"But they won't remember it."

If there is one negative reaction we tend to get when traveling with kids it is the idea they will not remember each adventure. Why not wait until they are older?

Do I expect them to remember every field trip? No. If I'm being honest, I don't remember the details of most of our recent field trips but if we enjoy the moment, we can carry on. 

Sooooo.... Why not wait until they are older and appreciate traveling? 

* First, I firmly believe our kids do appreciate traveling and enjoy new experiences. 

* There is not always a later due to life circumstances. Pulling teens away from friends is never easy but with younger kids, their primary attachments are parents and families so it is potentially the best time. 

* We have our kids for a short time. Eventually the days of college will come along and their friends will become their new family. We hope to solidify memories of a pretty cool family. (Confession- we are not cool people, none the less, they will have memories of a slightly disfunctional but crazy family which has a bad case of wanderlust.)

* Learning opportunities. Erosion, climate change, extinction will claim some of the natural wonders of today by the time they are older. 

* Lastly and mostly, I want to raise adventure loving kids. If the girls come out of this with a desire to explore and learn more about the world around them I will be happy. Why wait until they are older when they love adventuring now, I can work with this.