Raising Global Citizens: Travel with Kids

By Kim Archer
Co-founder of MomsGoneGlobal.com


I’ve always loved the idea of traveling. The first book that I remember truly being in love with was a picture book about children from different parts of the world. I must have been about four or five, but I remember being fascinated by the cultural differences that I saw in the illustrations: different clothing styles, different landscapes, different foods that the children were eating, and the different games that they were playing. I think that at a more fundamental level— a level that I was not quite aware of at the time— I was most fascinated by the idea that, despite their cultural differences, these children did not appear to be much different than myself. They played and laughed with friends and siblings, they went to schools and to family gatherings, and they celebrated birthdays and holidays. They loved and were in turn loved by their families. Through that book a connection was made, and I haven’t stopped traveling since. Whether in my mind or through books, as an exchange student, or now, with my own child, I am constantly traveling.

Travel is a horizon expanding experience— one that cannot help but to educate, enrich and promote acceptance. Travel shapes one’s view of the world by bringing people of different cultures together. It is my conviction that there are few greater gifts we can give to our children today than that of a broader world view— the gift of tolerance and understanding of the earth’s diverse peoples and cultures. It seems that today Americans are more isolated and more fearful than ever before. We have been conditioned to fear that which we don’t immediately know or understand. In many ways, travel can be the antidote for our children, because it has the power to instill respect for other cultures and this respect can reverse the fear that keeps us isolated.

When we travel with our children, they get the opportunity to see and meet other kids. They interact with new people and in different ways, they play together, and they share in each others stories. One life gets woven into the fabric of another. Connecting in this way helps kids to see through the eyes of others, to understand different perspectives, and to feel empathy. They get to know the world more deeply, they bridge differences, they heal wounds, and they go on to promote understanding. And, because globally-minded kids grow into global citizens, it is this understanding that has the power to bridge conflict between nations and bring about a more harmonious future.

We don’t have to go great distances or spend lots of money for our kids to reap the benefits of travel. A trip to the library, to a local ethnic restaurant or a local festival celebrating a different culture; a favorite film watched in a different language; a conversation with a foreign worker at a shop that we frequent; a museum web site for a virtual tour are all simple ways we can “travel” and show our kids a little bit of the world, without even leaving our own communities.

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Kim is a globally-minded parent of a six year old boy. She will be living with her family in the Brittany region of France in the coming year. Kim has joined with friend and fellow Tampa mom Jill, in co-founding MomsGoneGlobal.com as a platform to inspire and support a community of like-minded parents who are passionate about raising happy, engaged kids with a greater understanding and respect for the earth, and the diversity of all the world’s cultures. For more information on Kim and Jill visit www.MomsGoneGlobal.com.