Should I take my children to Europe?
My gut instinct tells me that I should tell you to take your children to Europe. I think both you and your children will gain so much out of the trip, it will far outweigh the negatives. That being said, I am not your child’s parent. You know your child much better than I do. Therefore, you are going to have to answer this question on your own.
If you choose to take your children to Europe (which I 100% hope you do), there are a couple things you should keep in mind while traveling. Some of these things are glamorous, but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t at least make you aware of them.
First and foremost- what age is appropriate for a child to travel to Europe? That is all dependent on your child's temperament. There is no way around that. Children with a more “go with the flow” temperament are going to do better traveling to Europe at an earlier age than others. Your child does need to be able to spend an entire day (or most of the day) on their feet or else you are going to find yourself either cutting your day of exploration short or cursing because your back hurts so much from carrying an extra 50 pounds around. Grade-school age kids tend to do best on European vacations as long as you incorporate activities that they will enjoy. Not many children are going to see the fun in going to the Lourve to look at the Mona Lisa. But they could see the fun in exploring and old battleship used in WWII. Will they know the significance of that battleship? Probably not. But they will know it's pretty cool and they get to pretend to be a soldier or even a pirate.
No matter what age your children are, you are going to have to plan for activities the whole family can enjoy. Another thing to keep in mind when traveling with your children is that you are probably not going to be able to do as much as you may want each day. Face it- boredom will sneak up even if you plan activities you think your child will enjoy. I would recommend no more than 2-4 activities/attractions planned for the day. The rest of the day should be spent relaxing and enjoying time together, allowing time for rest and decompression.
There are certain things to keep in mind before traveling with your children to Europe. First, the plane ride will probably be the longest plane ride they've ever been on. Make sure you have enough activities and snacks to keep them occupied. Learning a few phrases in the language of the country you are visiting is fun activity the whole family could participate in.
Secondly, Europe is a very safe place but you do still need to have a plan in place in case you get separated. Have a meeting place picked out or make sure your child knows how to look for a police officer if they need help. Write down the name and address of the hotel you are staying at and have your child keep it in their pocket.
Lastly, safety standards in Europe are not like they are here in the states. Hotel rooms may still have windows you can open completely. This become especially important to remember the higher floor you are on. Cobblestone streets and uneven surfaces are a plenty. Sections of fences/gates may be large enough for children to fit through. Alleyways are common in larger cities. My point here is not to scare you. My point is that you will need to stay vigilant and aware on your vacation. I am not telling you to strap your child on a leash to protect them but maybe keep a closer eye on them than normal. After all, they are experiencing something for the first time too and they will want to jump in as much as possible.
When you’re ready to start planning your family trip to Europe, let me know. Don’t go big on your first family trip. Take it small on the first go around, see how your child reacts and build from there. I’ll be here to help you along the way.