The pros and cons of travel with kids ages 6, 10 and 15?
I have tried to get this idea organized into a post but instead I’m wandering down memory lane. Caught up in thoughts of what it was like to travel with one spunky 2.5 year old, the challenges of 9 months in a van with a 4yr old….trips with 2 kids in tow (one of which was a very disagreeable 3-year-old screaming in the streets of Puerto Rico) ….there I go again okay maybe I should stick to a laundry list of the good, the bad and the Ugly (seriously it can get U G L Y!)
Pros/ Cons: age 5/6
Up for anything he’s big enough to do…/ Not big enough to do a lot of want he wants…
Happy to be with the group../ Can need more attention than his brothers want to give
Helps you to slow down and really see things that you would otherwise miss..Great on long hikes through New Zealand/ Not so helpful when your trying to catch your train in Saigon
Lots of laughs../ endless hours of I spy
Pros/Cons :age 9/10
Can really “learn” about the places we go and people we meet…
Is big enough to do the more adventurous stuff with his dad and big brother…
Is genuinely interested in new people, places and cultures…
Will eat just about anything once…
Honestly can’t think of any cons to travel at this age…
Pros/Cons: age 14/15
Can drive a motorbike! / Can Drive a motorbike!
Can help with his brothers…/Will pick fights with his brothers for fun…
He will quietly listen to music for hours on a bus,train, plane etc…(so no 10 hour trips of what, where, why, how long)…/When he’s not listening to music he will usually be complaining about something…
Doesn’t need help packing or getting what he needs organized../Won’t do it until the last second…
Biggest con at his age is the constant need to look like he’s not having a good time. That and feeling like he’s missing out on High School with his friends…
I think for Silas continuous travel for a set period of time would be better than slow, growing roots in new places open-ended kinda travel that fit the other 2 better….
Each and every age has more pros than cons. It’s family dynamics that bring in the Ugly…sibling rivalry, boredom, over stimulation, sitting next to your brother for hours at a time…
Too much family time is not always a good thing….
For more pros and cons of traveling with children check out these great blogs:
Wandermom: http://wandermom.com/news-and-views/highs-and-lows-of-traveling-with-a-teen-and-a-tween/
…
Barbara: http://www.thedropoutdiaries.com/2011/04/attack-of-the-asian-baby-snatchers/
Lisa: http://www.aroundtheworldineasyways.com/2011/04/the-age-of-perfection/
Marilia: http://www.trippingmom.com/what´s-like-to-travel-with-a-3-year-old-girl/
Heather: http://globetrottingmama.com/take-your-child-to-work/
Twitter: @greenwooddavis
Snaps & Blabs | @snapsandblabs | “Traveling with children – which one to leave home?”
http://snapsandblabs.com/blog/6817/traveling-with-children-best-age
Tracy: http://ourtravellifestyle.com/2011/04/28/long-term-travel-young-kids-under-6-best-age
Theodora: “Travels with a Ten Year Old” http://travelswithanineyearold.com/2011/04/28/travels-with-a-ten-year-old/
Twitter: @mummy_t
Jessie: Why We Love Traveling with our Daughter http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling/why-we-love-traveling-our-daughter.html
Twitter: @WanderingEds
Ana: @riderby “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Traveling Around the World With a 5-Year-Old.” http://www.riderbymyside.com/post/5006298398/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-traveling-around-the#disqus_thread
Christine: The Amazing Adventures of Baby Cole
http://almostfearless.com/2011/04/28/the-amazing-adventures-of-baby-cole
Twitter: @almostfearless
http://gotpassport.org/2011/04/28/the-world-is-our-playground/
Eastside Curry 
Good one Nik (chuckling as I remember you growing up)– that’s why you love ’em – so much personality at every age changing constantly – like trying on different clothes to see what fits and which one(s) they’ll keep for any length of time – always adding on and discarding at odd moments, in unexpected ways, under the strangest of circumstances — the best part is without some UGLY, how would you know to treasure all the pros/cons and hold so fiercely onto the memories and wait with those mixed emotions of trepidation and excitement for the next mystery of “growing up” to reveal itself? But hey, they’re watching your journey of “growing up/old” too and probably have some pros/cons and UGLY they could mention!
xoxoxo — missing all of you and all the pros/cons and UGLY’s
Never a dull moment for you Currys. Have I mentioned how much we love all your boys, but stories of Silas particularly crack me up?!
LoL! From what I read it doesn’t matter where you are. No, we don’t have to catch a train in Saigon but a schoolbus in the morning, and so on….. Just remember the pros/cons back in time:))
can drive a motorbike!!!!! love this, n!
I’ve traveled with kids all those ages except 14/15. I remember traveling with my family at 14. Just hoping my daughter won’t be as awful as I was!
I’m picking up a definate theme reading these blogs. 8 – 11 year olds are easy to travel with. Any age is a good age, but 8 – 11 is the easiest.
Helps you to slow down and really see things that you would otherwise miss..Great on long hikes through New Zealand/ Not so helpful when your trying to catch your train in Saigon
This comment made me laugh, because it is so true of my little lady!
Amy
http://www.livinontheroad.com.au
When I was 14 I told my parent to leave me at camp and go without me! I’m impressed that you have one at that age in tow. We did our trip when the kids were 9-10 (twins) and now that they’re 12, they don’t want to leave home – yikes!
“Can drive a motorbike!” That seems really scary. I enjoyed your post a lot. Thanks!
Hi! I’m not even sure how I made my way to your blog but I am loving it! Can I ask you for some advice as a total stranger!? 🙂 My husband and I are going to be working in Hanoi for a month in the fall with our almost two year old coming along. And then we have 10 days to do something fun and relaxing. Do you have any input on living in Hanoi with a toddler (where to stay in particular). And as for the relaxing fun part: We’re deciding between going to a beach in Vietnam versus Thailand. Any thoughts on this? Hopefully this will just be the first of many trips.