April 7, 2018 - The Blessing of Traveling with Your Kids

Tanya's Daily Scoop​
Covering the West Coast & the World
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 5 DAYS

My favorite Travel-mates

Hiya guys! 

We are out and about and I am once again utilizing technology and writing to you as we are (Dave is) driving us up to LA.

Is it not crazy that I can be going 60+mph on a freeway and posting this blog!! Sometimes it really blows my mind how advanced technology is. I'm just waiting for a time machine or when I can call out "Beam me up Scotty!"

Anyhow, we have a full day of events and errands to run today. But I won't bore you with the details of such nonsense.

Being the foodie that I am I will however tell you all about the food choices that I've decided upon for today...

1st food stop - Blue Bowl in Santa Ana - for some very yummy custom made Acai Bowls. The only downside is that this place is very popular and the line is usually to the end of the block!!!!

2nd food stop - Sunny Blue in Santa Monica - seems like we're going with the "blue" theme here, but what we are really going for are some amazing Omusubi - Japanese rice balls/street food where the tag line at this always busy and tiny eatery is "This little place has Balls"! 

3rd food stop - Something Vegan in Toluca Lake - while this will be our first time trying this vegan restaurant, we've heard some pretty good reviews that have definitely piqued our curiosity!

I'll be reporting on all of our stops tomorrow and of course you can also look forward to some drool worthy photos.

Now while I do hope that you are reading both Elisa's and my column on a daily basis, I've gotta say that Elisa's column today had really hit home for me.

I found it so wonderful that I almost didn't want to write anything just so that you would fully focus on the fabulous, true heart felt opinions and values that she has shared about traveling with your kids and the way that we both feel about traveling with our kids!
Read her words and know that I couldn't say it any better. It was as though she has taken the words straight from my heart and mind.

At this point all I can do is share a few more quotes on the subject and perhaps share a few pictures of travels with my babies (they will always be my babies - I don't care how big they get. LOL) that I have current access to (remember that I am in a moving car at moment).

In San Francisco (c)travelincousins.com

Salem, MA (c)travelincousins.com

Grand Canyon NP (c)travelincousins.com

Nashville, TN (c)travelincousins.com

Matterhorn, Switzerland (c)travelincousins.com

Domodossola, Italy (c)travelincousins.com

Iceland (c)travelincousins.com

Barcelona, Spain (c)travelincousins.com

Chamonix, France (c)travelincousins.com

Ahhhh the memories with my favorite people - who I just so happened to give birth to!

Enjoy your Saturday,
-Travelin' Tanya

Elisa's Daily Scoop
Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs
​NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 13 DAYS

The Blessing of Traveling with Your Kids

Happy Saturday and welcome to the weekend!

It's not the sunniest day, but it's definitely starting to (finally!) feel like Spring.  Today and tomorrow are the last days of Easter vacation (boo!) and then it's back to the grind of school.

The good news is Gianna is completely set for the beginning of high school in September.  That's right!  all her documents are in; her physical is completed with paper work submitted and she has selected all of her new courses! Very exciting stuff.

Lastly, her new school uniform is ordered and on its way.  Still trying to get my arms around the fact that my first-born baby will be a high schooler.

One thing I can say about the past fourteen years and being a mom - I have enjoyed EVERY SINGLE MOMENT of it!  I have not miss any important milestone or event in my two daughters' lives and believe that the focused, related presence I've had in their lives has resulted in two really nice kids, who are focused, driven and independent.

A day doesn't go by that I don't remember a famous quote by Jackie Kennedy:

And further, when people used to give me negative feedback about traveling with my kids all over the world or taking them out of elementary school to visit a far off place or hike through a national park, I look back and then glance at my girls and think - if I had to do it all over again, I absolutely would!

Me and Tanya are two of the biggest proponents of taking your kids anywhere and everywhere, whenever you can!

The experience activates something within their development and growth that cannot come from school or books or anything else.  

They learn about different cultures, tolerance for different ways of speaking and doing thing. Seeing new environments, eating different foods, working with different currencies and local transportation systems just leaves a lasting impression on them as human beings.  

Not to mention, regular travel on planes, trains and automobiles builds a sophistication for patience and the trials and tribulations of navigating the demands that come with airports, train stations, road directions and time management.

Don't ever let anyone intimidate you about exposing your children to the wonders of travel at any age!

My favorite line is: "He/She/They are too young."  Young for what?? Kids live in every part of the world - are they too young to live there?

I'm not being a wise ass, but there is a way to travel almost anywhere that can be made child-friendly.  And if their consciousness does not remember every last detail of a particular experience, trust me, their subconscious has and will take every last moment in and utilize it to impact positively on your child's growth.

It's my opinion that it just might be too much work for the adults, which is fine, but, kids are never to young to travel. It's an amazing gift to bestow on them! 

The best part, which I can personally attest to is that it's something you are doing together!!  And that is priceless.

Yellowstone National Park (April 2015) (c) travelincousins.com

Paris - 2013 (c) travelincousins.com

The Coliseum, Rome, Italy - August 2014 (c) travelincousins.com

Venice, Italy - August 2014 (c) travelincousins.com

Boston, MA - Nov. 2015 (c) travelincousins.com

Well, speaking of traveling with kids, Gianna informed me that she wants to go to Italy next Summer.  Kelsey was on board as well.

I'd love to do a Southern Italy trip, since the girls have never been to that part of "the homeland."  Will be doing some research on that - and what I love is that now, at 11 and 13, I have planning buddies!! They love to look at the different hotel options; restaurant menus and even though they don't like "history" (lol) - even planning the itinerary of sites to see and how we will break up the day.

More on Italy in the coming weeks.

I'll also be bringing you a few fun goodies this week:

* Re-cap of Carousel on Broadway and our day in NYC tomorrow (on Monday)

* This week's new article: 25 Places to Visit for Jazz Lovers

* An interview with artist Matteo Pellegrinuzzi, who I will have the pleasure of meeting this week in The Bronx

And more!!!

Have a lovely day!!
-E
xoxo