Sonja Prokopec took her son on their first “solo” journey collectively when he was six years previous.
They went to Rome, and it was so memorable that Prokopec stated she’s now planning their second journey this summer season.
“I actually take pleasure in one-on-one time which we’ve when travelling alone,” she stated. “There are not any distractions, no arguments among the many siblings, time spent collectively is of top of the range… My son nonetheless talks about our time in Rome and may’t look ahead to [our] London journey this June.”
Prokopec and her husband have three youngsters — her son who’s now 10, plus two youthful daughters. They journey collectively, however time away with only one baby and one guardian has perks that household journeys do not usually present, she stated.
“Travelling with just one baby lets you concentrate on the wants of solely that baby,” she stated. “Additionally, as I’m not stretched from managing completely different calls for, I really feel like I’m a greater guardian — extra affected person, extra playful and extra within the second.”
Plus, “my son loves all the eye and loves that we get to discover collectively, simply the 2 of us,” she stated.
Prokopec’s husband — who “at all times insisted on doing issues collectively, together with travelling” — is now a proponent too, she stated.
“My husband has additionally taken my son alone to Turkey and actually beloved it … even he sees the worth in it,” she informed CNBC Journey.
Serbian Sonja Prokopec and her son, Laith, on their journey to Rome.
Supply: Sonja Prokopec
Prokopec hasn’t taken solo journeys together with her two youngest youngsters, largely due to Covid-19, she stated. However which will quickly change.
“I’ll positively do extra,” she stated.
A rising development
The posh journey firm Scott Dunn named “parent-child bonding holidays” certainly one of 2023’s prime journey tendencies.
Mom-and-daughter journeys specifically are on the rise, although father-and-child journeys are additionally gaining popularity, in accordance with the corporate.
“Dad or mum-child duos usually decide locations and embrace experiences primarily based on their mutual pursuits,” stated Scott Dunn’s Basic Supervisor Mike Harlow.
Scott Dunn’s Mike Harlow recommends Norway (proven right here) for mountaineering and biking, Finland to see the Northern Lights and Africa, which has been widespread with dad and mom touring with youngsters. For extra budget-friendly choices, he really helpful Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand or Sri Lanka.
Nadezhda1906 | Istock | Getty Pictures
Harlow stated his firm not too long ago helped a father-son duo guide a visit to Cambodia that centered on the nation’s historical past and nationwide parks.
“We additionally had a mother-daughter duo who headed to South Korea for a visit themed round Ok- dramas and Ok-pop, whereas one other mother-son duo travelled to India to do the basic Golden Triangle collectively,” he stated.
Elephants and ‘jungle bubbles’
Final yr, I made a decision to guide my very own mother-daughter journey with my oldest baby. (To fulfill cries of injustice from her youthful siblings, I promised everybody a “solo” journey at their tenth birthday, too.)
To determine the place to go, I requested my daughter a collection of straightforward questions: seashore or mountains, chilly or heat climate, animals or journey sports activities?
Primarily based on her solutions, I offered her with a number of concepts. She selected the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, exterior of Chiang Rai, Thailand. We booked a number of nights in the primary lodge, and one night time within the lodge’s “Jungle Bubble” — a spherical tent with a king-sized mattress and toilet that overlooks a part of the lodge’s 168-acre space the place its elephants can roam.
By day, we walked with the elephants via the fields and watched them bathe in a river alongside the Myanmar border. We ready meals for the elephants and fed them, however we didn’t trip them, a observe that’s neither allowed by the lodge nor condoned by animal rights supporters.
Within the evenings, we swam within the lodge’s pool and held a “spa night time” in our room, with facial masks from dwelling and bathtub salts and lotions from the lodge. At night time, we sat exterior and regarded on the stars.
Company at Anantara’s Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort can put together “energy balls” fabricated from bananas, rice bran, sunflower seeds, sticky rice, tamarind and salt to feed to the elephants.
Supply: Monica Pitrelli
One morning, I advised we guide a cooking class. However my daughter was adamant about making an attempt Muay Thai boxing as an alternative. Resisting the urge to inform her she would not prefer it (learn: I would not prefer it), I booked a session. She beloved each minute.
As for me, I cherished having a lot time with my daughter, with out having to are inclined to others’ wants. I discovered myself telling her tales from the previous — my very own and my husband’s — just because, with out competing voices round, I might.
Anantara’s Golden Triangle Elephant Resort & Camp at the moment has 20 elephants, together with a mom and child pair. The lodge stated they don’t purchase the elephants, and using them is forbidden.
Supply: Monica Pitrelli
The time additionally afforded many teachable moments — classes that had lengthy wanted to be taught. Whereas resting in our room in the future, I instantly remembered that we would have liked to position lunch orders for my daughter’s upcoming faculty time period.
“Mother,” she stated, wanting up from her guide. “We are able to do this after we get dwelling.”
As a bonus, my husband reported having a beautiful time at dwelling with my different youngsters — having fun with their very own particular moments as a trio, with out the problems that may include a household of 5.
Reminiscences that final ‘endlessly’
California native Madeline Austin additionally grew up with 5 individuals in her household. She stated she vividly remembers the journeys she took as a baby together with her mom and grandmother.
The journeys “centered round one thing they knew I used to be serious about. For instance, I did a report on Yellowstone Nationwide Park in elementary faculty and have become obsessive about the geysers, so that they took me on an extended weekend journey to go to and see them in actual life,” she stated.
A latest photograph of Madeline Austin and her mom earlier than they went to the Hollywood Bowl, a dwell music venue in Los Angeles, California.
Supply: Madeline Austin
Austin stated her household did not journey usually, so it felt “extremely particular” to take journeys together with her mother.
“She was invested in my pursuits, and the undivided consideration I obtained from her that weekend — particularly because the forgotten center baby — was actually particular and one thing I am going to bear in mind endlessly,” she stated.
She recalled holding arms together with her mother and watching a geyser erupt. “I additionally bear in mind leaving the park drained from strolling, getting dinner collectively and having the ability to order soda — which we did not normally have at dwelling!”
Austin, 27, is not a guardian but, however she stated she would proceed the custom together with her personal youngsters in the future.
“It is such a particular time to attach one-on-one along with your baby in a manner that you may’t replicate at dwelling.”
