Experiences vs Possessions

I am a single parent of my seven year old daughter. Over the years we have been lucky and fortunate enough to travel to the following places overseas; Hawaii, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, California USA and Fiji prior to when COVID-19 hit our beautiful country in 2020. In Australia, we have been lucky and fortunate enough to travel and experience Fraser Island, which is the largest sand island in the world. I have always travelled overseas as it always works out cheaper. The following content is just my own opinion on experiences vs poccessions, so please don't take anything that I'm writing personal in the incorrect way. I don't know everything, but this is my point of view in a different way so please enjoy and try to take something away from this.

Children in Australia have everything at their fingertips. However; do they actually understand and appreciate the value of money as they are very spoilt and are brought a toy, etc just because, which then turns into a weekly basis for example. Do our children see the poverty stricken countries in the world who have no running water, little choices of food, poor health systems and little to no education opportunities. Our children aren't going to remember how many toys they have, what brand of clothes that they had, etc when they are adults. They are going to remember the experiences and memories that they have had along the way of their journey going into adulthood. Along with all of the laughs and not keeping up with everyone else just because its the thing to do. My now seven year old daughter still remembers her amazing experiences that she had in Hawaii back in 2018 when she was only three and a half years old. At the time when I was telling a few people, some would say to myself, your daughter isn't going to remember her travels when she's older.

Everyone has to remember in the back of their mind that the travel, memories and experiences aren't just for your children but yourself. Let's be realistic here, your not going to wait until your children are ten years old or so to travel. Just because you have children doesn't mean that your life stops, it actually gets one hundred percent better. Travelling to the following places with my child over the years since 2018 has made me reaise that all those hours planning, etc were totally worth every single minute.

Going to Hawaii, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, California and Fiji were absolutely incredible and in somewhat speechless for some. To see the happiness on my daughters smiling face at Disneyland California or her holding endangered sea turtles in Vanuatu was just priceless. In the poccessional world that we unfortunately live in sometimes takes over as everything is about this. If you try and look at the world differently, this will change so many things and the different mindset that this takes.

Travelling gives children exposure to a number of different types of nationalities, various curiencies from all over the world, international food choices, accepting differences, the list goes on. From going to Disneyland California at not even five years of age to holding endangered sea turtles in Vanuatu was amazing. Pocessions are needed of course but not to the extent where your child has ten barbies just because when there are children that are starving in the world. On our trip to Fiji at the start of 2020, pre COVID-19, we were lucky enough to visit a village. The children had no toys. Just their family, a guitar, dogs and horses. They found so much enjoyment and laughter by just being happy with what they have. In Australia, children are always wanting more toys, the latest phone, etc. These possessions don't make our children happy. My daughter wears second-hand clothes as my main focus is to give her experiences. This includes seeing musicals, helping out in the community and just enjoying being a child. Once we can travel overseas again, I will be sure to book a trip. In the positives of COVID-19 and travel, I'm saving money so that I can travel to places to Antarctia for example.

Before you travel to your destination, talk about the country or place to your children so that your educating them on the different language, currency, food, tourist destinations, etc. You will suprise yourself on how much that you will learn by doing this. Your giving your child or children an amazing opportunity to explore the world and to see it in their own and unique way. Lastly, but most importantly, take plenty of happy snaps to capture the moments for you both. While it may be emotionally hard and uneasy to talk about with your children, make them aware of the poverty in other countries, as well as in Australia. Children shouldn't have their say in what happens to these children. Better yet, talk to them about it on their level and see how they feel about it. Make them aware of how very lucky that they are. I always say to my daughter, would you like to go to Londo or would you rather new clothes of fifty toys? Her answer is always about travel.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my story as I hope that you can take something away from this as a different perspective.