Page 102 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2025

HEALTHY LIVING
GIVE
As a military brat, I was instilled with the instinct to travel at an early age. That instinct grew as I matured and embraced the whole experience of traveling with family, girl trips, and vacations. When my son was born, as soon as I was able to drive under doctors’ orders, I strapped him in and the rest was history. Once the passport was in hand, I committed to show him the world.
YOUR
Why should parents attempt to show their kids the world within their own time and financial means? I wanted my son to know that there was life outside of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I wanted him to see what the water in Aruba looks like, what the food in Puerto Rico tastes like, and that Mommy has friends who live in the Bahamas for him to meet. I think showing kids what exists outside their usual territory enhances tolerance, empathy, and a spirit of adventure and curiosity.
KIDS
According to a published Student & Youth Travel Association study, introducing kids to travel has many benefits, including high school performance. Eighty percent of the educators involved in the study indicated that travel is a highly effective method for teaching resources, especially when compared to relying solely on computer-based learning. Behavioral health-wise, tolerance of other cultures and
THE
WORLD
ethnicities increased following international travel by 76 percent, and 69 percent noted an increase in self-esteem, independence, and confidence.
Anything that can break the monotony of the zombied presence in front of a computer screen is positive. Seeing the
story by
Nickie Harris-Ray
world and being face to face with the history and beauty of the land beyond is a goal that can change your child’s entire aspect of the world. Passport destinations are not your thing? From coast to coast, there are so many mysteries that your kid can unravel – from the historical aspect of DC to the mountainous terrains of the West Coast.
With every available resource and within personal affordability, try your best to find a way to give your kid the world.
102 | April 2025
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