Ever been on a vacation with someone and experienced a severe need to detach yourself from that person for an hour or a day just to regroup mentally and physically? The nature of travel is that you’re not in a known environment, you’re exploring and you’re subject to stresses that don’t typically assault you when you’re at home. In fact, if travel weren’t so rewarding there’d be a lot fewer people jumping on planes and trains to traverse the globe in search of adventure.

That said, travel does offer enrichment and education that can’t be garnered in a classroom or online. Putting away your iPad and strolling among Roman ruins or Parisian cafes builds affinity for new experiences in a way no video can match. Therefore, if you’re looking for one thing to share with nieces and nephews this summer, travel might be the thing.

Travel offers knowledge, fun and memories. Even Mark Twain was quoted as saying travel has value far beyond just being somewhere.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts,” he said. “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

Therefore, get ready to travel with your favorite loved ones. And remember, nieces and nephews can be fun traveling companions… if you adhere to a few rules of the road. These are…

Keep an open mind (yourself) and allow your young charges to make observations and share their thoughts throughout any trip. Whether you’re just going to a National Park or to a yurt in Iceland, let them challenge their minds with the grand experience. Ask them questions about their favorite events of each trip and urge them to keep notes or even a diary of their journey.

Prepare properly for traveling with children. This means being fully aware of medical issues, stamina, past experiences (good and bad), and full documentation including letters from parents and identification for all children. These days it’s not easy to travel abroad with children who don’t belong to you. If you’re thinking of International excursions, it might be advisable to do so with one of the parents and then act as a tour guide at the destination.

Use technology to keep in touch with parents and to document the trip. Inexpensive digital cameras (if your nieces and nephews don’t have smartphones) are a great way to save memories. Perhaps nightly Facetime or video calls home might keep some younger children from getting homesick or anxious during the trip.

Finally, spend some time planning the trip with your loved ones. Involving kids in the choice of destination, daily excursions and even the type of rental car keeps them fully involved and excited about the trip. You can either use a Google doc to keep notes that everyone can contribute to or get a large desk calendar and write notes on that in the months and weeks leading up to the vacation.

Regardless of how you plan it, a vacation with your nieces and nephews will surely keep you at the top of the Uncle list for years to come.

Jeff Cutler is a freelance journalist, social media trainer and content specialist who writes for more than a dozen blogs. The best way to see Jeff's world is by going to http://jeffcutler.com or using the social media links at the top of his Website.

Photo: pennuja via Flickr cc
Publised: June 17, 2014