As parents, we tend to choose what kind of parent we want to be and then adapt through trial and error. Children are ever changing so parenting should always change along with them. What they need as babies will not be the same thing they need as toddlers or as pre-teens. For me, my parenting has evolved but holding on to the same core believes. Giving my children a voice has always been a priority for me. I grew up in the final stages of the era that claimed that “children should be seen and not heard”. So the opposite holds true for my parenting. I will give my kids every opportunity they need to express themselves. One of my children prefers talking things out and the other prefers sitting quietly until she’s able to work through her thoughts. I’m somewhere in between the two techniques but I make sure I give them room to choose their own type of self-expression as I guide them through how to cope with their surroundings.
Another core belief is providing them freedom. My parents held the idea, when I was young, that to allow kids to 
be “kids” meant keeping them sheltered from the world around them. This is still a point of contention between our families, for my belief that information is power and the more they understand the stronger they’ll be, seems to be a radical idea. Giving them freedom or a voice does not mean that they get to eat candy whenever they want or roam free without parental supervision. This mainly means that they will not be forced to live a life that doesn’t suit their needs or do things that makes them highly uncomfortable. So, to maintain this on the road as we live my idea of an out of the box lifestyle, we keep the lines of communication always open.
Life on the road is not for everyone. There is a sense of uncertainty with every step, every moment, every night spent. In part, we prefer it that way for we would not have half of the opportunities available to us that we do if we had a fully planned schedule. We choose to leave room for things that just randomly flow our way. But when traveling with kids, it’s so important to be available to listen and make sure uncertainty isn’t creeping into their core. I call my kids my guinea pigs. I’m open with them in why we choose what we choose and how my humanity prevents me from being all knowing lol. So we have regular meetings to discuss how we are feeling. Usually at coffee shops, which helps maintain a level of maturity and calmness. We go over how things have been going and what we would like to do differently.
This may seem arbitrary to some, as parents usually decide what the family unit is doing. But I find it essential. If my goal as a parent is to give my children the best life I possibly can, I need to constantly check my work and adapt as they evolve. As they encounter new experiences, they will start assigning a value. They’ll start making files of things they like versus things they don’t. It is my job to push them out of their comfort zone and help them grow but it also my job to listen to the type of world they are creating and help guide them towards what makes their soul happy. Giving children a chance to explore their own happiness will be such an important tool to help them find happiness in adulthood.
