COME HANG OUT IN THE GROUP
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Top-Rated Senior Lifestyle Magazine
ADVERTISEMENT
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Our Mission: 50 Plus Today, Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Our 50PlusToday Team
    • 50PlusToday Advisory Council
    • In the News
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • WORK WITH US
    • Be Our Guest – 50PlusToday Online Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Advertorials (Sponsored Content) 50PlusToday
    • Online Advertising Agreement
    • Join Our Advance Book Review Team
    • The 50PlusToday SECOND ACT Award
  • HOT TOPICS
    • Health
    • Living
    • Money
    • Second Act
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Work & Purpose
    • Gift Guides
    • Product Reviews
  • GIFT GUIDES
  • 50PLUS DIRECTORY
    • 50PLUS BUSINESS DIRECTORY
    • EVENT CENTER
      • FIND AN EVENT (FREE!)
      • ADD AN EVENTS (FREE!)
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Our Mission: 50 Plus Today, Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Our 50PlusToday Team
    • 50PlusToday Advisory Council
    • In the News
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • WORK WITH US
    • Be Our Guest – 50PlusToday Online Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Advertorials (Sponsored Content) 50PlusToday
    • Online Advertising Agreement
    • Join Our Advance Book Review Team
    • The 50PlusToday SECOND ACT Award
  • HOT TOPICS
    • Health
    • Living
    • Money
    • Second Act
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Work & Purpose
    • Gift Guides
    • Product Reviews
  • GIFT GUIDES
  • 50PLUS DIRECTORY
    • 50PLUS BUSINESS DIRECTORY
    • EVENT CENTER
      • FIND AN EVENT (FREE!)
      • ADD AN EVENTS (FREE!)
No Result
View All Result
Top-Rated Senior Lifestyle Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home All Trending Articles

Skip-Gen Travel: Seeing the World Through the Eyes of your Grandchild

10/23/2022
in All Trending Articles, Travel
A A
0
grandparent travel with grandchild
1
SHARES
0
VIEWS
ADVERTISEMENT

Table of Contents

  • How to Form a Life-long Bond with Your Grandchild
  • Number of “Skip-Gen” Travels Rise
  • On Safari and on Their Best Behavior
  • Can I Have More Grandchildren So I Can Travel More, Please?
  • My Expertise Was Pretty Slim: Of Legos, Robots, and Drones
  • Who Chooses the Trip? “Well, I’m Paying”
  • Gifts of Love: Enabling Grandkids to See the Wider World
Views: 811

by Barbara Winard

In my day—back in the 1950s—spending time with my grandmother meant a LONG drive from New Jersey to Miami Beach and constant hugs from unidentifiable relatives. These days it seems that grandparents often live even farther from their families because of travel, work, and the vicissitudes of life. In fact, according to an AARP study, over 50 percent of grandparents have at least one grandchild who lives more than 200 miles away.

How to Form a Life-long Bond with Your Grandchild

Perhaps distance is the main reason more and more grandparents look for ways to bond with their grandchildren with “Skip-Gen” travel, meaning without parents. Adventurous grandparents take fortunate grandchildren on journeys everywhere from National Parks to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) sites to science and arts programs in the U.S. and abroad. On trips like these, grandparents can share everything from visiting Harry Potter filming sites in England, to paddling canoes in the foothills of the Ozarks, to visiting dinosaur fossils on digs in South Dakota. Or perhaps they will travel to observe monkeys and macaws in Costa Rica or go on a safari in Africa.

Skip-Gen Travel – Grandparents traveling with grandkids without the parents along (i.e. skipping the “middle” generation).

Number of “Skip-Gen” Travels Rise

According to the AARP Grandparents Study, about 40 percent of grandparents now travel with their grandchildren. And because Covid kept a lot of people home over the past several years, “Skip-Gen” travel came back even stronger. Grandparents realize there is a window of opportunity; the age range on Skip-Gen trips range from 8 to 18, depending on destination and activities. These grandparents know that grandkids grow up achingly fast.

Many grandparents find that an established tour is a great way to travel with grandkids.  These inclusive programs include transportation, lodging and most meals, which make travel very easy.  They also provide experienced guides and teachers—not to mention a group of potential friends for grandchildren.

If you are looking for ideas for a “Skip-Gen” travel adventure, Road Scholar is a popular not-for-profit travel organization that offers a wide variety of experiences. Below, participants described some of their trips with this organization.

On Safari and on Their Best Behavior

Gynnie Moody of Wilmington, Delaware waited until her grandchildren were 10 and 12 before she and her husband Terry took them on a life-changing trip to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

“We saw incredible animals in the bush, and our grandkids did everything from building fires to tracing footprints of animals. I cannot say enough good things about their guide; he grew up on a farm in Rhodesia and was artistic and related to kids and adults. In fact, we are still Facebook friends.”

Gynnie feels that her grandkids are much closer to she and her husband now because of their shared journey.  She also valued seeing their resilience during the safari. She said,

“We did not have to remind them that we had to get up at 5:30 in the morning and be on the truck by 6. They were on their very best behavior. I don’t know what their parents said to them.”

grapndparent travel with grandchildren

photo credit: Gynnie Moody

Can I Have More Grandchildren So I Can Travel More, Please?

Constance Mettler of Fort Wayne, Indiana, went on three grandparent/grandchild trips. She said;

“I would almost like to have more grandchildren so I could do more! The other grandparents were very cool, and I totally enjoyed them. We did the Poconos, the Channel Islands (imagine grandparents in wetsuits), and a very comprehensive trip to Yellowstone National Park.”

My Expertise Was Pretty Slim: Of Legos, Robots, and Drones

Rita Meek of New Castle, Delaware took her grandson on a learning journey, inspired by her brother -in-law and sister-in-law who took 11 of their 13 grandchildren on Road Scholar trips. They went to Hawaii and Iceland, and then all over the world. The kids said it was the best thing that ever happened to them.

So she decided to take her eight and a half year old grandson on a trip to a science center in St. Louis. The children used Lego kits to learn how to build and program robots at this science center. Rita said she chose the trip because:

“Our grandson is the original Lego person, and the likelihood that I would find out about drones or make my own robot was pretty slim.”

As she watched her grandson interact with another boy to problem solve, she said she could see him “come into his own.” Another benefit for Rita was that they were able to get to know each other more as people without being overshadowed by other family members.

For their next trip, Rita plans to take her oldest granddaughter to New York City to one of the Broadway programs. She said their parents often took their children on visits to national parks and outdoor activities.

“I want to take them to places different from those that that their mother and father would have chosen.”

 

Who Chooses the Trip? “Well, I’m Paying”

Holly Robinson of Sedona, Arizona, reported that for their first trip she chose a Road Scholar program within driving distance of their home. The grandkids chose the second one by navigating the choices on the website by themselves. Robinson reported “I had some control (ha ha, as I was paying for it, it had to appeal to me too).” They went to the Grand Canyon, snorkeled in Florida, and went horseback riding in northern California.

“We all LOVED these times together, and we had so much fun,” she reported. “They quickly made friends, so I didn’t have to “play” with them all day long. Highly recommend!”

Gifts of Love: Enabling Grandkids to See the Wider World

The travelers I interviewed reported that these Road Scholar journeys helped cement a bond that they believe will last a lifetime. And they described how satisfying it was for them to enable a grandchild to see the wider world.

For those parents who feel left out as their children take off on some incredible journeys, remember that there are trips for all three generations—from Tuscany to Tanzania and beyond. Seize the Day!

*******************************

barbara winardBarbara Winard earned a B.A.in English literature and an M.S. in Journalism, both from Boston University, and, later in life, an M.A. in Gerontology from the University of Southern California. All of these were useful in her 25-year career as Senior Editor for two online encyclopedias for Scholastic publishing, where she wrote and edited articles about fine and performing arts, literature, film, archeology, anthropology, and other subjects.

Barbara began her solo travels in college. During her 20s and 30s she solo traveled to Europe, Asia, and North and South America. After returning from a 6-month trip to Asia, she wandered in off the street and was hired by the Asia Society in New York City to produce films and print materials for adults and children about Asian culture. She also worked as a film programmer and traveled to film festivals around the world. Barbara got her start in film with New York City’s public television station, WNET/13. There, she was a freelance documentary writer and producer for ten years. A Jersey girl, Barbara and her husband moved from Jersey City to New Castle, Delaware, last year. She has been writing for Road Scholar, TravelAwaits.com and several other online magazines; her blog is thebabybloomer.blog.

 

Previous Post

Don’t Risk Being Turned Away at Arrival-The Rules are Changing for Travel to Europe

Next Post

Time to Love or Leave? Tips for Successful Relationships After 50

POPULAR

easy quinoa recipe
vegetarian

Easy Quinoa Recipe with Vegetables and Walnuts

03/24/2023
choosing the right travel companion
Travel

Friends for Life: Bonding Over Travel

03/23/2023
how to be a good houseguest
Travel

Staying With Friends on Your Vacation? 9 Ways to Be An Excellent Houseguest

03/23/2023
Next Post
successful relationships after 50

Time to Love or Leave? Tips for Successful Relationships After 50

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purposes.

Recent Posts

  • Easy Quinoa Recipe with Vegetables and Walnuts
  • Gluten Free/Dairy Free Cauliflower Kugel
  • Friends for Life: Bonding Over Travel
  • 10 Inexpensive Ways to Enjoy Easter With the Grandkids!
  • Staying With Friends on Your Vacation? 9 Ways to Be An Excellent Houseguest

distinctive life
gymglish




Try AARP's #1 Health App Now!

MIGHTY HEALTH is the first fitness and wellness app designed specifically for people over 50.

INCLUDES:
*Your own health coach
*Daily workout videos
*Personalized nutrition/exercise plans *Supportive community

START TODAY!

ACCESSIBLE AIRBNB HILL COUNTRY TX

Accessible Airbnb

DISCLAIMER: The health and wellness information included on this website is not a substitute for or a replacement of professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Latest Reviews

  • BOOK GIVEAWAY: The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel
    4.55
  • Product Review: The Meatstick 4X
    4.15
  • REVIEW: The Lipstick Bureau by Michelle Gable
    4.45

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!


  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Contact

© 2022 50PlusToday. LLC All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Our Mission: 50 Plus Today, Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Our 50PlusToday Team
    • 50PlusToday Advisory Council
    • In the News
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • WORK WITH US
    • Be Our Guest – 50PlusToday Online Senior Lifestyle Magazine
    • Advertorials (Sponsored Content) 50PlusToday
    • Online Advertising Agreement
    • Join Our Advance Book Review Team
    • The 50PlusToday SECOND ACT Award
  • HOT TOPICS
    • Health
    • Living
    • Money
    • Second Act
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Work & Purpose
    • Gift Guides
    • Product Reviews
  • GIFT GUIDES
  • 50PLUS DIRECTORY
    • 50PLUS BUSINESS DIRECTORY
    • EVENT CENTER
      • FIND AN EVENT (FREE!)
      • ADD AN EVENTS (FREE!)

© 2022 50PlusToday. LLC All Rights Reserved