Beared Ladies and Teeny Cars
One of my favorite things about taking the kids to Germany (where I was born) or England (where I grew up) is the hilarious things they notice.
Greta can’t get enough of the itsy bitsy, teeny weeny cars. We rented a “people mover” (yes, we all live in the same century, but you’d never know) which turned out to be a mini van. That’s a mini minivan: the biggest one they had is barely bigger than a VW Beetle.
Peter loves the facial hair. He is forever commenting on people’s mustaches and beards. I guess it’s true us Germans are a hairy lot. Hence my closet full of razors and Nair.
Svenja has a shoe fetish. For a child who could be dressed in a sack and not give a damn, this is kind of funny. She likes them to be JUST SO and to be tied or buckled JUST SO and they have to be THIS COLOR and NOT THAT COLOR. So we’ll be walking around and instead of looking at the ancient buildings or the exhibitions, she’ll be head down, checking out people’s feet.
And Germans have some pretty funny taste in shoes, let me tell you. Socks and sandals are IN.
So this time together as a family isn’t so much about learning about history or being immersed in culture, as it is about being a family. Having the time to relax together in a new and different environment where all sorts of norms are questioned.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I find traveling with kids totally stressful. How on earth do you manage to find any “peace” time when you have a whiny and tired child who won’t eat or sleep like normal?
July 10th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
We hear you!
I traveled from San Francisco to London with two kids (before I had Svenja) when Greta was still a crazed lap child: ELEVEN HOURS IN A PLANE!
Within the first two hours, I was crying.
The travel itself can be hard, and when you get there, the kids are all out of sorts which makes the holiday itself hard to enjoy. But my philosophy is, practice makes perfect.
I kid you not, my children can sleep on the floor, just covered in a blanket. They don’t need shades on the windows or silence to sleep. They are flexible about food and willing to go hungry without complaining. They endure long car and plane rides with (mostly) good humor.
Why?
Because I value travel and exploration so much, I took them with me everywhere from the moment they were born. Everywhere I went to do research, or visit my parents or a friend… they came along. They LEARNED to be flexible.
It was not always easy, and frankly, not always fun, but I am definitely reaping the benefits now!
So… if you love to travel, suck up the tough parts and your kids will learn to love it too… eventually.
Good Luck!