Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.My parents hope to travel around world next summer. A. a B. an C. the D. Ø (no article) Travel 5. Website 6. Accident 7. Childhood memory 8. Favorite rooms 9. Presents 10. Historical place 11. Newspaper/ Magazine 12. Why I love my mom and dad. Funny things my parents say. Let me tell you about my imaginary friend. Secrets my mom does all day when I'm not around. What my brother/sister thinks of me. What my dad does in the. Either spring_____ summer is a good time to visit our region. Choose the best answer for the following sentence: The woman ______________ I told you works in our school. Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.My parents hope to travel around world next summer. 57 views, 2 likes, 8 loves, 21 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Rincon Congregational UCC: Sunday Worship October 16, 2022 Central Iowa Mopeds & More in Huxley is known for top-quality products combined with excellent service standards. We offer a unique buying experience by paying close attention to each customer's individual interests and needs. Our service team consists of highly experienced powersports professionals and enthusiasts who share our customers. e-scooter. co - Electric Moped Scooters USA 2022. Gender disappointment is the feeling of sadness when a parent's strong desire for a child of a particular, preferred sex is not met. [1] [2] [3] The feeling has been linked to the prevalence of the sexist and gender essentialist beliefs. my second daughter is 9 years. First is 13. Now 20 weeks with third. 9HVR6cu. Children have a stake in the game when it comes to what they want to see We’re dedicating our March features to family travel. Read on for insightful guides to the best road trips for different ages, the best hotels with amenities for children, and the changing face of family trip planning, as well as inspiring stories of traveling with a newborn, family travel post-divorce, the lowdown on family campground culture, and more. With travel on the rise, more and more families are planning to take their home life on the road, whether it’s for a weekend or a lengthier, unschooling-fueled trips around the states. And while traveling with kids can be stressful—with all those suitcases and gadgets and cries of "Are we there yet?"—it can also be a deeply rewarding activity. Indeed, as more and more parents are finding out, traveling with kids can be especially rewarding if they’re allowed to participate in trip planning. “Kids like to be part of the process and they like to know what to expect,” says Grace Bastidas, Editor-in-chief of Parents. “If you're making them part of the planning, chances are they're likely to get more excited instead of feeling like they're just being shuffled around from one place to another. And getting involved isn’t just for teens and tweens. Involving young children in planning a family trip might sound ridiculous, but it’s far more valuable than it might seem. While children might not always be able to advocate for themselves in the most cohesive fashion, that doesn’t mean they don’t have opinions or a stake in the game when it comes to what—or how much—they want to see on a trip. Sometimes, it’s just about leaving a little wiggle room in the schedule. Family travel expert Keith Waldon notes that younger kids might not necessarily be as excited about a city’s big sights as their parents or even their siblings. “You should not expect a 4 year old to spend eight hours in museums,” says Waldon. “It's really smart for parents to think as their four year old and realize, 'This is a 30 minute max type opportunity for my child.’” That attitude should help parents steer away from dreaded meltdowns that could waylay the rest of the day. Parents can also play into their child’s interests when planning a trip. If a little one is into dinosaurs, perhaps you’ll want to check out a city’s Natural History Museum. If they love animals, maybe there’s a way to incorporate a visit to a farm or an aquarium into the adventures, or maybe the family should prioritize a trip to Costa Rica’s rainforests over a jaunt to Mexico City’s urban jungle—this time, at least. It’s also worth noting that kids don’t always make insurmountable requests. Sally Black, travel agent and founder of VacationKids, says she was once planning a trip for a family with a “type A helicopter mom.” She says the mother “had planned the trip with military precision and you could tell she was trying to keep up with all the bus stop moms with all this educational stuff on the schedule, but I told her to put [her 4-year-old son] on the call and she thought I was out of my mind. I said to him, Zach, what’s the one thing you want from vacation?’ and he said, A pool with a slide.’” One of Bastidas’ favorite ways to get younger kids psyched for a trip incorporates something a lot of parents are already doing reading. “Books are perfect for little armchair travelers,” she says. “They let the kids get excited about the world before they even leave home.” Before a recent family trip to Puerto Rico, for example, Bastidas read her kids a book about a coqui, which is a type of frog known for its loud calls that’s often found on the island. Afterwards, she says, “My daughters got really excited to hear from this tiny little frog that sings at night.” "I said to him, Zach, what’s the one thing you want from vacation?’ and he said, A pool with a slide.’" Parents can also spice up the more grown-up friendly parts of travel with kid-friendly accents, like a scavenger hunt at an art museum or a promised trip to a local ice cream parlor after a stop at a historical monument. A lot of museums even offer special kids’ pages, which could make this kind of thing easier. Family travel writer Eileen Ogintz, of Taking the Kids, also suggests that, for a trip to a city’s Chinatown, for example, a parent could challenge their child to see who could eat the most new foods. “Kids are really big on challenges,” she explains. Catherine Ryan Gregory, who blogs about her family’s travels on her site To & Fro Fam, reminds parents that even the most minute choices can mean a lot to little ones. She recommends giving kids options around activities and letting them choose. For instance, she says, a parent could tell their kid, “We're going to go to the Natural History Museum this afternoon. There are two places that we could eat nearby. We could either get hot dogs in the park, or we could have sandwiches at this restaurant. Which would you rather do?” Giving a kid a fun choice can also help break them out of a funk or, as Gregory says, “move things along if a kid is having a hard time with the transition” to a new place. Elementary school kids can be a little more globally conscious, meaning parents can prep their kids for a trip by telling them about life in their destination. Waldon recommends showing kids a movie that highlights the destination and culture. It doesn’t have to be a documentary If you’re going to Paris, for instance, you could screen "Ratatouille" or "Madeline." “Eat a meal that is tied directly into the culture of the destination in your local town before you leave,” says Waldon, like getting spanakopita at a local restaurant before a trip to Greece. “Having a very culturally specific experience before you leave home can really get kids very excited," he says. Family travel expert Kirsten Maxwell, of Kids Are A Trip, says that making memories with elementary aged kids doesn’t have to be expensive, either. When she’s in a new city with her family, she says, “we go to the local grocery store versus a big box store. That way, we’re getting more of that local experience. If your little ones are learning a language, this could be a good time for them to test it out—or just a good time for them to pick up some intriguing new snacks. “They'll be like, Oh my gosh, you see what they call Sour Patch Kids here?’” says Maxwell, noting that her kids have developed a particular interest in the different flavors of Pringles available around the world. That kind of experience might seem a little disposable, but it really can matter. Black says that she thinks the most important lessons kids learn by traveling are the “soft skills,” like “patience, flexibility, and being open to trying new fruits.” Getting a glimpse at someone’s everyday life can also make kids start to think about what kids their age are doing in those countries. Black says kids may ask “How is their life different than mine? How is their life similar to mine?,” and notes that picking up a sense of humility can be a virtue. Getting a glimpse at someone’s everyday life can also make kids start to think about what kids their age are doing in those countries. Sometimes, the best planning for a trip with tweens can just be to let go. Waldon says that agreeing to a tween’s requests, even if they aren’t your preferences, can even teach parents a thing or two. “We don't need to stop evolving just because we're older,” he says. Going on that trip to swim with dolphins might not have been your cup of tea before you did it, but actually getting in the water could be a game changer. On top of that, giving into a sometimes sullen tween’s request could actually make them open up a bit. As Waldon explains, “Our joy is directly tied to the joy of our kids, and when you can bring that to life and see the happiness in your child, there's really not much of anything that's better.” If your tween is into social media, they might want to help you plan out some spots to stop at for photos, whether they end up on the gram or not. Bastidas says that, like a lot of parents, she’s “terrible at printing out photos of birthdays and everydays, even though [she has] thousands of those,” but she has made a commitment to herself that she’ll always make a travel album after each of her family’s vacations. Giving your kids a hand in making that book can help inspire them for future trips—or at least make them more involved in the one that you all might currently be on. Travel can even make school a little more exciting for teenagers. A family could choose to go somewhere relevant to a teen’s studies, like a Central American country for a kid who loves Spanish class. They could also incorporate a teen’s classes into an already existing trip. Family travel expert Jessica Griscavage, of travel agency Runway Travel, says parents should ask about their kids’ interests. “What subjects do they like? Do they love art? Do they have a favorite sport? Would they want to catch a soccer match if it's a European trip?” she asks. If they’re taking a world history class, perhaps they’d want to hit up the Colosseum in Rome or the Churchill War Rooms in London. Teens also typically have pretty strong opinions when it comes to family vacations, which can lead to some hairy family dynamics and stressful travel moments. Those could help bring a group closer together, though, especially if a teenager gets to see their parent dealing with a plan that’s gone awry. Black says those snags can show kids that their parents are just as human as they are, “and, when you’re all in a new situation together, [parents] have to learn things just like kids. Everybody is learning at the same time.” Ogintz agrees, reminding that, “No family trip goes without hiccups. People think it's gonna be one Instagram worthy moment after another, but that never happens.” When kids are involved and it’s not all on mom and dad, then they can become invested in getting through those hiccups and learning to soldier through and work things out together, as a family. Disclaimer This post contains affiliate links to handpicked partners, including tours, gear and booking sites. If you click through or buy something via one of them, I may receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and allows this site to keep running. Want to go travel for a long time? Here’s how to tell your parents you are going travelling. An honest guide on what to do and say. How to tell your parents you are going travelling can be one of the hardest situations to face when planning a long-term trip. I often reflect on those difficult moments I faced when I left home eight years ago to go backpacking, and where I am today. “Mum, Dad. I have something to tell you… I’m leaving to go travelling.” As you can imagine, it’s met with a mix of emotions, and opinions. Saving for an around the world trip? Want to take a GAP year after school? Want to travel after graduating from university and taking your first steps on the career ladder? Randomly want to fulfil your dream to travel? There’s that indulgent and somewhat selfish moment when you decide to travel for a long time and you really couldn’t care less about what people think regarding your decision. Why? You are taking control and doing what some people only sit and daydream about; you are changing your life to accommodate this ambition and you are realising the dream that many see as impossible. Yet that doesn’t mean you should ignore the reactions of others though, especially from those that mean well, like your parents. Going Alone – How to Tell Your Parents You Are Going Travelling I’ve been lucky that my parents have been very supportive. I had always undertaken much smaller travel stints before and they saw my big one looming, which meant it wasn’t so much of a shock of them. But it doesn’t mean that my parents didn’t have their moments’ once I announced my plans a year before I left. And by moments I mean questions, questions and more questions, sad conversations and the dramatic and inevitable “Will you ever come back?” Despite being confident, independent and determined, I’m also their only daughter and I was doing this alone. Telling my parents I was leaving for an around the world trip was one thing. Telling my parents that I was leaving to travel as a solo female was another. Realistically, I couldn’t blame them for not having something to say on the matter. Other reactions from people, aside from kind words from friends, were mainly been the result of ignorance or jealousy and so I ignored them. The only reactions you should be responding to are the ones that matter. So here is my low down on some of the parental scenarios I came across when I planned to leave, how I told my parents about my travel plans and how I helped them to deal with it. ContentsParents – A Different Generation of TravelHow to Tell Your Parents About Your Travel Plans Keep them updated with your you have the time face-to-face, explain travel to your Your Parents You Are Going Travelling By Getting Them InvolvedWhat NOT to Tell your Parents about Going TravellingYears Ahead Parents – A Different Generation of Travel Your parents are genuinely worried and they care about you. Full stop. You have to remember that our parents are not from a generation that could drop everything and backpack around the world. Your mother and father probably left school and worked, stayed at the same company for years, married young and had families – because security was the normality. And that’s what made them happy. You could say we are extremely lucky to be a part of a generation where we have the confidence to walk away from something if we don’t like it because deep down we know it will be OK and to build up a career and qualifications so that we have something to fall back on. Where to delay getting married and having children is actually not frowned upon by those around you. More importantly, to be living in a time where the opportunity to see the world is both cheaper and more easily accessible. So don’t blame your parents for asking you a multitude of questions about your travels, or simply not understanding at all. They are trying and they do mean well. How to Tell Your Parents About Your Travel Plans Keep them updated with your itinerary. When I had a new addition to my destination list, I let them know about it and talked to them about why I was choosing to go there. If they know you are confident about your choices they will have less reason to worry. For example, my mum was not best pleased when I mentioned North Korea. But she was a little calmer when I explained why and how. That I was joining a reputable tour company for example. That I would be with other people. That I wouldn’t have any means of contact while in the country and therefore not to worry. You are probably thinking that I shouldn’t have mentioned it at all. But then why lie? It would only make it worse if I announced it while I was in China, without being able to talk to her properly, where she would worry so much more. While you have the time face-to-face, explain travel to your parents. What you plan to be doing when in particular countries that to them are deemed a little unsafe, lesser-visited, different or unknown. The reality of any misconceptions that may lead to unease. My dad told me he wasn’t sure if he could visit me in Cambodia because he likes to stay in hotels’ – he soon learnt otherwise! How you find and book a hostel and how you might get from place to place. Again, announcing from a country afar that you are about to board a night bus for 38 hours with a bunch of strangers may be best announced and explained now. How you can and WILL meet people along the way and that you really won’t be completely alone 100% of the time. That you will take measures to stay safe. I once had a 20-minute discussion with one of my parents about the use of motorcycle helmets. It was painful but I was glad it was 20 minutes before my trip than 20 minutes during my trip when the time to catch up was more precious. A discussion with your parents, before leaving for travelling, will save you having to explain it all when you are on the road when, quite frankly, you won’t have the time or patience. Use modern technology and practice with them. A few months before I left, my mum bought a microphone for her PC and we set it all up, raring to go on Skype for future chats. My dad is a gadget geek and knows his stuff, but my mum got her practice time in. Because that’s what made her feel better, and I felt better knowing she had the resources to stay in touch. Spend time going through the absolute basics of travel with your parents before you leave, if you absolutely have to. There will be times when you only have 10 minutes to chat when on the road and you don’t want half of that to be a tutorial. Make sure they realise that there may be countries where mobile phones won’t work or you can’t find a sim card. Or wi-fi, or even an old PC with a decent internet connection. Explain to them and troubleshoot, even before you get to the next country, that contact might not be as easy, or quick running, as it is at home. Tell Your Parents You Are Going Travelling By Getting Them Involved There is knowledge in life about certain things that your parents would trump you on, 10 times over, like finances and wording in policies. Therefore, ask for help when you need it as parents feel joy when they get to help you. And there are things in life that you know a lot about and they don’t, like volunteering, flight planning and adventure activities, so get them reading and interested! Parents and financial insights I know my dad gets mad at me if I don’t make correct financial decisions and so I got him involved from the very start. He might not have known much about half of the things I had planned on my 15-month trip, but he sure has helped me find the best ISA and savings accounts which I had used to save and help fund my trip and he even helped me to lock down the best pre-paid travel card. In the end, at least he knew that my money was going to be well spent as it was being well invested. Do your parents have friends abroad? If your parents know people in different countries or have friends who have been to certain places on your list, ask them to seek out further information and advice for you. Or even someone to visit or a place to stay! I am sure they will love knowing that they have contributed to your travel plans and decisions. Take your parents travel shopping with you I found that taking my parents with me to travel shops was also a handy way for them to learn about your expenditure on certain items, why you need particular things and that, all-in-all, you really are well equipped for your time away. It gives them another reason not to worry. Send them documents for reference Send them links to websites, PDF’s of travel itineraries – anything they can read to fully understand some of the things you are doing and where you are going. I know my mum felt a lot better about my pending volunteering stint in Cambodia after she had a good read of the charity’s website. Be brutally honest with your parents Lay it ALL out now. You won’t be texting back straight away, you won’t be calling from every available phone and you won’t feel the need to Skype every time your heart skips a beat at the arrival of decent Wi-Fi. You love them, but you will love your travel life a whole lot more. What NOT to Tell your Parents about Going Travelling Don’t Tell them horror stories. Really, don’t. Bad things can happen and if it happens to you, you will deal with it, unless you really and seriously need help. I didn’t tell my mother about a serious incident travelling until around five years later. At the time it was something very personal to me and which shaped me. It wasn’t something for her to worry about from afar. Dwell too much on the potentially dangerous. It’s not really a word to use in a conversation with the parents, is it? Dangerous to you may translate into adrenalin-fuelled activity or driving along the world’s narrowest mountain road, but to them, it means instant death. Promise them set times to catch up. Plans always change and missing a catch up will only make them worry that something has happened to you. Not that you are just out sightseeing or having another beer in the bar with your new friends. Lie. Do what you have to do and do what you want to do. It’s your life and your unique travel experience so enjoy every moment and let them react to it how they will. My plan was to travel for 12 months, increased to 18 months and then to two years. The reality is, I never came back. Well, I did and still do for a week or two, but once I had left, I found homes all over the world before eventually settling in Vienna, Austria. Years Ahead What do I tell my parents now about travelling around the world?? That I am happy. That I turned it into a job and its fruitful. That it’s a passion and a part of my personality. What do my parents see? A happy, well-rounded, well-travelled, incredibly curious daughter who adores people and cultural immersion and craves the adrenalin of adventure. I’m their child who got to do the things they never could. Or one who pushed them beyond their own boundaries when they travelled with me or at least tried to. A reaction from a parent, however extreme, is just a sign that they care. Work with them, not against them – because with more knowledge will come greater support and the chance to go travelling, on your own terms. READ MORE Top Excuses Not to go Travelling and how to Overcome them. How to Stay Calm When Your Child Is Traveling, According to TripSavvy Parents Pro tip Avoid watching "Taken" at all costs We’re celebrating the joy of solo travel. Let us inspire your next adventure with features about why 2021 is the ultimate year for a solo trip and how traveling alone can actually come with amazing perks. Then, read personal features from writers who have traversed the globe alone, from hiking the Appalachian Trail, to riding rollercoasters, and finding themselves while discovering new places. Whether you’ve taken a solo trip or you’re considering it, learn why a trip for one should be on your bucket list. For many parents, the thought of their child traveling alone—especially for the first time—brings up a complex mix of emotions. Fear, anxiety, excitement, pride, you name it. Even seasoned travelers who have explored the world on their own can't help but worry when it's time for their kids to travel on their own. But it doesn't have to be that way. As a team of travel pros, the parents of Team TripSavvy have a lot of experience with solo traveling kids—here's what they had to say about staying calm while your child is off on their own. The first tip is to avoid watching "Taken" at all costs, trust us. Courtesy of Ellie Storck Sharing My Location Gives My Traveler Parents Peace of Mind My parents both got a taste for solo travel via epic cross-country road trips in the 1970s, which explains why I love them—the '70s, road trips, and my parents—so much. “My first really impactful solo experience was in 1975, the year after I graduated from high school,” my dad said with a grin. “I took a gap year and worked and did various things. And one of the things I did was get on a train to cross the country to San Francisco to visit my sister." Starting in New York, he spent three days crossing the country on his own. "It was a lot of fun because there were a lot of young people on the train and we all kind of glommed together into a unit. We took over the viewing car, which was double-decked, and sat on the top deck with all the views, and we just camped out there—slept there, ate there, hung out, played music.” My mom’s first solo trip was more of the explore-the-wild-west ilk. “I never was traveling alone until college when I went to Windham in Putney, Vermont,” she told me. “When I was done with college and moved home to Annapolis, I drove with a friend through Colorado and to the southwest. We stayed with friends here and there as we drove. We had to drive through the desert at night, so the car didn’t overheat.” Even though they have considerable experience, as a woman traveling around the world on my own, it comes as no surprise that my parents get nervous. “I never worried about you doing well with decision making,” said my mom, “but rather running into someone who would take advantage of you.” My dad had similar concerns a la Liam Neeson’s "Taken" "As a father, I imagined all the worst-case scenarios. But I knew that I had a lot of confidence in you, so I wasn’t that worried beyond the usual stuff.” He and I reminisced about when we figured out how to use the location sharing settings on our phones when I traveled to Japan alone two years ago. That technology made it simple for them to know where I was at all times, and it was pretty funny getting a text from him saying, “Oh, wow, you’re at the base of Mount Fuji!” —Ellie Nan Storck, hotel editor Courtesy of Astrid Taran I Send My Mom Selfies From My Location My mom was a prolific traveler throughout her twenties, so she’s always encouraged me to travel as much as possible. But when I started traveling solo, she definitely had some reservations. “I need to be able to contact you at all times,” I remember her telling me before one of my first solo trips. “So make sure to answer my texts immediately.” Like many parents, my mom is constantly concerned about my whereabouts. Add in the potential factor of me being in a different country—let alone a country where I didn’t speak the native tongue—and she was more than a little antsy. When I asked her why she needed constant text updates from me, she replied, “So I can make sure you’re alive.” In 2005, 18-year-old American teenager Natalee Holloway disappeared on a high school trip to Aruba. You couldn’t turn a television on or open a newspaper and not hear about it. At the time, I was a young teenager myself and had already been bitten hard by the travel bug. Natalee’s disappearance and its subsequent international news coverage was a dark shadow cast upon millions of American teens. I remember a group of parents protesting a high school class trip to Italy that spring, terrified to let their children out of sight. Before heading off on weekend road trips with friends, my mom would ask me to write down the name of where I’d be staying and make me promise to call promptly upon my arrival. These days, things have changed. I have a cell phone, which is constantly at my side. “The digital age has its benefits,” my mom conceded. When she traveled through Europe in the 80s, she wrote letters home every week, dropping them off at the consulate. “I would send my mother photos of all the places I’d been,” she said. It took me a second to realize she meant physical photos. “So she would know I’m okay.” Today, I’m able to send my mom a selfie from my location in a matter of seconds—no need to wait for photos to develop. It’s the least I can do to grant her peace of mind. —Astrid Taran, senior audience editor Courtesy of Taylor McIntyre Regularly Scheduled Contact Is a Must for My Parents I took my first solo trip right after college, where I backpacked for a year, on my own, through 30 different countries in Europe. That was the first time I left the country, save for a quick road trip to Canada with my friend. Before the trip, I remember my parents being visibly nervous but trying to put on a brave face that would often break as I hopped from one country to the next. "We were nervous and frightened the whole time," my mom said. Of course, my dad referenced "Taken" and how, if I were put in danger, he was no Liam Neeson. I asked if they didn’t want me to do that trip. My dad paused. "No, no. I always raised you to be independent and to live out your dreams. I wanted you to do it," he said, "but I was nervous for you.” Even now, they still get nervous when I travel, but, according to them, it’s a parent thing, and one day, I will understand. “As a parent, you always have that feeling. Even when your brother goes out driving somewhere, it’s just a parent thing.” My mom said what helped her keep it together during that year was hearing from me, whether that was a long-distance call or a post on Facebook. Her advice for other parents in her shoes? “Make sure they have an international phone plan and set up regularly scheduled contact.” As for my dad, his sage words were, "Don't travel alone. Get a buddy." —Taylor McIntyre, visual editor Courtesy of Sherri Gardner I Establish Codewords in Case I Need to Subtly Ask for Help Much like me, my parents are worriers. Like the kind of worry where if I take too long to respond to a text or miss a phone call without advance warning, my parents assume I'm incapacitated. So when I left out on my first solo trip in South Korea, I needed to send my flight itinerary and hotel reservation as well as call them at least once a day, every day. And even then, my parents, especially my dad, found it difficult to relax completely until I was back home. I was surprised to learn that he was worried even when we traveled together. As a disclaimer, he did confess to watching "Taken" dozens of times in the two years between the film's release and our first international trip and it definitely didn't help that we were going to Paris, where the movie was set. While walking the streets of Paris he "kept looking around like 'No one's gonna snatch my baby.'" When asked what advice he has for worried parents, he says "number one is to set out your safe words so that kids can let their parents know that something's wrong without saying outright that something is wrong. It's also important to understand why they want to go where they want to go." This desire to understand manifested itself as intense interrogations about what neighborhoods would I be exploring, had I researched crime rates, where I would be staying, what is it like for single women there, what would I do if I lost my passport, and so on, and so on. It was frustrating for me but these conversations gave whenever him peace of mind that I did my due diligence. But his most important tip for soothing parental anxiety? "Give them experiences when they're younger. I don't think I could've survived you going to Korea if we hadn't done Paris and if you hadn't gone to Cuba or studied in London. Each individual trip along the way builds up experience that you can use when you go on the next one." —Sherri Gardner, associate editor Courtesy of Laura Ratliff My Parents Are More Afraid of My Everyday Life—Go Figure When I first wanted to ask my parents about their thoughts on this story, I couldn't get ahold of them for three days. Odd perhaps to some, but to me, this was entirely normal. You see, almost two years ago, my parents retired, sold their suburban home in Dallas, and bought a 37' RV that would become their new home. Since then, they've traversed the country, rarely spending more than a week or two in one place, except during peak pandemic, where they stayed put in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Perhaps their largely off-grid travels are simply a way to get back at me for jet-setting throughout my late teens and 20s? Not so, said my dad. "Honestly, I worried the most about you when you moved to New York City," he admitted. That move—which occurred over a decade ago—has been followed by more than 400,000 miles of travel, much of it solo, that clearly hasn't bothered them a bit. And, no, he no longer worries about my life in New York City, although he does worry about me driving the car I purchased last year instead of walking or taking the subway. The only other time he admitted to worrying when I was on the road? "It's kind of corny," he said, "but when you went to Paris when you were 15. It was just after Sept. 11, and the whole world seemed a little in flux... But I knew you would go and be fine." Little did he know that even I, the brave, smug teen, was a little nervous on that trip too, but of course, I never would've admitted it at the time. —Laura Ratliff, senior editorial director You really want to go on a Contiki tour, but you think your parents will say no? Here are a few ready-made arguments to convince them to let you go. Photo © Getty Images/electravk You are a mighty eagle standing on the edge of the world, ready to take your rightful place, and you want to explore – you want to go traveling. But to your parents you’re a fledgling, feebly flapping your wings on the edge of the nest and about to plummet from the mountaintop and they’re holding you back. So what do you do about that? Here are a few arguments to help you get your travel plans across the line with mom and dad. Use this as a guide to convince your parents travel is a good idea. Let your mom know you'll be safe Your parents’ greatest fear is for your safety. The world’s a dangerous place, or so they’ve been told by the news. but data reveals less than 10% of policyholders make a claim. The vast majority of those are minor matters of lost belongings, missed flights and out-of-pocket expenses. Extreme medical cases and emergencies make up a very small proportion of claims. The same goes for terrorism. The statistics show you are 4 times more likely to be hit by lightning than be a victim of a terrorist act, but no one says they’re too afraid to travel because of thunderstorms. Keep the freak-out factor low Not everyone is ready for a solo overland trip to Southeast Asia, in fact, it’s dangerous to bite off more than you can chew, and will give your parents an apoplectic fit. Start small and work your way up to India Jones. Which is why managed tours, like those provided by Contiki, are perfect. You get to see and do everything with plenty of “me time”, but someone experienced is booking all the hotels, making sure there’s a meal at the end of the day, and you get from city A to city B without getting lost. 3 arguments on why you should travel If your parents are still not convinced here are 3 ready-made arguments about why you should be allowed to travel 1. Travel improves the chances of getting a good job It teaches real-life skills and shows an employer you are resourceful, adventurous and worldly. In the modern workforce, employers are often looking for more than educational qualifications, they’re looking for someone adaptable and resourceful – skills you learn from travel. 2. Travel puts an old head on young shoulders It’s a physiological fact that adolescent brains don’t fully develop until age 25 unless some extraordinary circumstances force the brain to develop faster. We’ve all seen those westerns where before the cowboy rides off tells the 12-year-old “you’re the man of the house now, boy”. Studies show travel has the same effect, thankfully without the cheesiness. 3. Young adults need risk in order to develop We’re talking about acceptable risk, not recklessness, but how do you learn from your mistakes if you’re never allowed to make any? Some psychologists are going so far as to suggest over protection is equal to depriving your child of the chance to grow and is a form of abuse. What if something does go wrong? It’s only sensible to be prepared for the worst, regardless of how unlikely that may be, which is why in May 2016 Contiki and World Nomads formed a partnership naming World Nomads as their preferred travel insurance provider. Of course, Contiki has decades of experience in managing tour groups and their staff on tour and back at headquarters have probably seen it all, and dealt with it, before. World Nomads has emergency assistance teams on call 24/7 and they have more than a decade of experience in dealing with every travel problem imaginable. Contiki and World Nomads The companies share many beliefs, chief among them their commitment to helping young people explore their boundaries through travel. World Nomads believes in the benefit of seeking new experiences, learning something new and connecting with locals. You have to be informed about the places you travel, and to stay safe. But perhaps the two most important values are the duty to give back to the places we’ve traveled and to share our stories to inspire others to travel. Contiki has very similar core values. On their website, they say “You only get one shot at life so make every moment count. Adventure isn’t something you do, it’s an attitude. It’s getting out of your comfort zone, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures, seeing different perspectives and having the courage to go further. Challenge everything. Do things with passion, but tread lightly.” By , World Nomads Contributor - Thu, 31 Oct 2019 You can buy at home or while traveling, and claim online from anywhere in the world. With 150+ adventure activities covered and 24/7 emergency assistance. Related articles

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