Travelling with your baby doesn't have to be stressful, in fact it can be extremely beneficial to the whole family. Read this post to learn how!
When I announced my pregnancy, a lot of people responded with comments about how my adventures were going to change. Not everyone expected that I would give up hiking, camping or travelling, although many did. I was told over and over how different my life was going to look, how I would have to give up my passions or put them on hold for when Kymani was older. We do not have to sacrifice our hobbies for our children. You can introduce your children to almost anything you are passionate about, showing them the world in ways that nurture their curiosity and spark their own sense of adventure. Here are some of the reasons that you should continue to prioritize travelling after you have a baby.
Experiences Make Your Family
Spending time together is absolutely key to building your family. We all know that this time is crucial for creating bonds with our children and will help long-term with their development. Family activities play a key role in how your child will grow, it will shape their values and beliefs to have time in a secure and loving environment. This is also an especially key time to involve the father, unfortunately many countries still do not offer paternity leave and they are often forced to play a smaller role in their child's formative years. You will also have time to learn and grow as partners, it will open up opportunities for communication and connections.
Increased Language Skills
There is a lot of research being put into what will effect young babies for the rest of their lives. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that nature and spending time to outside is going to have a huge positive effect. There are many studies now that conclude babies who are exposed to nature will be more advanced in reading and science than their peers. Having a rich and varied environment will promote early language skills and help your baby flourish in the years to come.
Establishes Temperament
I don't really like the idea of "good" babies and "bad" babies, however I do believe that babies general temperament will vary and including them in travel from a young age will help develop a calm demeanor. They will learn to be flexible and go with the flow, learning to nap and entertain themselves anywhere. Starting travel later in life can cause a lot more anxiety to children as everything will be unfamiliar. Having a variety of experiences while young will set the stage for family adventures in the future. Embracing early travel experiences will nurture adaptability and lay a foundation for a lifetime of positive experiences.
Creates a Minimalist Lifestyle
We live in a very consumer driving society currently, especially when it comes to families and babies. From day one we are told to create a baby registry and given endless lists of necessities, but how much of it is actually needed? When travelling (especially with luggage restrictions) you are forced to evaluate what you want versus what you need to take care of the baby. Living out of a suitcase for months with our baby really made us realize how many baby supplies we actually didn't rely on. We thought we were packing light for him, and yet we still found there were things we brought and didn't use. Leave the baby bath tub at home and embrace a more minimalist lifestyle!
Reduces Behavioural Problems
I pointed out earlier that shared experiences were a great way to bond as a family, especially for fathers'. But did you know that there is actually science behind it? They say that children whose fathers are more “positively engaged” with them before 3 months of age are already shown to have fewer behavioral problems at the end of the first year. This conclusion was actually published back in 2012 in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. As fathers actively engage with their infants, the neural pathways associated with emotional regulation and social bonding are stimulated. Travelling with your baby is a great way for dad to get some bonding time and help your baby's brain develop.
If you can do this, you can do anything
Navigating becoming a parent is life changing, no one can deny that it will shake up your whole world. Travelling in this new state while navigating who you are as a family can be very daunting. Just remember if you can handle changing the babies diaper on the side of a hiking trail, or spend 3 days in a tiny cabin on a boat together, you can do anything! Running errands with your baby in tow or balancing coffee dates with friends will seem much more simple after you've crossed the busy streets of Hanoi with your baby. Travelling with our guy certainly helped to put things into perspective and keep us active on our parenting journey.
I'm not saying that travelling as a family will be easy, there are definitely complications. I'm just here to say that it is worth it! Even if Kymani doesn't remember these trips, the lasting positive impacts will help him succeed in life. Plus, I will have these fantastic memories of our family adventures.
Bonus: It's Cheaper
Babies are extremely portable when they're young, it's almost like having an extra piece of luggage. Strap them into your carrier and the world is your oyster. As they age and get more mobile it can become more complicated so I highly recommend giving it a go when they're younger. Plus, they'll be free for so many activities. You can fly with them on your lap until they are two, most trains and buses will also honour that policy. We haven't had to pay for an additional bed, meal or entrance fee yet for him!