From Family to Family

Traveling with a child is in many aspects different to traveling alone or with other grown ups. Where it is easy as adults to live of what you get and embrace all that is coming, for a child you want to take care of its special needs: time to play, good food, many breaks to move that little body which still needs to thrive and experience a lot that young age.

One of many breaks at the various playgrounds we pass on our way.

A task for your patience: Taking the time to sometimes walk the kid's speed.

So what naturally happens is, you feel attracted to other families, loving parents and vivid children, to playgrounds, car-free zones and childfriendly households. You send out that wish to the universe and Kosma, our daughter, adds her smile and voilà: what wonderful places, people and experiences we were to encounter already. So here's our advice to all you families out there who have similar visions, wishes and urges to go and see the world with your children on a very little budget: have faith and trust and just do it! Of course you should wisely prepare your luggage (a post regarding this matter will follow) and be prepared for eventualities like cold nights outside, boring hard days for the child etc. but in the end what you need the most is faith and trust and to always be thankful in your heart.

Networks like couchsurfing (we can also very much recommend their app) and workaway will help you find isles of rest and households of other families or childfriendly households, even very spontaneously with little planning ahead involved. Unfortunately especially on couchsurfing families still seem to be somewhat rare, which should motivate families even more to use that network for exchange and lovely family trips.

The real magic happens though when you meet families on the street or ring their bells. Here are some beautiful faces who helped us out and gave us comfort, lifts with their cars, food and courage on our way from Ault to Dieppe on the northern French coastline:

Words can't describe how thankful we are, also for the many inspirational talks about homeschooling, education, for making us part of your family for a little while and for being the best French teachers for Kosma and me :-D