Mindset matters a lot. Traveling abroad with your kids is really not that difficult.

Recently, Mom Michelle and Dad Xiaodan took Little Princess abroad again—this time to Europe, a place Mom Michelle has always dreamed of visiting. It was her first time leaving Asia, and she was super excited herself. This was a parent-child trip to fulfill a dream in the UK (it was all about fulfilling Mom Michelle’s European dream~ Thanks, Daddy Xiaodan~).

Let me take this opportunity to share two very different experiences with you. Because the experiences and feelings from these two trips were really quite different!! The only thing that’s the same is that both trips were totally worthwhile, and we had such joyful and satisfying journeys!! (You can tell just by looking at Little Princess’s bright smile—so uplifting!)

This could be a good reference for you if you’ve been thinking about traveling abroad with your child (you). If you’ve always wanted to take your child abroad but have lots of concerns and fears—worried that you’ll just suffer for the money spent—

(Mindset is really super important, so I’ll say it three times!!!)

Actually, I’ve only taken my child abroad twice, so I wouldn’t say I’m super experienced. But I deeply feel that many decisions come with their own pros and cons.
When making any decision, it’s important to think clearly about your original intention and the consequences (isn’t that true for any life decision?). Build up the right mindset before taking action, and you’ll find that everything can actually be so wonderful!!

But if you act on impulse without preparing your mindset, some people will really travel abroad with endless worries and frustration, and then return home with deep resentment and anger. In such cases, the child won’t have fun, and you won’t either. Because if the whole trip is tiring, expensive, and unhappy, you won’t want to take your child abroad again—so please don’t let it be like that. Trust me—traveling abroad with your child can be really fun, as long as you adjust your mindset first!! Alright, let’s get to the point. What kind of mindset do you need to prepare? Let me briefly list some basics Up~ but I’m sure there’s no way I can list them all. Parents will know what I mean. The changes and surprises that happen during a trip aren’t always things you can predict in advance.

* Luggage *
It will definitely be a lot more, and the things you need to bring differ at different stages, seriously taking up a lot of luggage space!! (Usually, half the suitcase is filled with stuff for the little one… Don’t be fooled by their small size—the amount of preparation needed is not little.)

(This was our luggage for Tokyo. For the UK trip, it was more than double this amount!) I’ll write another detailed post later on how to pack for a trip with kids.
* Dining *
As parents know, dining out with kids is usually slower, whether they eat elegantly and slowly or play while eating—they’re still slow… And this doesn’t change abroad, okay? It’s the same. It might even be slower. Independent travel is a bit better—you can plan more flexible meal times. Buteven Little Princess, who is usually good at feeding herself, kept making us urge her along.

On our UK trip, we also ran into another big issue—“food preferences.” Even adults sometimes struggle with the food, let alone kids. Even I, Mom Michelle, who rarely lets her have fried food, gave in and let Little Princess eat whatever she wanted, because if I restricted her too much, I was afraid she’d end up with nothing to eat. But foreign flavors really didn’t suit her taste. During those days, she only ate a few bites—like a fairy—and then refused to eat anymore. You could tell she really didn’t like it. Tokyo was much better.Then, if the adults also get upset due to this and start getting angry, it’s not good.

You might only be able to fit in 2–3 main activities a day, and in larger areas, maybe just one. Also, please keep “absolute flexibility in your itinerary” so you can add or cut attractions anytime during your trip. Because when traveling with kids, plans will almost never go as expected. And even if everything goes smoothly, please reserve some “flexible time just for your child,” and don’t rush all the time. Your child might happily chase a flock of pigeons on the roadside. They might spot something small and squat down to observe it curiously for a long time. I choose to stop and accompany my child to live in the moment and fully enjoy that beautiful instant.

(This is a photo of Little Princess focusing on birds on a lawn in the UK.)
Unless it’s a time-sensitive next activity that you absolutely must rush to (e.g., an exhibition with entry time limits or needing to catch the last train...), I’d choose to postpone or cancel the following plans. Because accompanying your child to immerse themselves in the beauty discovered along the journey is a wonderful thing.
So if you’re going with a tour group, be prepared to be rushing nonstop. Traveling with a child, whether you’re carrying them, using a stroller, or letting them walk, will generally be slower than those without kids.
Also, if you’re traveling with a tour group and want to shop with your child, please train yourself to be “quick-eyed and quick-handed” and coordinate well with your spouse. Otherwise, you’ll often find that when everyone else is almost done checking out, you’re just arriving with your child. Without training in your “lightning-fast shopping skills,” you’ll often miss out on buying things. Just like on this UK trip with Michelle, we couldn’t enjoy the fun of shopping!!
If both of you are taking leave to travel abroad hoping for a “romantic, cozy, relaxing trip,” then please go on your honeymoon by yourselves—don’t bring your child. Because with a child, it’s often hard to be romantic, and both of you will be too busy. Don’t let your child ruin the romantic, sweet trip you originally wanted.

(The little princess was having so much fun in the Natural History Museum, mimicking how a hippo opens its mouth wide — how adorable!), and she also gets to interact with different people and environments!

During our travels, we slow down our pace for her and accompany her to experience things, and we follow her gaze to discover new perspectives!

We also truly cherish the times when she’s asleep (so if you’re traveling independently, plan your shopping sprees during her nap time).
We make the most of our time to enjoy some sweet moments as a couple. For us, we didn’t sacrifice anything for our child, because the decision to bring her along was something we discussed together. In fact, we feel we’ve gained even more wonderful memories by traveling with her. Family travel is definitely a whole different experience from romantic trips for just the two of us. Remember to adjust your mindset first, set your original intentions clearly, and prepare yourselves mentally — once you do that, you’ll find that traveling with your child can be truly wonderful!
Mi Xue’s mom chooses to start with this topic because she feels it’s very important.
It’s a thousand times more crucial than packing luggage or planning your itinerary. Without the right mindset, traveling abroad with your child might not be enjoyable at all — because let’s be honest, traveling with kids is “definitely” more hectic than traveling alone. But if you go into it with ample mental preparation, clear travel intentions, and a willingness to slow down for your child and enjoy the trip with a different mindset, Mi Xue’s mom believes you’ll gain a unique and rewarding experience. Feeling inspired? The year has only just begun — start planning now!

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