Traveling taught me to let some parenting rules slide, even when we're at home

"In Marrakesh, my son played soccer in the winding streets of the ancient medina with kids wearing worn, off-brand Crocs. They barely stayed on their feet, but the game went on, full of laughter. In India, I saw children in threadbare clothing happily playing with no special toys required. I realized that, despite my incredible fortune to be able to get my children nearly whatever I wanted, they would be fine with the basics."

"Travel often involves unexpected cultural differences that require my family to adapt on the fly - especially when it comes to food. For breakfast in South Korea, we found ourselves with bowls of soup rather than cereal. In Egypt, we ate spaghetti mixed with lentils, rice, and chickpeas instead of meatballs. In Japan, our pizza came topped with honey."

Traveling to 26 countries across six continents fundamentally transformed parenting approaches. Observing children in Marrakesh playing soccer in worn shoes and Indian children thriving with minimal toys demonstrated that children need far less materially than parents often assume. This realization freed families from the pressure of constantly acquiring more possessions. Travel also cultivated flexibility around food and schedules, as families adapted to unexpected cultural differences like Korean soup breakfasts, Egyptian lentil-based meals, and Japanese honey-topped pizza. These experiences showed that children are resilient and adaptable when exposed to diverse situations, making parents less rigid about maintaining specific routines and dietary preferences at home and abroad.

Read at Business Insider