My college-age son is independent and self-sufficient. I owe it all to traveling with him when he was young.
A parent reflects on how traveling with her son from infancy helped him develop into an independent and self-sufficient college student. She argues that early exposure to diverse cultures and challenging travel experiences fostered his personal growth.
Why it matters
Offers a personal perspective on the long-term developmental benefits of family travel and early-childhood cultural exposure.
The author traveled with her son since he was a kid. Courtesy of Erika Ebsworth-Goold My husband and I traveled with our son around the world since he was 8 months old. It wasn't always easy, but my son had access to a variety of people and cultures. I believe traveling with him has helped him become an independent and self-sufficient college kid. My toddler son wasn't sure what to make of the situation. We'd just finished touring Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park, and were strolling through the adjacent village of Naranjito. He had his trusty stuffed toy, Grover, in tow. It wasn't long before a group of local children spotted it and approached him. "Elmo, Elmo," they gleefully shouted. My boy first looked confused, then beamed. "It's not Elmo, it's Grover," he exuberantly explained. A friendly conversation all about " Sesame Street " characters ensued.
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