Traveling with Kids: 5 Ways to Embrace Detours

Adventure parenting is all about the unexpected. The kid having to pee while you are driving through the sketchiest villages with only semblances of outhouses or having to find yogurt in an area that doesn’t even have fridges. The stress and frustration grows until you simply can’t avoid the detour.

And then bam!!! The kid is taking you on another detour! You are chasing your child around the restaurant, changing clothes from a blowout, or simply calming down a child who expected ice cream at the next stop.

For all the detours we will face on our safaris, here are some tips to EMBRACE the them, rather than just avoiding them altogether.

Don’t get Hung up on Time

As parents, we often get hung up on time and rush around because we are so anxious to get OUR adventure started. We have a vision of what we want our kids to experience as we travel or take the kids into the Great Outdoors. If there is one thing that Africa has taught us, it is that getting caught up in the rat-race only makes you miss all of the hidden gems along the way. We are there to facilitate adventure and discovery every step of the way, but it most likely won’t happen on our time schedule. And that is ok!

In Swahili we have a saying, “Haraka Haraka Haina Baraka—Rushing has no blessing” Definitely a true story!

Then again, there is a another saying that goes “Pole Pole utapata mke siyo wako—if your too slow you will get a wife that isn’t yours”

I don’t know what that means exactly…sounds sketch, but I’m almost positive it is referring to adventure. If you don’t take it when it’s there in front of your face you will miss it and end up down the wrong trail (and we all have heard the saying that Nature can be a cruel mistress).

Plan and Own your Detours

You really take matters into your own hands the second you plan on having 10 or 15 stops on your way to grandmas. It’s not just about planning for the worst it’s just accepting that kids make travel a different adventure entirely. What if even the most mundane and obnoxious requests that pulled us out of our seat or off the road as we sped to our destination were just calls to get out and have an adventure doing something spontaneous?

You may get there an hour or day late, but every stop, wait, layover, and walk-about can and should turn into an epic story that we were ready for because…get this—We planned on having it! Adding to that, taking initiative and getting your kids on the move every couple hours will save you the trouble of having a major meltdown/forced detour. Detour on your terms and make it fun so the kids don’t have to demand it, then you can still feel like a boss!

Get Creative

I have had to take Jack to some of the nastiest bathrooms on this planet the past 2 ½ years, and BOY oh BOY, have I had to get creative to make sure we get the job done. He and I die laughing as we try and figure out how he can go without touching the nasty wet seats or how to make it in a hole in the ground (ya, try and learn how to keep tsetse flies from biting your kids rear while he is doing his business from the cute potty training book!). On top of that, the smells alone are enough to drive a man to drink dish detergent. I dreaded potty breaks on our road trips until I figured out what they really were: an opportunity to get creative! The nastier the outhouse or bathroom, the more adventure and challenge there is for me to get him to do his business. He really is a clean freak and after going to some of those nasty bathrooms, I couldn’t blame him. It’s probably the best way to teach your kids the importance of cleanliness.

That being said, we now have a mini port-a-potty option that we bring along in case we get stuck around the village makeshift latrines.

Be Open to Change

Any seasoned adventurer will tell you that planning for the unexpected is the best way to avoid losing your cool. Being open to the idea that plans change will make it so when you make a wrong turn and find out 50 miles later, you'll be ready for a stretch and maybe even a hike! Jenn taught me this long ago when we were learning how to do long road trips with the kids. It was all about making the best of things and still enjoying the ride. Tip: Always pack extra snacks and exploring gear.

Redefine Adventure

This is number one in my book! When your definition of what adventure IS changes and aligns with that of your kids, all bets are off! Bathroom breaks become your inside joke and just another road to a true adventure.

Road trips and long flights used to be the bane of my existence. I could only think about getting where I needed to go, but now as we break things up with our own exciting detours, they have become my most favorite memories.

Add a little spice to your next trip. Identify worthwhile detours and make them epic!

Let us know how it goes!

Related Links: Nomad Dad Travel Gear