Latest news with #bonding
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Yahoo
I've Been Planning Family Vacations for a Living for Years—Here's How to Plan the Perfect Trip With Your Child
Taking a trip with your child is a great way to connect with each other. Here are some tips for planning one, according to a top travel advisor. There's something special about taking a trip with just your child. No distractions, just you and them and an itinerary designed for your shared interests. When I was growing up in Texas, my mom and I did this regularly, and it became a tradition for us. Throughout my adolescence, she took my sister and I all over the globe while my dad worked abroad. I still remember our grand train tour through Europe—three women, way too much luggage, and a running joke about exchange rates in every country (this was pre-Euro, after all). We also ventured to Costa Rica, Tahiti, New York, and beyond. I didn't realize it at the time, but these experiences helped shape my independence, my confidence, and eventually, my career in luxury travel. My dad also had his moments—he took my sister and I on a trip to Alaska when I was in college; just the three of us fishing, exploring, and bonding in a way that only happens when you leave your usual dynamic at home. As a mom and a seasoned travel advisor, here's how I've kept the tradition going with my own daughter, and tips you can implement into your own plans. Embrace the Efficiency and the Time My daughter and I have traveled across five continents together. These trips have become an essential fabric in our relationship, whether we're swimming with sea lions in the Galápagos, indulging in a shopping spree at Samaritaine in Paris, or riding every attraction at Disneyland Shanghai. When it's just the two of us, it can be surprisingly efficient. With fewer people to plan around, it's often more affordable, more flexible, and easier to schedule. So rather than skipping the family spring break trip because your spouse has a work conflict or your kids' school calendars don't align, consider a solo parent-child getaway instead. Travel to a Major City Major cities offer multiple avenues to discover what brings joy to your child. In the United States, I love New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston for this style of travel. Internationally, Paris, Amsterdam, and London all offer family-friendly attractions, world-class hotels, and the perfect mix of culture and play. While busy destinations, you can make them as small and intimate as you'd like. Some of my favorite hotels for a parent-child trip include The Newbury in Boston, The Carlyle in New York City, The Rosewood in Amsterdam, and Cheval Blanc in Paris. For a singular experience, Les Airelles Grand Contrôle in Versailles offers access to the eponymous palace and private evening tours. Craft a Thoughtful Itinerary When traveling solo with your child, it's best to prioritize experiences that invite connection. Visit a museum that's relevant to your child's interests, whether that's the Van Gogh Museum or the Museum of Ice Cream, and build in hands-on activities like a cooking class, perfume-making workshop, or ceramic painting. Afternoon tea is another favorite—there's something delightful about lingering over finger sandwiches and sweets together. As for dining, it doesn't matter how fancy the restaurant is. What's important is that you share memorable meals together, whether that's dim sum in Chinatown, a Nutella crêpe by the Seine, or deep-dish pizza along the riverfront. Other Ideas for Parent-Child Travel Scenic destinations like Costa Rica, Alaska, or a U.S. national park offer an opportunity for you and your child to unplug and reconnect. Whether through hiking, searching for wildlife, or doing an adventure activity like zip-lining, the great outdoors leave space for shared wonder and deep conversation. For younger children, the Disney Parks across the globe deserve a mention. There's usually one parent who dreams in pixie dust and one who finds theme parks overwhelming. If you're the former, take your kiddo on a solo trip and embrace the magic. Stay at a deluxe property like Disney's Grand Californian or the Four Seasons Orlando for extra comfort, and book VIP tours to skip the lines. Consider Working with a Tour Operator If you want to take a parent-child trip but don't feel comfortable planning it all, guided group tours for families, like those from Tauck Bridges Adventures by Disney, provide curated experiences, a built-in sense of security, and the opportunity to make new friends along the way. Whether you and your child prefer big-city adventures, theme-park thrills, or quiet moments in nature, taking a trip together allows you to see the world—and each other—more clearly. Kaleigh Kirkpatrick is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in family trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Kirkpatrick at hello@ Read the original article on Travel & Leisure Solve the daily Crossword
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Travel + Leisure
23-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I've Been Planning Family Vacations for a Living for Years—Here's How to Plan the Perfect Trip With Your Child
There's something special about taking a trip with just your child. No distractions, just you and them and an itinerary designed for your shared interests. When I was growing up in Texas, my mom and I did this regularly, and it became a tradition for us. Throughout my adolescence, she took my sister and I all over the globe while my dad worked abroad. I still remember our grand train tour through Europe—three women, way too much luggage, and a running joke about exchange rates in every country (this was pre-Euro, after all). We also ventured to Costa Rica, Tahiti, New York, and beyond. I didn't realize it at the time, but these experiences helped shape my independence, my confidence, and eventually, my career in luxury travel. My dad also had his moments—he took my sister and I on a trip to Alaska when I was in college; just the three of us fishing, exploring, and bonding in a way that only happens when you leave your usual dynamic at home. As a mom and a seasoned travel advisor, here's how I've kept the tradition going with my own daughter, and tips you can implement into your own plans. Embrace the Efficiency and the Time A sitting area in The Rosewood Amstedam. Rosewood Amsterdam My daughter and I have traveled across five continents together. These trips have become an essential fabric in our relationship, whether we're swimming with sea lions in the Galápagos, indulging in a shopping spree at Samaritaine in Paris, or riding every attraction at Disneyland Shanghai. When it's just the two of us, it can be surprisingly efficient. With fewer people to plan around, it's often more affordable, more flexible, and easier to schedule. So rather than skipping the family spring break trip because your spouse has a work conflict or your kids' school calendars don't align, consider a solo parent-child getaway instead. Travel to a Major City Major cities offer multiple avenues to discover what brings joy to your child. In the United States, I love New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston for this style of travel. Internationally, Paris, Amsterdam, and London all offer family-friendly attractions, world-class hotels, and the perfect mix of culture and play. While busy destinations, you can make them as small and intimate as you'd like. Some of my favorite hotels for a parent-child trip include The Newbury in Boston, The Carlyle in New York City, The Rosewood in Amsterdam, and Cheval Blanc in Paris. For a singular experience, Les Airelles Grand Contrôle in Versailles offers access to the eponymous palace and private evening tours. Craft a Thoughtful Itinerary An elegant afternoon tea. laughingmango/Getty Images When traveling solo with your child, it's best to prioritize experiences that invite connection. Visit a museum that's relevant to your child's interests, whether that's the Van Gogh Museum or the Museum of Ice Cream, and build in hands-on activities like a cooking class, perfume-making workshop, or ceramic painting. Afternoon tea is another favorite—there's something delightful about lingering over finger sandwiches and sweets together. As for dining, it doesn't matter how fancy the restaurant is. What's important is that you share memorable meals together, whether that's dim sum in Chinatown, a Nutella crêpe by the Seine, or deep-dish pizza along the riverfront. Other Ideas for Parent-Child Travel The lazy river at The Four Seasons Orlando. The Four Seasons Orlando Scenic destinations like Costa Rica, Alaska, or a U.S. national park offer an opportunity for you and your child to unplug and reconnect. Whether through hiking, searching for wildlife, or doing an adventure activity like zip-lining, the great outdoors leave space for shared wonder and deep conversation. For younger children, the Disney Parks across the globe deserve a mention. There's usually one parent who dreams in pixie dust and one who finds theme parks overwhelming. If you're the former, take your kiddo on a solo trip and embrace the magic. Stay at a deluxe property like Disney's Grand Californian or the Four Seasons Orlando for extra comfort, and book VIP tours to skip the lines. Consider Working with a Tour Operator If you want to take a parent-child trip but don't feel comfortable planning it all, guided group tours for families, like those from Tauck Bridges Adventures by Disney, provide curated experiences, a built-in sense of security, and the opportunity to make new friends along the way. Whether you and your child prefer big-city adventures, theme-park thrills, or quiet moments in nature, taking a trip together allows you to see the world—and each other—more clearly. Kaleigh Kirkpatrick is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in family trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Kirkpatrick at [email protected].
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Parents Spark Outcry When They Take Baby on Vacation and Leave Toddler At Home
A couple is dividing the internet after choosing to take their infant on vacation while leaving their toddler at home with family. Recently, Georgia and Chris Brown said they booked a four-day trip from London to Morocco with their 8-month-old son Harry. Georgia told UK-based media outlet What's the Jam that they 'wanted to have that one-on-one time with him,' noting that when Harry's brother, George, 2, was around the same age, they had taken him to Italy. She said the getaway also offered Chris an opportunity to spend some rare uninterrupted time with his youngest child. 'Dads can struggle to bond at the beginning,' she said. 'He's the adult parent to George because I'm breastfeeding Harry. Chris doesn't get to spend that much time with Harry because he's back at work so it gave him that time as well.' Georgia's video about the trip stirred debate on TikTok, drawing backlash from some viewers who called the decision cruel. 'The baby won't even remember it but ur oldest might I don't get the logic.' 'I feel so sad for your older child' ' that's messed up.' 'What a horrible idea! Can't imagine anything worse. Memories are to be made as a family.' 'The older one needs more attention. a new sibling is a massive change for them emotionally & they need the support more than ever as they no longer have your full attention." Parenting and youth development expert Dr. Deborah Gilboa says the Browns have done nothing wrong. In fact, she applauds their approach. 'Parenting is all about figuring out the best way to spend your resources like time, money and energy,' Gilboa tells Gilboa sees the situation as a win all around: the father gets meaningful time with his baby, and the toddler 'gets to skip the boring and uncomfortable waiting that comes with international air travel,' she explains. She points out that a 2-year-old is unlikely to benefit from a vacation filled with unfamiliar food, a disrupted sleep environment and a jarring time change, all more apt to cause stress than joy. 'Instead, he gets to be the only kiddo focused on and doted on by his grandmother, without his new baby brother around,' Gilboa says. 'And then he reunites with his parents, who will be thrilled to see him, after a trip he wouldn't remember anyway.' This article was originally published on
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- The Guardian
The perfect break for mother and son? Stone-carving and wood-turning in Sussex
How best to bond with a teenage boy? When my son, Hugo, finished his A-levels, I knew I wanted to 'take a journey' with him, to have some sort of final trip before he left home. Ideally a journey that would leave both of us with a few happy memories. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Easier said than done: a midlife woman and a teenage boy are completely different beasts. I wanted to walk. He wanted to be driven. I wanted to get up early. He wanted to sleep in. I wanted unusual food. He wanted pub grub. I wanted to be safely active. He wanted to lie on a sofa or scramble along a vertiginous precipice. I wanted conversation. He didn't (at least not with me, hour after hour). The problem of where to go seemed insurmountable. But there was one activity we both enjoyed: making and building things. Could this be the answer to our 'bonding' trip? When I suggested we do a three-day stone-carving course on the South Downs and then a wood-turning class deep in an East Sussex forest, he nodded. We could spend our days together, but not conversing. The start time would be somewhere between his and my preferred rising hours. Our creative endeavours could be interspersed with eating at pubs that catered to each of our food preferences. And the travel requirements were minimal. We would base ourselves at my mum's in Lewes (but there's a great choice of local accommodation, including a youth hostel in a converted Sussex farmhouse in Southease on the South Downs that offers options from private rooms to bell tents). To boot, we may come away with more than just a few memories. Conran-ish wooden bowls and Hepworth-ish stone sculptures swum before my eyes. Yes, this could work, we agreed. And so, with a little trepidation, we turned up at the Skelton Workshop just after Hugo's last A-level exam. In a hidden crevice of the South Downs, not far from Hassocks, the Skelton stone-carving studio is near the home of the eminent, deceased sculptor and letter-cutter, John Skelton (students can visit Skelton's nearby sculpture garden during courses). The vast barn-style workshop looks over slanting vineyards which also contained – to our surprise and delight – a very cool wine bar and restaurant. The Artelium wine estate offers vineyard tours and tasting sessionsand, having discovered that the wines had won multiple awards, its alfresco terrace became our lunch spot (charcuterie boards and homemade bread) for the next three days. But first we had to choose whether we wanted to carve letters or sculpture. We both opted for sculpture. We then had to make another decision: what sort of stone? Hugo chose a beautiful green granite, while I selected a large block of Italian soapstone. Being disorganised, neither of us had arrived with any ideas. The course tutors provided books to inspire us and – after a little discussion with our eight fellow students – we both decided to go abstract. After three days of open-air chiselling, hammering, sanding and polishing, we had sculptures deemed good enough for the end-of-course show. To our (continued) surprise, a crowd arrived for the 'private viewing' in which our sculptures were publicly praised by the tutors. We celebrated with an evening meal in The Gun, a gastropub in Chiddingly that serves stone-baked pizzas and something it calls a 'gut-loving burrito bowl' composed of sweetcorn, black beans, guacamole and all the other things anathema to Hugo but much-loved by his mother. The next day, we drove 30 minutes east, to a privately owned woodland just outside Battle. Here, we hoped to master the ancient art of wood- turning using pole lathes, now a heritage craft. Green woodworker Amy Leake – youthful, petite, impressively muscled – had set up our pole lathes beneath the shade of a vast, spreading oak. After introducing us to our lathes (simple contraptions Amy made herself, in which sawn branches, rope and a treadle turn the wood), she showed us how to axe an enormous chunk of wood into something that would ultimately become a bowl. As sunlight poured through the green foliage above us, wood chips whizzed through the grainy air and sweat ran from our brows. Turning on a pole lathe requires strength, stamina and skill. Thanks to Amy's expert guidance, by the end of the day we were the proud (if exhausted) owners of two beautiful bowls. To recover, we headed to nearby Hastings for fish and chips on the beach followed by a game of crazy golf on the sea front. Tired after all that treadling it was then back to Lewes for some well-deserved sleep. I'm looking at our (proudly displayed) sculptures and bowls as I write. They always make me smile. Not because I see the embryonic makings of two artistic geniuses, but because they remind me of the connection Hugo and I made while working with our hands, of the shared blood, sweat and laughter. Besides, the bowls are perfect for serving crisps. I'll take that over a string of digital photographs any day. Skelton Workshops is running a three-day beginner's workshop from July 29-31 for £216 including all materials. Amy Leake runs a range of green woodworking classes (£200 for two people per day) including brush-making and spoon-carving
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Woman who went viral for breastfeeding her husband reveals how she feels about it since she stopped nursing
A mother who used to breastfeed her husband while she was also nursing her children has reflected on her unconventional show of affection 18 months after it went viral. Rachel Bailey, 32, and her husband Alexander, also 32, filmed a new vlog that showed them sitting down to watch an episode of My Strange Addiction, in which they revealed their ununsual practice to the world. At the time of filming, the mother-of-three said it was 'not a kink' but a way for she and Alexander to bond emotionally and grow closer. She started breastfeeding her husband in 2016, when they went on a cruise holiday away from their children, who she was still nursing. But Rachel had forgotten her breast pump, which left her 'badly engorged' and 'in so much pain'. In an effort to help relieve her pain, Alexander drank milk from her breasts. According to Rachel, it 'created a more special bond between us which we never would have had if we didn't start this'. Now, though, both Rachel and Alexander seem to feel differently about the practice, having stopped since 2023 after their youngest child was weaned. In their recent vlog, the pair get ready to watch the episode, which Rachel had seen parts of but Alexander had never watched because he 'never cared to'. 'This actually would be my first time [legitimately] watching it… I may not be able to get through it,' he admitted at the start of the YouTube vlog. The pair got comfortable on their sofa and start watching the episode of My Strange Addiction. Before they got to their own story, though, the pair briefly watched the story of a man whose 'addiction' was to eating raw chicken. 'His episode seems a little crazier than our episode,' Rachel said. 'And yet, our episode was the craziest.' Once they began watching themselves on TV, Rachel let out a scream of excitement, while Alexander appeared to try and hide his embarrassment by laughing at the screen. Asking Alexander how he felt about watching the first part of the episode for the first time, he replied: 'My thoughts are [that] it's unreal. It's like it didn't happen, but it happened. It's just wild. I don't even know, I have no words.' He added that he was having an 'out-of-body experience' watching himself and his wife on TV. Rachel said she couldn't believe they were 29 years old when they filmed the episode, and on seeing herself breastfeeding Alexander, she declared: 'It's cringe!' They recently sat down to watch their episode of My Strange Addiction, as Alexander had never seen it before, and recorded their reactions for their YouTube vlog When another clip of Alexander drinking from her breast appeared, Rachel said she 'couldn't even watch' and panned to Alexander, who had an uncomfortable expression on his face. They hit pause and Rachel said: 'You can tell that we barely watched this episode because I have never heard this background music before. 'It was very hard for us.' She described the episode as 'cringe' a second time, while Alexander can be heard saying: 'This is insane.' Towards the end of the video, Rachel admitted that they could not sit through the whole episode. 'We could not watch the whole thing, I gotta be honest with you,' she said. 'Maybe years from now. 'It's funny to watch because it was an amazing experience but it feels like we didn't do this, but we did this.' Alexander added: 'It's definitely a once in a lifetime experience, hence why we did it, it's not something you would experience everyday, going on My Strange Addiction. Rachel asked her husband if people still approach him to talk about the episode, but he said they no longer do. 'Things go like this,' Alexander said, snapping his fingers. 'Things are on and off, hot and cold, so once one thing's gone, the next thing pops up so they move on with that. Nobody talks about it anymore, which is fine, it's cool.' While Rachel was still breastfeeding Alexander, she claimed he became healthier and his skin improved as a result of drinking her milk. At the time, she said he had not gotten a cold in two years and received plenty of compliments on his skin. They acknowledged the practice might be 'a bit of a taboo subject', but added that they were not embarrassed by it because they 'don't think it's bad'. When Rachel was producing the most milk shortly after giving birth, Alexander was drinking from her breasts 'three to four times a day' and always only after her children had been fed. 'I love breastfeeding him as it allows us to spend quality time together. It's definitely brought us closer as a couple,' she explained. 'We realised there was nothing wrong with me breastfeeding him, and it would actually be good for him as it is so nutritious. 'He didn't get a cold for two years after he started drinking my milk and so many people said his skin was so much better too. 'It's not a kink for us. It started as Alexander just helping me out when I was in pain, but it turned into more of an emotional bonding thing.' But eventually all three of their children were weaned off breast milk, which meant Alexander also had to stop drinking it. Rachel said last year that when this happened, the couple 'grieved' their 'bonding experience' and they even considered having a fourth child so they could continue. 'We grieved that bonding experience that we shared, and we even spoke about having one more baby so that we could do it again,' Rachel said. 'However, we realized that was drastic action to take and a lot of work, so instead we began looking for other ways that we could bond as a couple.' Instead, they now get up at 5 am each morning to catch up and meditate before getting on with the rest of their day. 'It was never a sexual thing for us. We did it because it was an amazing way for us to bond and share something special as a couple,' Rachel said. 'We really miss the breastfeeding times that we shared, but we have found new ways to connect.'
