Nice article, and very true. I've learned so much about my kids and myself by traveling with them. One thing I really love to do is visit a place I went to before I had children and see how they react to it. For instance, it was thrilling to me that my children loved Paris as much as I do. I saw the city through a completely new set of eyes, going there with them.
I'm a big believer that traveling with children prepares them to be global citizens in a way that nothing else can.
I so agree with your philosophy Sarah. I definitely try to be a tourist in my own area, especially with my kids. Last week we discovered a folk art exhibit in a restored barn I had driven past hundreds of times but never entered. And on a recent trip into Philadelphia (about 30 miles from where I live) we went up in the tower of City Hall, which I didn't even know was possible!
Excellent article. As someone who travels with children, I'm especially sensitive to the issues you raise here, especially the first and last. When you have kids, you don't necessarily need to stay in luxury resorts, but you aren't going to be backpacking and staying in fleabag joints either. And with regards to the last issue, I say that travel is in the eye of the beholder. If you define travel as only long trips to places far away, then you will of course get tired of doing it all the time. For me travel is also smaller adventures to places closer to home that either surprise me or take me out of my routine context.
Thanks for reminding us so eloquently that there are as many different ways to travel as there are travelers.