The Four Year Old Traveler

I read an article where Jada Pinkett Smith stated that ‘the world is best the classroom’. She was referring to the many excursions her young ones have experienced as the result of the occupations of their famous parents. She was defending her stance that her children were all the better for their exposure and that the class room could never teach them what travel has taught them. I agree and I venture to inject that the uncomplicated mind of a child may be able to glean more than we can from such exploration.

My four year old has been privy to our planning for india thus far and it has spawned a bevy of inquiries, “why are you always reading?”, “can I see too?”, “what exactly are you doing?” Then there’s “read to me!” The child is under the self-created belief that if a book or a computer is open, mommy must erupt into spontaneous audible recitation (no matter what the subject matter) for she must “know everything” she says. But I digress.

She is now interested in travel. In fact, travel has been added to her ever growing “to do list”. After I read to her an excerpt on the Taj Mahal, she asked me two questions while she peered at the computer screen. “When will I be five?” AND “Can I go too?”  Mind you, she can cleary recite her birth date to you, but has no concept that it only comes around once a year. Jeda will be five in February AND no she will not be going to India. I had to break the latter response to her gently. She took it well.

Undaunted, she snuggled up beside me on the couch and pulled the lap top over until it no longer rested on my lap, but on her own. With my hand still on the mouse, I browsed sites as I am always compiling a list of deals and promotions. One such site caught her eye. She said “hmmm” as she “read” the page on “tropical destinations”. She lifted her little brown hand and deliberately placed her tiny finger on the screen and said “where is this?” I responded “Costa Rica”. Never afraid to ask for what she wants she uttered frankly, “Can I go when I turn five?”

I looked at this four year old child and wished that I could be such a decisive woman. She awaited an answer. Somehow my lips formed the words “yes”.  I was shocked that the voice emerging from those lips was indeed my own. She said “thank you” with a matter of fact voice as she had just planned her first trip.  To her it seemed like a trivial thing as she got up and began to play again with her ball. I assume once we get back from India we need to start planning a trip to Costa Rica. Stay tuned.

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