Try These Tips Before Planning that Family Trip Abroad

The family summer vacation has ended, but many families have started thinking about those family trips for the next year.  If your family is like many this year, you may be thinking of taking your family on a trip outside of the United States.  Whether you thinking of taking your kids for their first cruise, or you want to take your teens to Europe to experience their heritage; here are some tips on how to provide their kids a global perspective in preparation for traveling abroad.

1. Start Travel Early

Some people will tell you that you should wait to travel with kids until they're old enough to remember.  I do not agree, and think there's value that comes from your ability to expose them to travel at an early age. You're affected, and they're affected.  Go!


2. Expose Kids to Similar Cultures but Different Places

My husband and I made sure our first trips with the kids were to places we felt comfortable.  North America and even the Caribbean are easy stops where you'll find many of the things you're use to at home.  Those early trips helped us understand what their fears and curiosities were about travel, so that when we went further, everyone in the family was prepared and excited to go!

3. Encourage Teachable Moments

Talk your kids about places when you're at home.  Is Asia in the news?  Is their class talking about Roman history?  That's a great opportunity to look at these places together on Google and expose them to the possibility of seeing these places in real life.


4. Search for Family-Friendly Experiences

Not everyone will love your kids like you do.  You will more likely run into situations where you feel as though your family is less than welcome.  Roll with it.  Seek out people and places who feel differently and chalk it up to experience.  Also research and using a travel professional to help you plan places to travel will alleviate many of these situations and make the trip more enjoyable.  There are many places on the planet that will be more than welcoming.


5. Be Willing to Explore Beyond Your Comfort Zone

Remember that the things that you may have heard about how dangerous a place is may completely disappear the closer you get to that destination.  Don't let the news scare you away from somewhere before you have had a chance to do your own research.