Travel With Kids Feels Overwhelming: How Saying “Yes” to Yourself Makes Family Trips Easier
A Personal Moment We’ll Never Forget
We still remember sitting in the car, bags packed for what was supposed to be a simple weekend trip.
Our son was in the back, humming to himself, kicking his little feet against the seat like he always does when he’s excited.
And the truth?
We weren’t excited.
We were exhausted.
It wasn’t him.
It was us.
We were tired before the trip even began: mentally stretched thin, running on fumes, emotionally disconnected from the version of ourselves we thought parenting would feel like.
Travel, something we used to love, suddenly felt like one more thing to manage instead of something to enjoy together.
That drive was the moment we realized:
Travel wasn’t overwhelming because of our child… it was overwhelming because we had nothing left to give.
The Light-Bulb Moment
Somewhere on that same drive, after one of those quiet moments where you can hear your own thoughts again, we realized something huge:
We were asking ourselves to show up for meaningful family moments without ever giving ourselves space to refuel.
We were trying to make travel magical while ignoring how empty our own tanks were. We carried guilt for being tired. We thought “other parents” had it figured out. We wondered why something that should feel fun felt heavy instead.
That was our pivot point, the moment we finally saw that travel didn’t need to change… we did.
If we wanted to enjoy these years with our son, these once-in-a-lifetime seasons, we needed to build a foundation that helped us feel grounded, rested, emotionally present, and genuinely ready.
The Decision That Changed Everything
We decided that day that something needed to shift.
Not in a dramatic, pack-your-bags-for-Bali kind of way.
But in a small, honest, parent-to-parent commitment:
We were going to start saying “yes” to ourselves so we could show up better for him.
We pictured trips where we actually felt calm walking out the door…
where we had the bandwidth to be patient during delays…
where we could enjoy the tiny moments he lit up at something new…
where travel didn't drain us but actually helped us grow together.
This became the heartbeat of Your Yes Day.
Not a day where we spoil ourselves, but a day, and a lifestyle, where we rebuild the physical, mental, and spiritual wellness that makes parenting lighter.
How Your Yes Day Helps Fix the Feeling of “Travel With Kids Is Overwhelming”
When you’re running on empty, even the smallest travel moments feel big:
packing, car rides, airport lines, unexpected meltdowns, forgotten items.
But when you’re cared for, well-fed, rested, emotionally supported, grounded, everything shifts.
Here’s how Your Yes Day helps overwhelmed parents create that shift.
1. Physical Wellness: Build Energy That Lasts Through the Whole Trip
Travel drains you faster when your body is already depleted.
Your Yes Day focuses on micro-wellness routines that help you refuel before you ever zip the suitcase.
Some examples we’ll explore deeper in future posts:
The 10-Minute Pre-Trip Reset (stretching routine + hydration + breathwork)
Packing a “Parent Fuel Kit” with snacks, electrolytes, and comfort items for YOU
Pre-travel sleep rituals that help you start the trip energized
Building stamina through simple daily movement, even on busy weeks
Imagine walking into a trip actually feeling awake, grounded, and able to roll with hiccups.
That’s what physical wellness supports, and it becomes the foundation for everything else.
2. Mental Wellness: Calm the Chaos Before the Suitcase Opens
Overwhelm is often less about the travel… and more about the mental load leading up to it:
“What do we pack?”
“What if we forget something?”
“Are we even ready?”
Your Yes Day helps create mental space using:
Two-minute declutter rituals for your mind
A travel planning brain-dump template to get everything out of your head
Simple decision-making frameworks that reduce overthinking
“Done is better than perfect” routines for packing and prepping
We’ll break each of these down in future posts, but the core idea is this:
When your mind feels lighter, travel feels doable, not draining.
3. Emotional Wellness: Strengthen Your Patience, Presence, and Joy
Travel often amplifies emotions, yours and your kid’s.
And when we’re overstretched, even small bumps in the day feel bigger.
Your Yes Day offers ways to build emotional resilience so you can enjoy the moments that matter:
Mini habits for emotional grounding you can use in the car or airport
A “calm corner” for travel days that keeps you centered
Parent emotional check-ins to prevent burnout before it hits
Practicing grace-based self-talk that removes guilt from the journey
A parent with emotional resilience isn’t perfect, they’re just more supported.
And that support creates warmth, patience, and presence your child feels instantly.
4. Spiritual Wellness: Reconnect With Yourself So Travel Feels Meaningful Again
Travel isn’t just about destinations, it’s about connection.
But connection is hard when you’re disconnected from yourself.
Your Yes Day introduces simple, accessible practices like:
Two-minute grounding reflections
Travel gratitude rituals you do before every trip
A “slow moment” tradition that helps you notice the good
Reconnecting with purpose: Why THIS trip matters for your family
These gentle spiritual resets help you show up to travel (and parenting) with a deeper sense of calm and intention.
A Loving Message to You, From One Overwhelmed Parent to Another
If travel feels overwhelming right now, please hear this:
You are not alone.
You are not failing.
You are simply tired.
And tired parents deserve support, not shame.
We aren’t perfect. We still mess up, forget things, and have days where everything feels heavy. But learning to say “yes” to ourselves changed how we travel, how we parent, and how we enjoy these fleeting years with our little boy.
We want the same lightness for you.
If even one part of this post gives you hope or a starting point, take it.
Let it be your small “yes” today.
Because when you show up with a full cup, even a half-full one, everything becomes easier, softer, and more joyful.
Your child feels it.
You feel it.
Your whole family feels it.
Your Yes Day starts with a whisper: “I matter too.”
And that whisper can make every trip feel lighter.
If you’re ready, we’ll walk this journey with you, step by step, week by week.
