Stories of Kindness from Around the World

The Challenges of Travelling with Children


--by wayfarer, posted Apr 13, 2009

For my birthday, Julie booked a coach trip to Liverpool. It's where I went to college thirty years ago and I hadn't been back since. We had a great time!  

Watching the passengers embark on the coach as we got ready to head to Liverpool, I was a little dismayed to see a couple get on with two boys, both under five. We were gonna be on the coach for four hours. Would they act up? Or be sick? Or would it just be too boring for them?  It turned out they were great!  No doubt about it. Travelling like that with two lively little boys would take both parents full attention. And they did seem to work well together. In the hotel (a hotel that was once the pride of the city, now a bit dowdy, but still spectacular!) the parents got through the meals by working as a tag-team and never leaving the boys unattended.

Well... it must have gotten all too much. Next morning, at breakfast, Julie noticed the Dad sitting by himself. His wife and the two boys sat at one table. He sat at another with his back to them. And he just looked so miserable. Ohhhh, how I sympathised. I couldn't count the number of times Julie and I have fallen out over the kids. I remembered only too well how rotten it felt and my heart went out to all of them.

Up until this point we hadn't spoken to either of the parents, but as they left the breakfast hall they walked past our table.  I couldn't help myself. I leaned back, blocked their path and said, "Excuse me." I introduced us, told them we had a brood of kids, said we knew how hard it was travelling with young'uns and told them we had been admiring how well they had dealt with it and what lovely boys their little ones were.

Smiles broke out all round. We chit-chatted for a while and then they went on their way.

Holding hands!

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Now, if only someone would do the same for me, next time something like this happens to me!

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Readers Comments

cabbage wrote: You do so rock! I can just imagine how you made their day. Thank you for being an angel wherever you go. You are an inspiration. Love and hugs to you.
lindsgran wrote: I feel i have to write a comment on wayfarers posting. Giving praise where it is due, for i know for a fact that wayfarer, had to grow up having to help his mum travel with 4 younger children, and his mum always appreciated him being the big brother and looking out for his sibling's , so thanks wayferer for being a wonderful son to your mum
ChakaRuna wrote: So great! Inspiring me to do more of the same.
liztree wrote: That was great. Wayfarer - you rock! Hugs!
wayfarer wrote: Oh hey, I so don't rock! I only got to feel so bad for them because of all the stupid things I have said and done in the past.
I'm trying to leave the place a little nicer than I've helped make it in the past.
AURELIA wrote: Heee Hawww!! We've all been there before. It's amazing how you are so 'in tune' with others. That is why God made you a "loner"....you can sit back and watch...take it all in and learn somethiing from it. Then you have the gift of putting it down and sharing it with others. Many lessons are out there waiting to be learned. Thanks for being a People Watcher and not one that is watching to Criticize but to Lift Up and Help others. ~Aurelia
lmil1954 wrote: I agree 100% with Aurelia...that's EXACTLY what I would have said but she said it first...You really do have a keen eye for people, and places and things and an awareness of what to do and/or say!!! You are blessed and yes you do rock!!!
whatthe wrote: Aw what a boost! I had someone do that to me before - on a bus too!!! And it does make it all so much easier to deal with! Makes you feel proud and that is a good feeling eh! Its priceless!! xxx
sethi wrote: That's great man you easily connect to people and that too with strangers. Keep it going.
JuneBug wrote: I was once married to a guy who had three wee boys and I had children of my own which made a total of eight. When we got compliments on their behavior [which was rare!] it made us feel we were doing something right....Maybe the eight kids were what drove me insane..Nah, it was the husband....:)

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