May Takeaways '25

We're in our last few relaxed days of travelling, so it's a good time to reflect.

The girls are much older than the last time we were in Europe, and that means the travel has been different.

Here are some of the things Jo and I have talked about in the last couple of weeks, and a good primer for future James ahead of the next trip.

Hi future James. I bet you're looking great.

1. Kids are chaos – but that's to be expected. It's a fantasy to think our children, who we proudly teach to be confident, outspoken, creative, will be quiet passengers on our travels. They have opinions, desires, and feelings. They'll be irrational and somedays they'll be tired. The question is less "how will they behave" and more "how will we react". When we match their frustration, big feelings escalate. When we address the way they communicate, instead of the reason they're communicating, we're missing the point. We're the adults at the end of the day, so it's on us to channel that chaotic energy, not demand it not appear.
2. Trips will look different at every age. Jo and I haven't changed much on what makes a great trip. But compromising that foodie-walky-drinky-history escapade with something the girls will enjoy is the game for a while.
   This trip we adapted.
   They needed a slow morning as we've been keeping them up late.
   They needed playground time each day to get their wiggles out.
   They need to snack constantly, lest they become monsters ahead of meals.
   They need the opportunity to nap on stroller walks, and when they take it, we don't wake them until they wake themselves.
3. Transitions are hard – minimize them. Our biggest challenges happened in transitions. Driving between hotels in Ireland. Navigating our stop-over in Frankfurt airport after Copenhagen (not worth the savings). There's a strong case to be made for choosing a homebase and maneuvering around it. A villa in Spain? A seaside apartment in the south of France? Sounds good to me. But it's this creating of a normal that allows the girls to find a routine. It's good to start the day eating yogurt in the kitchen. It's helpful if all the clothes are unpacked. Sometimes the girls need imagination time at the hotel with their toys. More is not more. Or at least it's not necessarily more fun. It's often more tears.