Did summer begin already? A quick jaunt to Europe consumed nearly three weeks and tested the parental strength we thought we had amassed after all these years.

Lessons learned: do not do multiple legs within Europe, across borders via planes or trains IF you have kids in a stroller or car seat. The sheer weight of these items makes the cross border travails exhausting. Furthermore, no thanks to the state of affairs with airlines, assume delays and cancellations all summer; hence, you will be saddled with multiple car seats, strollers, bags, and kids in non air conditioned conditions trying to keep your calm.

With that said, testing everyone’s patience is teaching kids life lessons on how to manage adversity, because they will mirror your composure later in life. Immersion in other cultures has long term impacts on their ability to navigate diversity and inclusion as they get older; being American is great, but you really lack a true identity outside of the culture you connect with. Having them witness and engage with other cultures teaches them invaluable life lessons. The last element is around the sense of uncertainty and adventure: of you are home doing the same routine in the same country all the time, your scope is myopic at best. Having them navigate uncertainty without knowing a native language is truly an experiment and experience!

More adventures to come as our birthday season this summer begins…