Why Are Family Adventures Important?

There are so many things we are told are important when it comes to raising a family. However, adventure rarely makes it to the top of the list. In fact, we’re often encouraged to slow down our adventures when we have children.

Ignore the Naysayers.
When my daughter was 1 year old, we were planning a trip to Costa Rica for three weeks. So many people told us not to go on the trip.

“She’s not going to remember.”

“Is it safe to fly with a baby that young?”

“Why would you take a child? You’re not going to have any fun?”

Have you heard any of these sentiments before?

Well, we did take her and we had the time of our lives. My daughter still talks about the trip and will show the photos to anyone who will sit down long enough to look at them.

Adventuring together.
In addition to going to Costa Rica, Matt and I also drove across country 3 times with our 1 year old with us. We were in a financial position to take a whole year off just to be with each other, travel, and spend time with family. It was one of the best years of our lives.

When you take adventures as a family, you get to know each other on a deeper level. I mean, let’s face it. The daily grind isn’t exactly a bonding experience. But exploring new places, overcoming unexpected challenges, and experiencing new and exciting things together strengthens your connection to each other. It makes you feel alive and aware.

When families feel powerful emotions together, a deeper bond will form between you. Think of this as the opposite of a trauma bond. Let’s call it an adventure bond. Matt and I are best friends and the adventures we’ve taken together have only brought us closer together. The kids are best friends. They’ve traveled the world together so why wouldn’t they be?

Go near or far.
Adventures don’t always have to be halfway around the world. You can be a tourist in your own town or a neighboring town. Here are some tips for finding a great adventure:

• Follow the social media pages of your town and the surrounding towns so you’re in the know for any activities happening. Also, find the mom bloggers in your area. Every time we’ve moved to a new city, the mom bloggers have been my best resource for new and exciting adventures within the city and surrounding areas. Also, check out facebook events posted in your area. Many local organizations and communities will post in facebook events. I’ve found out about some great places in facebook events that I may not have heard of otherwise.
  
• Check out the parks! They’re free or very inexpensive and are full of adventures. Look for state parks, regional parks, nature centers, and natural wonders like waterfalls or scenic hikes. The best way to find these areas is to plug “waterfalls” and “you city” into google.
  
• Get out of your comfort zone. It’s not adventure if you’re not excited (and maybe a little nervous too!). Be willing to try new things. Consistently stretching yourself and trying new things does wonders for the little ones watching you. It gives them a growth mindset and helps them normalize moving beyond their own comfort zones.

The cool thing is once you start adventuring, you’ll meet new people and connect to new communities. You’ll start learning more and more about adventures you want to take. And you family will add to the list too.

Your adventures list will keep getting longer and longer. Your life expand. And your relationship with your family will deepen.