What’s the point of taking your children on a trip if they don’t remember anything?

Once I talked about the topic of travel with a colleague, she said: "When the child is so young, there is no point in taking him to travel. When he grows up, he will not remember where he has been." Indeed. So, what is the point of taking children under 3 years old to travel?

I thought the same way before, but he didn’t even remember it, so what’s the point. Often my mother expresses the same thoughts as me. But now I don't think so.

The process of children's growth itself is a "moisturizing and silent" process. As the old saying goes, "You look old at the age of three." When children grow up, they have very few memories of the time before the age of three. But why do experiences before the age of three affect a person's life? It is precisely because people and things before the age of three will always exist in the child's subconscious mind and will affect his character. Many of the child's behaviors in the future can be linked to the child's childhood experiences. Therefore, although the child does not remember, the memory always exists deep in the mind and exists in the subconscious that cannot be erased. So, what travel means to a child is the same as everything else before the age of three.

But in today’s society that pursues material things, success, and visible usefulness, the meaning of travel is indeed not as meaningful as “being able to recite dozens of Tang poems and sing dozens of children’s songs at the age of three” Be specific and clear. Memorizing Tang poems and singing children's songs is important, but besides these useful things in life, there are many more useless things worth looking forward to and experiencing. As the saying goes, it is better to travel thousands of miles than to read thousands of books. In fact, in my opinion, reading and traveling are equally important.

The purpose of An An’s trip with An An’s father and me is not to see how many places we have visited, how many scenic spots and historic sites we have seen, and how many special snacks we have tasted. It lies in showing An An the variety of the world, in experiencing the richness and variety of nature with An An, and most importantly in the joy of embarking on a journey together as a family, and in the family's unanimous curiosity to explore the unknown.

After hearing about the way we traveled, someone once jokingly said to me that we were "child abusers." Imagine taking a toddler to camp alone on the beach or in the grassland, spending at least seven or eight days a day. A three-hour drive, stuck in a deserted cornfield, and a three-day ride with a motion-sick child was indeed quite daunting in Northeastern terms, but this was because she had never seen An An's enthusiasm when she saw the windmill. , the joy when I first arrived in Dalian, and the surprise when I saw the grasslands and waterfalls, and I always believe that the attitude of us adults when facing various problems and the way we deal with various accidents during the journey will be deeply remembered. In the child's heart, it becomes the guidance and direction for him to face the same situation in the future.

The most important thing is that because An An's father is by my side, I dare to take An An to try all unknown possibilities. , I dare to take An An to face the fear and pressure caused by the darkness. Every time I see An An's father holding An An's hand, or holding An An in his arms, or driving intently, I am very moved. An An's father is full of love. I think An An can also feel his father's full love.

Another reason why we think it is "child abuse" is that we often underestimate children. Adaptability and endurance. One of the biggest concerns for new parents when traveling long distances with their children is whether their children can withstand the fatigue of the journey and adapt to the new environment. Safety during the trip.

I was also worried before my first long trip. I prepared antipyretic patches and various children’s medicines and was ready to return to Beijing at any time. So. An An is very helpful, and both trips went smoothly. It turns out that the child is much stronger than we thought. Of course, this also depends on the child's physical condition. If the child is weak, it is still not suitable for long distances. Exercise slowly, and in the process of gradually letting go, the children will always surprise us. What is more important is the feelings of adults. If parents usually stay at home, don't like to go out, or get car sick, then they will definitely not like long distance travel, which will be passed on to them. The concept of children is roughly the same, so there can be another kind of activities for the whole family to participate in, such as going to a nearby park or a nearby zoo. The important thing is that the whole family can participate in it, no matter how they participate.

Last month, a friend sent me a WeChat message to tell me that he took his children to climb Mount Heng on May Day. It was tiring and expensive, but it makes sense when I think about it. Yes, traveling is tiring and expensive. But it is also a tiring and happy thing. As for money, the key is how you control it. For me, the meaning of traveling lies in the people you spend time with, not in the place you go to. Everything is lovely and beautiful, even the common wildflowers and grasses on the roadside are naughty and beautiful; my heart is dark, no matter how magnificent the mountains and rivers are, it always feels like it is raining all around.

After returning from Guangxi, Ananna. A green plastic bag, with one end spread on the top of the radiator and the other end caught in the gap of the radiator, told me excitedly: "Mom, this is the 'Detian Waterfall'. "It's really so similar! I was surprised by An An's imagination. An An would occasionally say to me: "Mom, let's go traveling.

"I don't know how much An An will remember from the trip when she grows up, but what I can be sure of is that An's father and I are happy and satisfied when we see the photos from the trip. We will recall the situation at that time and leave with emotion. I will also think about the next trip when I pass it. Even the most embarrassing scenes will feel very precious. I think when An An grows up and reads the travel notes I wrote, she will probably smile and think about me and my dad. I have walked here together with my mother. I search hard in my memory. Even if I find nothing, I will still be touched by the path I have walked.

This is what traveling is all about!