It Kept Me From Traveling With My Son For Years

It’s so funny to think back about it now, but it’s true. It’s probably oddly surprising for many of my friends because in the last 8 years or so, my son and I have been to over twenty countries together. Wow, that’s shocking to even think about now. But I most definitely remember the day, just a few years before we began our solo mom and kid travels….when I sat in the living room with two girlfriends and said it out loud, “I’m scared to travel with my son”.

It felt like a big reveal to share that with them because both of those friends had lived and traveled in several different countries and so had I in fact. We had just spent much of that evening reminiscing about past travels, sharing stories and laughing about those special times.

As the only mother in the room though, it felt like a big confession to speak my fear out loud.

There was definitely something that felt different about doing international travel as a parent, and especially as a solo parent. And to be perfectly honest, I really wasn’t sure how it would be to travel with my child. I had gone to new countries and explored in my 20s, I was young and carefree then, but now, well life was different, it felt heavier, like there were more concern, responsibility, or the outcomes were more weighted. I worried for him for what was healthy, safe and comfortable…to start….

I could probably write a book about all the fears I had back then. But let’s name a few for good measure…I thought about what if I got sick, robbed, or ran out of money, was lost, couldn’t communicate with people, my child was sick and I couldn’t get care, my child needed anything and I couldn’t help him, how would we get around, where would we go, what if there was an emergency, what if he was taken, what if, what if…

I won’t even make these actual questions by putting the appropriate punctuation. They were more like a mantra running through my head in those early days. I didn’t realize it then, but speaking that fear out loud was my first step toward overcoming it.

I knew that despite my fear, I truly wanted to travel with my son, while he was young (the benefits I’d considered for years and there were many)….so…I started saying THAT out loud. What I found out was that people wanted to help me….I said it first to a coach I was working with, she connected me with another mom who had traveled with her young kids solo.

Later as I continued to tell people about my plans they shared their own stories of taking a brave trip with their child alone, it was amazing….the way the stories, and the support came about just by speaking my fear, and saying what I wanted out loud.

I think there are a lot of stories, fears, dreams inside us that many of us never let come out….I share this story to encourage others to speak them out loud.

What would you do if you weren’t scared, what do you dream of? What gets you excited? What would you do if you could do it scared?…along with the support of all the people you told about that fear? Go ahead, let it out!

Admitting and sharing my fear that first time helped me on the path toward that first trip! It was soon after that we (my son and I) traveled to our first country solo, of course you know it went pretty well….because look at us now….twenty countries down….only 175 more to go! 😉