What My Kids Are Learning by Traveling With a Solo Mom
When I tell people I travel with kids — just me and them, sometimes in the trailer and sometimes even in the car — they usually assume the kids are sacrificing stability.
But I see something different.
Travel isn't taking something away from them. It’s quietly giving them things most kids never get the chance to learn. These are a few of the things I see.
1. Confidence in Uncertainty
Sometimes plans fall apart.
Campsites change.
Weather shifts.
Budgets get tighter.
Things just don’t turn out the way we planned.
They’re learning that when life changes the plan, you don’t panic — you adapt. They see it when I adapt to the unexpected, when we have to make the best of our situation, or when we completely change course and somehow everything still works out.
This happens a lot when traveling — especially when traveling with a chronic illness, two pre-teen girls, and just me! But I can already see these lessons serving them in their daily lives.
2. Comfort With the Unfamiliar
Travel means constantly encountering new places, new people, and new environments.
Sometimes those things are amazing — incredible views we’ve never seen before, or stumbling unexpectedly onto a live outdoor concert.
Sometimes they’re uncomfortable — like being the first car parked on the main deck of the ferry, meeting a chatty busker in an elevator, or arriving at a new campground after dark.
They’re learning that unfamiliar doesn’t automatically mean unsafe. New situations can be interesting, exciting, or even enlightening.
3. Situational Awareness and Making Safe Choices
While I worry about our safety most of the time without burdening them, I also make sure they see the choices I make to keep us safe.
We talk about safety and uncomfortable situations before and after they happen. They know what to do in an emergency, and they are vigilant about trusting their instincts.
They’re learning that awareness and preparation make a huge difference. With the right tools and understanding, they don’t have to fear new situations — they can approach them thoughtfully and make safe choices.
4. Resourcefulness
When you’re living on the road out of a cramped space, you figure things out.
You have to be intentional to make things work. You have to pivot quickly and use what’s available to you. And when you’re car camping on a long road trip, your situation changes with every new campsite.
Where to cook.
How to organize.
What you brought.
What you forgot.
You learn what you need to buy, and what you simply have to do without because there isn’t room.
They’re learning not only that problems are solvable, but how to solve them with what they have available in the moment.
When you can’t wait until you get home to fix a problem, you learn to use what’s available — even if it isn’t ideal. When you can’t just run out and buy something — whether because you're far from town, already set up for the night, or simply out of space — you learn quickly how to make use of what you already have.
And when you're traveling on a tight budget, you learn to appreciate what you do have and how to make it last.
They’re learning that problems can be solved — and how to solve them creatively.
5. Appreciation for Simple Things
When you don’t have everything all the time, small things matter more.
On the road you might not get a hot shower every day, and when you do it might not be predictable where you’ll get it. Showering at pools, gyms, truck stops, or using a solar shower really changes your appreciation for being able to step into your own shower at home whenever you want.
When every day brings a new incredible view, you begin to notice beauty in a deeper way.
A quiet campsite becomes something you deeply appreciate — especially after you’ve had a noisy one.
And things like meals out, home-cooked food, access to a real oven, or even a dishwasher start to feel like luxuries.
Travel teaches gratitude in a way comfort rarely does.
6. Courage to Live Differently
Our life doesn’t look like everyone else's.
Not everyone agrees with my choice to travel with the kids. But my kids are experiencing the benefits of it.
We make many of our decisions together. They’re seeing firsthand that you’re allowed to build a life that works for you.
You don’t have to make only the choices everyone expects of you — as long as they’re the right choices for you.
They are actively participating in creating a life they’re thriving in, and adjusting it in real time as our needs change.
Travel with kids isn’t always easy.
Traveling as a single parent can be hard. Sometimes it feels impossible. And traveling with chronic illness adds another layer of unpredictability.
But I’ve realized that the hard parts might actually be the most important parts.
Because long after the trips are over, these are the things they’ll carry with them.
The hard parts of life build character, resilience, and depth. And sometimes they lead to the most meaningful learning.
What life skills do you think travel teaches kids?