Personally, I believe that traveling is one of the most effective ways of self-discovery. Sometimes even transformative. ✨

And if we bring our children along for the journey, we reach the highest level of personal development possible.

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably noticed that we recently completed our two-week vacation in Brazil. I didn't venture there alone, like 20 years ago, nor just with my husband (who, by the way, grew up there), but with our two teenage children.

It's far from the first time all four of us have traveled to the other side of the globe, yet I still jokingly say that traveling with children is sometimes like studying at Harvard. 😄

However, this was the first time in a long while that I had to absolutely rely on my husband in certain situations. Many times I had to step in, though using sign language and my broken Portuguese from Google Translate wasn't easy.

You can therefore imagine that it was simply impossible to have everything under control.

Here are several examples of how traveling helps you grow:

1. Self-discovery through discomfort

An 8-hour flight awaits you, and you'd love to watch one of the offered movies, but don't have the conscience to leave your child with a tablet?

After a few hours of coloring, playing, chatting, eating, and potty breaks, the tablet eventually becomes a necessity, and we, with guilt, close our eyes for a few seconds for the first time.

Being in a confined space, literally strapped in one place next to a child, and for several hours straight, is definitely a horror story.

Is there even another option but to win, not accidentally harm the child (or pump them full of motion sickness pills), and reach the destination alive and in one piece? There isn't!

That's why in these moments we tap into our deepest reserves of inner strength, tolerance, and maternal know-how.

Upon every plane exit, we should rightfully feel like successful graduates from Harvard. Reward yourself for it!

2. Unnatural flexibility and the art of adaptation

You're standing before the most beautiful church in this exotic country, but your child calls that they need a bathroom.

You mentally switch from the role of photographer and documentarian to the role of a police officer dragging your child along and asking all the "suspects" for the way to the restroom.

Among the suspects is anyone who could relieve you of the burden of responsibility and guilt for not googling this in advance. We can influence our body's flexibility, but flexibility in our roles? That takes practice. :)

After quickly leaving the landmark for the nearest shopping center's restroom, you no longer want to return.

Mentally, we remain in the MOM drawer and thus try to figure out how to make the most out of this place. "The kids could use new shoes, there's a food court upstairs..."

Our thoughts are interrupted by my husband, who in the meantime called a new taxi to return because we had planned to see the church from the inside too!

Congratulations, we've just graduated from Yale besides Harvard as well.

3. People skills in a different way

You've always loved languages, different cultures, and meeting locals? Traveling with children beautifully sharpens your "people skills." 😉 Because in the role of overseer and lioness mother, instead of smiles, you cast warning looks around and radiate, "don't even think about coming near us!"

And if you, ladies, think you don't do this, ask your husband (or older children) to inconspicuously take photos of you throughout the day. From the expressions collected, you surely won't be making a nice photo wall in your bedroom, believe me. :)

But there's a factor that changes the whole situation. That's the children, who smile at the surroundings and draw the whole world in with their energy. And although I love this pure energy, in some places (like in the middle of Rio de Janeiro), I directly asked the kids for scowling faces like Ninjago warriors.

4. The gift of perspective

Evening reflections on the day's events during Soul Cleansing are the highlight of the day, when we find out that our personal experience don't have to align with others' experiences at all.

Frustration from the restroom or a dangerous neighborhood was just my personal story, while the children's and husband's recounts shimmer with stories reminiscent of the cheesiest love stories on Hallmark. I accept with relief. Perspective is a great thing. Especially when there's a happy end at the end.

I look forward to everyone!
Martina