Comments on: Too afraid to travel? Are our fears killing off the next generation of backpackers?

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:56:09 +0000

Agree with you Jeremy that perspectives do change as a parent. Mind you, I’m in my 40s now and no plans to become a parent myself, so I guess my viewpoint will always remain based on a one-sided perspective.

By: Jeremy B

Jeremy B — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:55:12 +0000

I enjoyed reading your post. Reading about your adventures, I have a couple of comments now. When I was in college, I went with a group of people to Estonia. I had a blast, was in safe hands, and learned so much. However, it was a long way from home and I am sure it worried my parents.

With that said, your perspective does change as a parent. It all depends on the type of parent you are. Kids need the freedom to explore, learn, and make mistakes. However, that is sometimes easier said than done.

With that said, I actually would feel better about my son traveling in Europe on his own than I would the US. For numerous reasons, there is more crime, drugs, violence, etc in the US and seems there is much more to worry about.

You definitely raise some good points to ponder. As you get older and have kids, I would be curious how, if any, your perspective on this changes. However, you make a good argument for letting kids explore and learn. As parents, we need to do the best job we can so that when they get to that age where they can do so, they are well prepared in character and in decision making to explore and learn on their own.

By: Erica

Erica — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:47:31 +0000

I have heard time and time again how bandits and guerrillas are going to kidnap me when I’m in South America. I even had one guy tell me that he was Special Ops and said, “Don’t make me charter a plane down there to rescue you.” I would rather die than live in a sterile, boring environment.

I have a 3 year old niece that is not allowed to roughhouse whatsoever. How on earth is she going to learn what NOT to do if there is no trial and error. I’m not even allowed to give her a piggyback ride for fear that I will drop her and she will get hurt. I sit and wonder what type of person she will be when she grows up… will she live in a bubble?

By: WanderMom

WanderMom — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:37:12 +0000

I believe strongly that one of the best things I can do as a parent is to let my children be free to explore at home and while we’re traveling outside the U.S.
We’ve traveled a lot since they were born, so they’re already pretty savvy travelers and I see them as more self-confident and independent than some of their peers because of this.
That said, I do find myself having to curtail my “free range kids” approach when I’m interacting with other parents in my kid’s schools. What I do is still not the norm in the U.S. middle-class.
We’re about to leave on a 14-month trip around the world – including traveling through Western China + Central Asia. You can follow along on my blog + read about how 2 typical American kids deal with this in real time if you like

By: Jessica Skelton

Jessica Skelton — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:25:10 +0000

Great post topic. My parents were very overprotective, which did instill some anxiety in be about all things, travel included. But at the end of the day my desire to see the world and explore and experience new things has outweighed any of that anxiety/fear.

And although I have made some less than intelligent decisions at times, as a whole, their overprotective nature has made me extremely aware of my surroundings, which has proven to be an asset in my travels.

That being said, they never prevented me from doing things that could be dangerous and they certainly wouldn’t drive me one mile to school “for my own safety.” I think it really depends on the parent and the child. They could grow up to rebel and travel the world. Or for that matter rebel by doing a number of things (either good or bad).

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:32:45 +0000

Maybe there is a way to condense this information Mark. The posters here have so much first-hand experience that if this (and that of others) was pooled the result could be a list of valuable tips. Absolutely agree about not patronising – we need to think back to our own times and try and keep in mind the type of information we would listen to, and what would have been dismissed as irrelevant.
Happy to assist in any way in this list Mark.

By: Mark Pawlak

Mark Pawlak — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:33:07 +0000

Kids are increasingly streetwise, something we too should acknowledge. That said, streetwise is a very different thing from worldly-wise. There really is no other way of learning than getting out there yourself. What is most important is the character of those people who pack up their gear and head off into the wilds. True, some younger travellers really aren’t prepared – but how could they be.

Can we help? Are there pearls of wisdom we can decant? Is their a guidebook, a PDF, an app we can recommend? No. But perhaps there is another, very useful Top Ten Travel Tips in the making here?

I will put it together, based on one tip each from Andy’s visitors if you like, we then release it together – digital food for thought. But one one condition: let us not patronise these adventurous souls, just be sources of information. After all, we all have things to learn.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:31:04 +0000

Good on you, Leighann. It sounds like your son is destined to be a traveller! It’s amazing how people will try to project their own fears about a situation onto others, despite them being often grounded in ignorance.

By: Leighann Garber

Leighann Garber — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:31:52 +0000

We first traveled as a family when my son was 2. We went to Belize, and everyone told us he was too young to take to the 3rd world. He would get kidnapped. He get heatstroke. We would all get MALARIA and DIE. Come to find out, Belize is a crazy place, but not that crazy. We learned a lot, and we really grew to love it.

Now he’s 8, and we’re working on going around the world. We’ve lived in Canada, Germany and France. And I feel very confident that when he is older he will feel comfortable and safe traveling almost anywhere. I don’t think I’ll be able to keep him from traveling on his own someday, and i wouldn’t want to.

By: Victoria Trott

Victoria Trott — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:06:25 +0000

I started travelling on my own when I was 17 and I continue to do so – although age probably makes me more careful these days. I think that travelling alone is a great education for anyone and vital for self-development and understanding of the world. I agree with you Andy that the world is no more or less safe than it was 20 years ago. The advent of instant communication (mobiles, emails) rather than a call from a phonebox once in a blue moon makes it easy to stay in touch but I also think it loses something as well – you’re not truly immersed in the culture you’re in as your everyday life is at your fingertips. And these days, the backpacker routes are well trodden. One thing that I have found over the past few years is the anti-British feeling that exists in the world not to mention the anti-American feelings – I have American friends who say they are Canadian when they are travelling because of the abuse they’ve received in various countries. It startles me but given the times we live in and the awareness we have these days, I’ve never experienced or witnessed so much racism as I have done over the past few years. But I think that’s another issue.