In my 20s, as a newlywed dreaming of a big family, I made a decision that shaped the next decade of my life: I delayed having children. Like many young couples, my husband and I wanted to first build our careers and save money. But for me, the biggest reason was travel.
I was deeply afraid that motherhood would mean the end of my freedom to explore. I imagined trading international adventures for diaper bags, trading cultural discoveries for playdates. Traveling to far-flung places, staying out late in new cities, or squeezing in weekend getaways seemed incompatible with raising children.
So, I kept waiting. I told myself there would always be time for kids later.
My “Last” Trip Before Motherhood
By the time I turned 30, the urge to start a family grew stronger. But before trying to conceive, I booked what I thought would be my last big adventure — a trip to Costa Rica with friends. I soaked up every moment, believing I was closing the chapter on my traveling life.
Soon after returning, I became pregnant. And when my oldest daughter was born, everything changed overnight. The sleepless nights, the endless pumping, the strollers, cribs, and baby gear made travel feel impossible. I remember wondering: Would my baby even sleep in an unfamiliar place? Was it safe to take her abroad without all her vaccines?
Wanderlust still tugged at me, but I stayed put. For a while, I convinced myself the adventurous life I loved was over.
Rediscovering Travel With Kids
Eventually, the fog of early motherhood began to lift. As my daughter grew, I became more confident and realized that travel didn’t have to disappear — it just had to evolve.
We started small: visiting family in Philadelphia and the Twin Cities, then returning to Chicago, where my husband had lived before we met. These familiar trips reminded me that traveling with a baby was possible if I adjusted my expectations.
Over time, we expanded our horizons. Three more children joined our family, and together we explored more of the United States. Then, with renewed confidence, I booked our first trip to Europe: London and Paris. These cities felt manageable — safe, familiar, and full of resources for families. It was a leap of faith, but it worked.
Travel Becomes Different — But Even Better
That first trip to Europe was unlike any of my past adventures. Gone were the late-night bar crawls and marathon museum visits. Instead, I found myself sitting with my children, sharing cotton-candy-wrapped ice cream cones, exploring castle moats, and running through playgrounds in foreign cities.
The pace was different, the activities were different — but the joy was just as powerful. In fact, it was better. I wasn’t just experiencing new places; I was experiencing them through my children’s eyes.
From that moment, I knew we could go anywhere. And we did. Together we’ve stood on the beaches of Turks and Caicos, walked across Icelandic glaciers, explored the ruins of Petra, and marveled at the Great Pyramids of Giza.
The Joy of Traveling With Kids
Today, I realize my fear of losing travel because of kids was misplaced. My children don’t hold me back from traveling — they make every trip richer.
They bring wonder to experiences I once took for granted, like watching my son step into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) after learning about it in school. They push me out of my comfort zone, like the time I hiked a strenuous trail in Iceland I would have skipped if not for their enthusiasm. They open doors to unique experiences I never would have chosen alone, like making ramen in Tokyo or enrolling in Gladiator School in Rome.
Traveling as a parent is more than sightseeing — it’s about building shared memories and teaching my kids about the world firsthand. They are living a childhood I never could have imagined, and I’m living the adventurous life I always dreamed of — just with smaller travel buddies.
What I Would Tell My Younger Self
If I could speak to the younger version of myself, the one who hesitated to have kids because she feared losing her passport, I’d say this: don’t wait.
Travel doesn’t end with children — it transforms. The adventures don’t stop; they multiply. You don’t lose freedom; you gain perspective. And watching your children experience the world is more rewarding than seeing it alone.
I thought I needed to choose between motherhood and adventure. The truth is, I didn’t. My kids didn’t ruin travel for me. They made it infinitely better.
