I recently had the opportunity to go on a five-day trip to Belize. No kids. No husband. Like many moms would, I hesitated. Would I be able to figure out child care? Who would get them to camp? What about sports practices? What if something happened to me while I was gone? They need their mom after all. But in the end, my husband convinced me there was absolutely no way I could pass up the opportunity. So I left it in his hands and decided to go for it.
Now, I'd been to Belize twice before. Once with my husband not long before I got pregnant with my first child and the second time all four of us back in 2021 when it was the safest place I could find for a family vacation during the pandemic. I've also traveled without my husband and children to various destinations a few other times, but five days was the longest I'd ever been away from my kids, and Belize was definitely the furthest distance.
Me and my little crew are close. We've done almost everything together for the past 11 years and me and my husband much longer than that. In fact, months before we became parents, we actually discussed how important it was for us to keep traveling after we had kids. We became parents at 26 and 28 when we had only really started ticking places off of our travel bucket lists. We didn't want to give up our dream of seeing the world together, so we always planned to just bring them with us. And largely, that's exactly what we've done. My kids who are now 11 and 7, have each been to over 20 states and a handful of international destinations.
We plan, we budget, we hack, and we just make it happen. Even when money is tight and it gets complicated and overwhelming as it inevitably will, we do it. Although this solo trip to Belize was incredible and refreshing and completely different from what I'm accustomed to, my biggest takeaway from the experience was that our commitment to traveling as a family is totally worth the effort.
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I needed this trip.
I'm not gonna lie; the past few months have been stressful. That's why my husband insisted I go. We'd just been on a family trip to Portugal a few months before and had a family road trip planned for just days after I would return, but travel gives me life. He knows that and he knew that I could benefit from some responsibility-free time in one of our favorite destinations.
And honestly, not having to think about summer schedules and screen time or manage working from home with the kids running around the house like tornadoes was refreshing. But I missed them.
I didn't just miss being with them. I missed sharing experiences with them.
Belize is a country with a lot to offer. Most of the land is covered in rainforest and the beaches are nearly pristine. It's a natural haven for sure, but it's also full of culture and history that goes farther back than I can even fathom.
During those five days, I spent a lot of time just taking in the stunning views and enjoying cocktails, cold beers, and strolls between attractions, but I also learned a ton, saw some incredible sights, and embarked on quite a few new experiences.
Traveling and vacationing aren't really the same thing.
I totally understand the idea that parents need to get away from their kids on vacation every once in a while. It's not something I really do, because I'm not really a leisure traveler, and to be honest, I don't have many people who can take care of my kids for more than a few hours.
But I do consider myself and my kids world travelers. When we travel, we don't spend hours and hours at the pool or buffet; we get out there and see and experience the place we're visiting. We get a feel for the culture, we learn the history, we eat authentic foods, and we mingle with locals.
We're always exhausted when we get home, but it's worth it. It's worth it to know that the world out there is bigger than just our worlds.
And that's exactly why it's worth the extra effort to travel with our kids.
While I was in Belize — in just those short five days — I experienced so much that I can't wait to one day share with my kids. There wasn't one day I didn't wish they were right there by my side marveling at the beauty and wonder of a relatively tiny Central American country with its acres and acres of Mayan ruins and miles and miles of aquamarine ocean.
I got to visit the Belize Zoo which is actually a conservation zoo built right into the natural rainforest habitat, and see a jaguar up close. I went horseback riding up to the Mayan site Xunantunich, where I stood at the tippy top and peered through the fog at the Guatemala border. I learned how to make both pottery and chocolate the traditional Mayan way.
I learned all about iguana conservation efforts and why it's important to the ecosystem and about the local Garifuna culture. I also ziplined for the first time ever and had the thrill of a lifetime doing it. We island hopped and ate everything from traditional foods to upscale offerings.
Seeing a place, especially a place like Belize with so many opportunities for education and adventure — really being in a place — reminded me why I save up the money and deal with the ups and downs of traveling with kids again and again.
I want them to know the world too.
I want them to know that there is so much more out there for them to see and experience and learn. So much that can't be taught in a classroom.
I want my kids to know that there are other people out there with lives vastly different than our own and that those people too are smart and funny and beautiful and worthy. I want them to know that we are all different and all the same. I want them to understand that they are a part of this beautiful world and that there's much to learn about it.
And no, they won't remember the trips you took when they were babies or toddlers. But those trips will prepare them for the trips they do remember. Those babies and toddlers will internalize how to travel so that when they are old enough, they can truly enjoy it and you can enjoy them. So travel young and travel often.
Travel is a gift — each destination with its own unique value — and traveling solo gave me the opportunity to truly reflect on why it's a gift that I've shared with my children and will continue to as long as I am able.
