On this weeks Traveling Mom spotlight is Alisa from Our Light Travels. She’s a single mom who is currently starting her journey to full-time travel with her sons!

Let’s get started! Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

My name is Alisa and I’m a single mom with 4 boys. Just two of my boys are traveling with me though. Caleb 8, and Carter, 6. We are from Northern California and have been traveling around the U.S. here and there for awhile now.

What made you decide that you wanted to provide a life of travel for yourself and your boys?

I took the boys on their first international trip last year to Scotland and they were hooked. We decided that it was time to start living our best life every day instead of living for the weekend.

If money wasn’t an issue, how would you live your life? We put pen to paper of what our most fulfilling life looked like and worked our goals backwards from there. We are excited to say that a year later, we are ready to start traveling full time.  It’s rough getting started during a worldwide pandemic, but we figure it is half of the adventure and we aren’t going to let it stop us from achieving our goal. 

Are your friends and family supportive of you and the travel lifestyle you live?

Our family and friends have been amazingly supportive through our whole process and we couldn’t have done it without their encouragement.

How are your sons educated while you travel?

This fall Caleb will be in 3rd grade and Carter will be in 1st grade. We will be homeschooling while we travel and are excited about the prospect of our own curriculum. 

How have your kids benefited most from traveling?

I could fill a book with the number of ways my kids, and myself have benefited from traveling. There is no better experience in the world. The benefits are endless. But I think the biggest benefit is that we have opportunities for shared experiences. I get to be there every step of the way when they experience new things. We get to learn and grow together as a family. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. 

What has been the best “kid-friendly” city you’ve visited? What made it the best?

We haven’t travelled very much internationally yet, but our favorite kid-friendly city so far is right on our own backyard. San Francisco has so many amazing things for kids and families. We love everything from the museums to the Exploratorium, Golden Gate Park, Baker Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge… so many fun experiences to have. 

Have you tried any foods on your travels that your sons absolutely loved?

My kids are obsessed with the scones they ate in Scotland. Everywhere we went in Scotland, they had to have a scone with cream and jam. They just couldn’t get enough. 

What’s the biggest criticism you’ve received about your choice to live a life of travel?

We haven’t had much in the way of criticism for the travel lifestyle we have chosen. Maybe it’s because we surround ourselves with like minded people. But I think the biggest concern is always safety. A single mom with two kids traveling the world, can be scary at times, but we have taken every precaution to be safe while traveling.

Do you have any travel goals for yourself and your sons that you’ve set out to accomplish?

Our travel goals are to stay in places for longer periods of time and really get to know an area, a culture, and people. We want to hear how people live and do the things they do. We want to embrace it all!

What’s the worst part and the best part about traveling with your kids?

The worst part about traveling with your kids is that you are constantly vigilant. It’s hard to relax sometimes when you are looking out for their safety all the time. But the best part, is that you get to see the world through their eyes and experience things with them as if for the first time. Kids bring life and adventure to every experience. I wouldn’t want to ever travel without them. 

What advice would you give to someone who is nervous about traveling with their kids for the first time?

If you are nervous about traveling with your kids, don’t be. Just like with anything else. Just plan ahead, to keep some consistency in your child’s schedule as much as possible and be prepared. With food, entertainment, with whatever they need. Children feed off of your energy and emotions. So, if you are calm and prepared, they will be too. 

Thanks Alisa!
You can follow along on Alisa’s journey with her sons on Facebook, Instagram, and her website!

Facebook @ourlighttravels
Instagram @ourlighttravels
Website: www.ourlighttravels.com

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