Wanderlust with Family and Kids

The English dictionary defines wanderlust as the urge to travel. The human urge to travel to unknown places, to explore new worlds and seek new adventure is as old as the human civilization itself.

This “urge to travel” is imbibed in our very genes and this ensures that we often take a break, pack our bags and visit near and far places.

As many of us have families it is imperative that we are cognizant of the wishes and desire of our family members when we plan and eventually undertake travel. This is especially important when we travel with kids. The perception of kids to life is totally different from that of us adults and this spills over to their perception to travel as well. While we may travel to get away with from our dreary desk jobs, kids on the other hand look at travel as an opportunity to visit places they have either read in the books or have viewed on the television, to explore uncharted territory and to seek adventure.

Hence I believe, it is a great idea if we allowed them the responsibility of choosing the place where would visit as it is important that they are made a part of the travel right at the stage of  its inception. Further apart from choosing the place that we as a family would visit we should also allow them to share their ideas on planning the trip. For example they can research on places that are to be visited in the course of our travel. This would not only make them excited but the research they would need to put in would also increase their knowledge.

Kids seek enjoyment and it is important that we allow them freedom and the chance to have fun during our travel. Once must be careful in today’s world but at the same time ensure that the fun aspect of travel is not lost at the altar of fear. Let the kid enjoy, let them run up a hill if they want to , smell the wild flower or  splash in the cold sea water. These are small little things but they will cherish these moments for the rest of their lives and will thank you for allowing them too forever.

Laughter they say is infectious and soon we will start to enjoy the pleasures that the kid is enjoying.Their inquisitiveness should not anger us or irritate us, it is in their thirst for knowledge that we should appreciate and understand. Instead of try to shutting them up we should try to understand their innocent questions and in this way we will gain knowledge as well.

Trust me kids do not cause problems during a travel if we trust them, encourage them , give them responsibility and allow them to enjoy and have fun.It is our perception and misconceived ideas that is the roadblock.

This post is written as part of IndiHappy hours in association with
http://membership.clubmahindra.com/TeddyTravelogues/index.html.