Seven years ago I met a couple camping on the island of Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, with their three-year-old. It sparked the idea that as parents we could venture off the beaten track with our kids – something I hadn’t really encountered personally before. That spark of an idea has come to fruition in our own journey as parents. Here’s that story.
Travelling with a baby has its challenges, but is also a wonderfully enriching experience for a young family. Here are my Top 6 reasons why.
Tonight I can hear the ocean waves crashing on Opunake Beach as the sun sets just out of view. The tide is rising, swallowing sand as it creeps its way onto the shore. Sand castles are washed away into oblivion – each grain of sand floating off into the big blue.
Sometimes it’s comforting to know that at the end of the day everything will be washed away. As sad as it is to say goodbye to some experiences, we get to say goodbye to the bad ones with the good. This too shall pass. It’s a reminder to appreciate the moment, especially when it’s a good one, because you won’t be able to hang onto it forever.
Parenthood has this way of turning you inside-out, of exposing you to emotions you never thought possible, of calling you to the most vulnerable place you’ve ever been. Parenthood introduces a kind of love to your life you never experienced before – a love that is different than the kind you have for your partner, or your own parents. Taking our inside-out selves into the mountains, where we are often called to be tough-as-nails, can become the real crux of the climb, especially when it happens for the first time.
