belt. =) We're hoping to raise a travel-loving little lady, too!

Beth said...

Thanks everyone, for your lovely comments. Yup, my parents definitely had more courage than me. I didn't take my kids on trips until after they were out of diapers.
Barbara, I'm hoping that if either of my daughters loves to travel like that, they'll take me too!
And Amy, you're going to have the most fearless little traveller!

Julie said...

What fun stories!! Traveling is for sure in your blood. Hope you're having a great week. Love that suitcase by the way!!!

coffee said...

I love how the fabric on your jumper has TWA tickets and suitcases all over it!!!!

Valerie Gamine said...

How cute! I love seeing childhood photos of people I "know." :D
The travel bug is definitley hereditary.

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi Beth, what an adorable picture of you with your suitcase and umbrella.

Vicki Bensinger said...

What a great story! Today you'd never be able to take that umbrella on an airplane - I'm pretty sure they'd consider it a weapon. I had a suitcase just like that in white with my name on it that my parents got each of us girls. We played with ours for years as well. Today parents would never consider plastering a child's name across a suitcase. Wow times have changed, haven't they?

Tricia Buice said...

We always traveled and adored it! I don't have any stories like that but my husband and I continued our family traditions and have taken our children everywhere at any age. It has been fun and now they are grown. Can't wait until my grandson can go camping!

Caryn Caldwell said...

How wonderful that you got to travel regularly! I think it's so good for children to grow up visiting new places and learning about other areas/ways of life. What a great experience!

scrambledhenfruit said...

I love your little red suitcase! My parents were not travelers. When my kids were younger we loved packing up the car and taking impromptu weekend trips. (Never camping with a 6 wk old though!) I do enjoy reading about all of your travels! :)

Janet Johnson said...

I love this! And I love, love, love the suitcase/umbrella combo!!! How awesome is that?! :D

Marcela said...

I love it! This umbrella and suitcase rock! Amazing photos! Thanks for sharing, Beth!

Monica said...

Clearly your parents were amazing super-humans! Seriously, what a wonderful gift they've given you. I feel bad for my son now. : )

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

So you come by all the traveling naturally. What a wonderful family tradition!

nancy at good food matters said...

great adventures from the very beginning! love these photos. I had a little round suitcase like that--but not with the nifty umbrella.

Mary @ The World Is A Book said...

That's such a great story, Beth! I love the photos especially little you with that nifty suitcase and umbrella. What a precious gift your parents passed on to you and that you're passing on to your children too.

Post a Comment