Things You Trade When You Start Traveling With Kids

May 25

I knew traveling with young children would be different, I’m not naive. But at some point during EVERY trip there’s a moment that hits my funny bone and I just have to sigh, giggle, and say “Never saw that one coming” under my breath. Traveling with kids is…. eye-opening, to say the least. Keeping a sense of humor and a roll-with-the-punches attitude is the best way to enjoy a trip, but here are some things I didn’t see coming (you have been warned).

Nightclubs -> Sunrises (you used to dance til dawn, now you wake up at dawn to the sound of “I’m hungry.”)
Late Nights Out -> Afternoon Siestas (goodbye 2am bar crawls, hello 2pm nap traps.)
Last to board the plane -> First in line at security (you used to casually walk straight onto the plane intentionally just before the gate closed, now you’re first in line holding your snack bag, electronics bag, stroller, and emergency change of clothes.)
Hostel Bunk Rooms -> 2 Bedroom Airbnbs (sharing a room with strangers was the ultimate cheap deal, but now you want everyone to have their own room with a closing door, blackout curtains, and sound machine.)
Ultralight Backpack -> Baby’s R Us Baggage (from “everything fits in my carry on” to “how much does it cost to check the second and third bag? But the stroller and carseats are free?”)
Cramming in all the sights -> Maybe 2 formal sights, if you’re lucky (you used to knock out 5 museums before lunch, now a stop at the gelato stand counts as culture.)
Long Exquisite Lunches -> Nonstop Snack Breaks (the 2 hour lunch in France was the best culinary and people watching experience of your life, now you have an endless supply of goldfish.)
Locally Brewed Beer Belly -> Baby Weight (who needs a gym when you’re toting 35 lbs of toddler through cobblestone streets?)
Shoe-String Budget -> Safety First Splurges (from “every dollar counts” to “how much is the upgrade?”)
Doing Things on a Whim -> Confirmed Reservations for 4 (spontaneity is risky, let’s talk backup plan.)
Flying Standby -> Confirmed Seats Only (from hopping flights and playing the airplane lottery to paying extra to guarantee seats together.)
Exit Row Extra Legroom -> Human Pillow by the Bathrooms (“Are you willing and able to help in an emergency?” We’ll be lucky if we don’t create our own turbulence.)
Fancy Entrees at Upcoming Restaurants -> Ordering 10 Small Plates (with a side of embarrassment and chicken nuggets no one eats.)
Chill Vibey Roadtrips -> Disney Soundtrack on Repeat (if I have to listen to “Let It Go” one more time…)
Bathroom Stops Only When Refueling -> Stopping Every 45 mins (and now planning the stops around the clean locations.)

So yes, there have been trades- some for the better and some for the mehhh. Travel has gotten noisier, stickier, and more planned. But it’s also gotten funnier, a fresh view through their eyes, and more intentional. Trading your backpacking habits for a rolling suitcase full of snacks is an adjustment, but then you realize THIS is the adventure you were waiting for all along. Showing your kids the world.