Real Travel Moms
I’m Michelle, a 37 year old mother of two, Maya (8) and Nico (7). I am co-owner of a small growing business in Cleveland, OH. Just over 10 years ago, my brother convinced me to leave my fairly-new teaching career and open up a burrito shop with him. In that time we have grown into three additional locations. I never imagined that I would be an entrepreneur, especially in the food industry, but it’s working out pretty well.
About 15 years ago, while studying Spanish in college, I became fascinated with the rich, vibrant cultures of Latin America. I studied abroad in Costa Rica, and had been telling my host mom since then that I would come back and visit. This past summer it was finally time.
There is so much beauty not only in the landscapes, but in the people and the communities, and I wanted my children to experience it first-hand. The three of us also speak pretty good Spanish, so I’m always looking for opportunities to practice with native speakers.
To me, travelling is so much more than just sight-seeing and beautiful landscapes. It is about making connections, broadening your perspectives and challenging yourself.
This year I had the opportunity to take a month off work to travel, so I figured it was the perfect time to embark on our first international trip as a family.
Michelle’s advice for moms wanting to travel more with their kids: Follow your heart and do it. Do a bit of research and find a level of travel that you feel comfortable with. It may be off the beaten path, it may be at a resort, it may be with a guided group trip. Trips like this are a wonderful option for those wishing to travel abroad but not quite ready to go it alone or who prefer to have some companionship and built-in playmates for the kids.
I’m Venus, married, homeschooling mother of two. The Costa Rica trip was our first international travel with only my daughter (9) and myself. A close friend told me about the Mom and Kids Trip and once I looked at the itinerary and did a little research about the safety of the country, we were a definite! My daughter was a part of the research because I wanted her to feel confident to travel the world.
For my daughter, the biggest challenge was walking around in the evening as a group in an unfamiliar environment. She learned that taking calculated risks while being aware of her surroundings could lead to rewarding and new experiences, such as eating dinner at a restaurant on the beach while watching the sun set.
Our trip centered around the lifetime friendships that I made and wonderful travel companions for my daughter. I think she will forever be strengthened because of the increase in confidence, self reliance, independence, and becoming a more knowledgeable global citizen.
Venus’s advice for moms wanting to travel more with their kids: I highly recommend beginning with a group trip like Mom and Kid Travels. It can be an affordable, safe way to travel because the trip organizers have local contacts. All details of the trip are planned from airport pick up to drop off and your accommodations, drivers, and activities cover cultural, social, economic, environmental, education, and physical details. It’s all within the confines of a helpful mother’s group and their adorable children.
We are a family of three that includes my son Camdan (14) and my daughter Esme (8). My professional training is in Biology and I have been teaching online as a professor for 17 years. Before that I taught at several traditional colleges and universities.
I want my kids to see the world. I want them to see that people everywhere are good and kind. I want them to experience the wonders of nature and learn about different cultures.
I have always felt joy when traveling. I traveled both the US and overseas before kids. I took my first overseas trip with my son for his first birthday. It wasn’t something I thought a lot about, it never occurred to me to stop after I had kids.
Casey’s advice for moms wanting to travel more with their kids: Make a plan and go. Don’t listen to people who tell you the world is a scary and dangerous place. It’s really a magical place filled with amazing people.