Why travel with your kids?

A little over 2 years ago, when we decided to take a "big trip" to France, G was in the midst of working a demanding job and working through a demanding MBA program in the evenings. He was exhausted all of the time. So I suggested a big vacation when he finished. Something to really look forward to. A reward. It was quickly decided that we wanted to go to Paris. And so the dream began. For the past two years, when we haven't been busy working, taking care of the house, or having another baby we have been talking, planning,and preparing for our trip to France. And while we leave in just 13 short days, I still sort of can't believe we are ACTUALLY going.

Whenever I tell people about our upcoming trip, the thing that everyone seems to talk about is the fact that we are bringing our children. Some are shocked, some impressed, and almost everyone expresses sympathy for the very long plane ride. There have been countless web posts about all the great benefits that come from traveling with your children. Reasons to travel with your children include:

- Travel encourages better geographical knowledge and awareness.
- Travel encourages an acceptance and appreciation for other cultures
- Travel encourages children to become more adaptable
- Traveling as a family is a great bonding experience and creates lasting memories
- Children's know what they live. If you travel often they will be good travelers.
- Children (especially really young ones) are super cheep, if not free to bring along.

And there are of course many more reasons that traveling and seeing the world as a family is awesome. However, what I have heard from so many people are things like:

- Why bother taking your kids? They'll never remember it.
- They have so much gear to drag along.
- You'll miss so much dealing with your kids sleep schedules, diaper changes, etc.

I completely understand comments like this. Travel with young children, I image will be quite a bit different that when G and I rented a car and drove all over Italy for a few weeks the year before S was born. However, for all the great reasons to travel with your children, what it really came down to was "I'd rather change diapers in Paris." I will be rocking a baby to sleep, and begging a toddler to please try using the potty, and cleaning baby food off my blouse, anyway and well I would rather do it in Paris.

So wish us luck, diapers and all we will be heading to Europe in 2 short weeks for what I'm sure will be a fun, memorable, crazy, exhausting, amazing trip.