Like most parents, we have full plates between work, school drop-offs and dance lessons, with barely a moment to pause between packing lunchboxes at dawn to reading bedtime stories at dusk. But even during the craziest seasons of parenting and work, we always carve out time for adventure.
From the moment our twins could walk, we started small with road trips up and down the coast. As soon as the kids turned three, we took the leap across the ocean to Europe, then Asia, then South America as a foursome.
Sure, vacations with little ones posed unique challenges no amount of planning could prevent! Between the occasional airport tantrum, refusal to try foreign foods and overloaded schedules leaving everyone cranky, family trips pushed us all to our limits at times. But we persisted, because we witnessed firsthand how travel shaped our tiny humans into curious, confident, more adaptable versions of themselves.
Exploring Mayan ruins, our little archaeologists’ eyes shone brighter than gold. Learning to say “thank you” in different languages made them more eager communicators. Trying foods like pupusas in El Salvador or currywurst in Berlin broadened their palates along with their worldviews. Through discovering new places together, they learned to ask great questions and seek out new perspectives.
After every trip, we returned with sore feet but fuller hearts – and an overflowing camera roll that would deliver laugh-out-loud stories for decades. Seeing how travel brought out the best in our kids, we felt called to help other families dip their toes into this world of adventure…eventually taking the full plunge!
So one New Year’s Eve after the sparkling cider toast wearing their cozy PJs, we hatched a plan. We had zero blogging experience, but took online courses, read all the expert advice, and practiced our writing skills for months.
On the twins’ 6th birthday, we finally launched this website – our passion project gift dedicated to the tiny explorers themselves. We started small, just sharing stories and mishaps from our family adventures. Over time readers began asking questions, seeking advice on how travel with their own children. How do you potty train on the road? What toys keep toddlers happy on long flights? Should kids really skip school for vacations?
While we still scramble balancing work projects and carpool schedules like every modern parent, stealing away on trips together grounds us – and reminds us why we launched this site to begin with. Now whether it’s road tripping down Route 66 or celebrating Holi in India, we can’t wait to bring you along on the ride!