I’m a big believer in routine but I also recognize opportunities that won’t come twice.
Recently, that led to keeping my kids out of school for two extra weeks to visit family in another country and spend time with my 102-year-old grandpa.
I had some mixed feelings about this decision. I love structure and I value classroom learning. I also respect the work teachers do to create stability, build skills and teach kids about commitment.
But sometimes, a rare opportunity presents itself and is too good to pass up. For us this was the chance to sit with a great-grandparent who has lived through more history than any textbook and learn to play the Boatswain Pipe Whistle. It was the opportunity to do Christmas differently and for my kids to get a taste of where their grandmother was raised. It was the choice to make core memories they’ll carry forever and may not get again.
Travel and trips like this are one of the most impactful ways my kids have matured and grown.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
We discovered how different the world can feel through the small details. We ate mangoes so juicy they became a daily breakfast ritual. We boogie boarded in wild salty waves on Christmas Day and pulled tails off prawns for lunch. We learned the calm art of approaching a kangaroo so they’ll let you pet them and saw the reasons why we wouldn’t do the same with a crocodile!
We discovered learning doesn’t always come from a worksheet, but from lived experience. Public transit was a lesson in reading maps, understanding schedules, navigating unfamiliar stops and asking for help. Visiting landmarks like the Sydney Opera House brought history and geography to life as we read the plaques and drew parallels to home. It wasn’t just a place we learned about; we experienced the magnificence.
Education didn’t stop because they weren’t in a classroom, it changed shape. My eldest kept a daily journal of his experiences, documenting everything from what we ate to what surprised him that day. We read every day, bedtime stories, of course, but also zoo brochures, train maps, signs, menus and everything around us telling us where we were. It was practical literacy, exciting because it’s connected to real life and makes kids the leaders, reading first and sharing info with their parents.
When Everything is New, Everyone Learns
Travel also did something refreshing for our family dynamic by putting us on an equal playing field. At home, parents are often the experts. We know the routes, schedules and what’s for dinner. But as we navigated new places together, unfamiliar directions, foreign food options, hot temperatures and guest accommodation, no one had the upper hand. We figured it out together.
The kids weren’t just along for the ride; they were part of the decision-making. They asked questions, made suggestions, helped problem solve and gained confidence as we figured things out together.
The Core Memories That Shape Childhood
The best part of the experience was time with my grandpa, the reason we went in the first place.
Watching my kids with their 102-year-old great-grandpa was a kind of discovery I longed for. It was both adorable and profound. They were each fascinated with one another. He shared books with them and they asked curious questions. It was better than I’d hoped. When my daughter asked him the secret to longevity, his advice was: be kind.
I’m more convinced than ever that the most important lessons aren’t measured with grades. They’re the ones that shape our kids and the stories they carry.
Missing school isn’t something I take lightly. But occasionally, when the opportunity is there, taking time away to discover a new place and have real-time education through experiences, social connection and family history is 100 percent worth it. Especially when it begins with a 102-year-old great-grandpa reminding us that kindness matters most.
