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May 10, 2012

How Old Should Kids Be to Travel?

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This is a question that I get asked quite a bit. As a mother of three boys, people are often very curious to know when did I set out on my first adventure with my children?

I have been traveling with my children since I got the ok from the doctor to do so. I took my first born to Disney when he was less than a year old and to Europe when he was barely 5.

Would I do it again, and did I with my children that followed? No.

It was expensive and though traveling with children can indeed be a hassle, I feel it is really only really worth the investment when they start to develop memories, when major safety issues aren’t a concern and when they (and we) can really enjoy it.

So a trip to Disney when very little? Not really the best idea. You or someone will spend a lot of time sitting around with the stroller waiting for others to finish the ride, then there are nap times and feedings to deal with. For what that trip tends to cost a family, I just don’t think it is the wisest investment in family vacation.

I have always advocated for road trips because they can be set up to what your family can tolerate as first-time travelers. But even then there are things to consider.

Check out this video interview with NY1’s Valarie D’Elia of Travel with Val, When Are Kids Old Enough To Travel, where I, along with other travel experts, give you advice and things to consider before paying for that next big trip with your little ones.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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5 Comments
  • Amanda
    May 10, 2012

    This is a great topic, Carol. Our first time traveling with B was to Disney when he was 11 months old. However, we are in Florida, so it was a road trip, and we had annual passes to the parks at the time. Our expense was not as high as other families' might have been. We also went with friends, so baby swapping was easy, and we didn't end up riding alone while the other watched B.

    The boys, at 9 and 5, have never been on a plane. We've been planning a trip to NYC for a while, but want to be sure the little one can handle the flurry of activities, not to mention the walking, that we are planning to do while there. And Europe? We won't be doing that until they are at least both in their teens.

    There are isolated cases where theme parks are okay (i.e. me and hubby are crazy theme park fans, so we went more for us than for them early on), but I definitely think that generally speaking, you and Val are exactly right on this one!

    Reply
  • Carol Cain
    May 10, 2012

    @ Amanda:

    Thanks so much Amanda. I agree. Like most things in travel, it really depends on the child, the family, and other specifics that affect the trip experience. Thanks for sharing and for your feedback : )

    Reply
  • Bicultural Mama
    May 10, 2012

    We had to travel to Hawaii with my 3 month old for my brother's wedding. It was not a very relaxing trip and getting there was a nightmare. Definitely would have been easier if the kid was older!

    Reply
  • Ayngelina
    May 13, 2012

    I'm not a parent and only an observer but I noticed while traveling in Latin America that a lot of Europeans travel with their kids, but no North Americans. There is a cultural nuance somewhere there because I always assumed once I had kids travel would be off the books for at least a few years.

    Reply
  • Carol Cain
    May 14, 2012

    @ Ayngelina:

    There are a lot of components to this. I think that maybe standards of discipline are different (what Europeans tolerate as opposed to Americans – not to say one is better than another). Also, it would be unheard of to tell a European that they can't travel. What? No, it wouldn't happen, thus children just do and learn. I have always said there is no better way to teach your children how to travel than to actually go out there and do it.

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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