The new school year has begun, and children can happily return to school. I wonder how everyone spent their recent summer vacation? Some parents choose to take a long holiday with their children, both for quality family time and to relax and unwind. Do you have any other reasons?

Some may say that traveling can broaden a child’s horizons. Indeed, ‘traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books.’ If children have firsthand experiences, it’s believed that they can have a deeper understanding of the knowledge they acquire. For example, when children learn about the ‘Great Wall of China,’ visiting the site can make them truly appreciate the greatness of this architectural wonder in human civilization. When I choose travel destinations, I also consider whether they align with my daughter’s learning materials. For instance, when she’s studying different types of animals, I incorporate visits to zoos during our travels, allowing her to interact with various animals, which is far better than just learning from books or TV.

I value the few days spent traveling because it provides an extended period of quality time for my daughter and me. By observing carefully, you can gain a deeper understanding of your child. When my daughter was younger, I paid special attention to the following aspects during our travels:

(1) How she interacts with strangers:

During our travels, my child encounters different unfamiliar people. How does she behave? Does she proactively greet elders? Can she respond politely and appropriately to their questions? Does she initiate play with children her age? How does she handle potential disputes? I like to observe from the sidelines, and in the evenings, I share and praise her for her good behavior that day, encouraging her to do even better the next day.

(2) Her self-reliance:

Since there is more leisure time during travel, and there’s no rush against the clock, it’s an opportunity to foster a child’s self-reliance. For instance, I have my daughter carry her own little travel suitcase with her personal belongings. I observe whether she can handle her personal items properly and whether she can pack her belongings neatly when leaving a hotel or heading to another attraction. When needed, I offer guidance or assistance as appropriate.

In fact, cultivating children’s character and self-reliance doesn’t necessarily require taking a plane to travel abroad. What I want to emphasize is that character development shouldn’t be confined to a theoretical level, and simply lecturing can have counterproductive effects. Therefore, character development should be practiced in everyday life. In reality, as long as there is ample quality time spent with children, more companionship, and careful observation of their daily behavior, offering guidance or assistance when needed, even just going for a walk in the countryside can achieve the same objectives without much difficulty.