Taking the Kids: Taking a travel 'sabbatical'
These trips aren't only for the wealthy. For the Jacobsons, it was a financial stretch at the time.
Kim Walker, a fundraising consultant in Canada and the widow of a bush pilot, sold her car and "used every spare penny I could get my hands on," to finance her upcoming three-month trip to Asia with her 11-year-old son Sam.
When her husband was diagnosed with cancer and knew he wouldn't see his son, only three at the time, grow up, Walker promised him she would do "whatever I could to make some amazing memories for him." This year is Sam's last in elementary school and she decided the time was right. They chose Asia, working with Quivertree Family Expeditions, so that they could completely dive into a different culture while staying within budget.
How to make it work? "Saving for this trip has been a fantastic life lesson," said Kim Walker. "It has really kept me in check for frivolous purchases."
"We had to say no to a lot of other things," said Shari Jacobson.
Everyone in the family must be onboard with the idea. "Get the kids involved in the planning," said Jens. "Also, don't underestimate what your kids will like. It's amazing how curious they are about everything and what they gravitate toward."
The Allisons, from Troy, Michigan, had a family "bucket list" for places they wanted to go, said Valiena Allison. After she sold her business, she, along with her husband and two teens, spent 13 weeks last year traveling through Europe.
The trip was designed so that everyone in the family could check off something on their bucket list -- running with the Bulls in Pamplona for Valiena, seeing Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam for Sky, 15.
More important than what you do or how long you are gone, is "to disengage from your everyday life," Shari Jacobson said, and be fully engaged in the experience," added her husband, David.
It is also important, the couple said, "to know your family and how they will do in unexpected situations," because as we all know, travel is full of bumps in the road. Such a trip can't help but showcase each family member's strengths and teach self-reliance.
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