Does travel really broaden the mind for kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know a few families with teens who travel internationally a lot - every spring, summer, winter break. Several long weekends. Cruises to the Galapagos and Alaska, trips to Europe and Asia, etc. etc. But none of the pre-teens/teens seem all that special or interesting. They stare at their phones, barely make eye contact or speak, even basic pleasantries which IMO are the bare minimum that should be drilled into kids.

We have a toddler and preschooler so not in the heavy traveling stage yet, though we will be in a few years. And we are fortunate to have enough disposal income to travel abroad frequently, as we did before kids. But I am not sure if we should - would it be better to stay home and teach basic manners instead? I know plenty of people (including pre-teens) who don’t travel much but they are very interesting to talk to. I would rather have my kids be like them.

It depends on how parents frame travelling. Are you going to another place to just use its resources w/o learning its history and the people (think going to India w/o actually speaking to any Indians except for those who serve you), or will you check out the local markets, etc, and actually try the food.

Also, learning about local environments and culture helps so they don't think it is all "over there"

[Anonymous]

We traveled to Europe a few times with our kids when they were tweens and teens and they got a lot out of it after resisting the first time. After that it was where can we go next. Now as adults they love to explore and this spring one daughter is taking her young kids to Europe for spring break because she loved the trips we took. When you take a 12 year old to Rome and explore the Coliseum and other parts of Ancient Rome they really get it especially if before you go you watch a video about what they will see. Then when they see it they are blown away. Does it broaden their minds? I definitely think so and it beats Disney World.