One day my ultimate concierge,  said out of the blue,“Let’s take  our grands on a trip.” To be perfectly honest I was as shocked as I was thrilled because for as long as I can remember I wanted to travel with grandchildren. Since the trip was his idea and I know my husband, I wasted no time jumping on it. I did not want to give him any time to change his mind. You know darlings, we women have MOXIE!

We decided we would invite the oldest grands and a daughter-in-law  — 11 in all — and travel in a large van or minibus from Paris to Normandy beginning with a few days in Paris. Four in the group were unsure if they could attend because of new jobs and asked us for a deadline.

Traveling With Grandchildren

As it turns out Joe Good, who just graduated from the London School of Economics is working for Forest Whitaker, an American actor, producer and director, and Academy Award winner. Whitaker is also a social activist and was designated as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador with the United Nations. Our grand, Joe, is his right-hand man for his UN work and will be traveling between LA, New York, and Paris. After much thought, he decided he should not ask for a week off to travel.

David Good is a digital designer and branding specialist in New York. He finished his Masters and had been freelancing and was planning on going, but a new full-time job presented itself, and there was no way he could ask for time off.

Rob Mor, told us from the beginning, he was unable to travel.  He is our grandson who graduated the Tisch School at NYU.

We were also taking our daughter-in-law, Jami Good, but unfortunately, she cannot travel because she is recovering from surgery.

We were disappointed some of the grands and Jami would miss this trip because this was an excellent opportunity to spend quality time together. The Grands and Jami live across America from LA to Garden City, Idaho, to Austin, Texas, to San Francisco, to Chicago and New York. I stay in touch through texts, and phone calls.

A Grandmother’s Pride + Joy

I am proud to tell the world; these are my grands. The Good boys, as I call them, are the best any grandmother could dream of. They are respectful, kind, loving and appreciative. Our grands share their lives and dreams with us. These grandchildren of ours make us feel very important. They ask our opinion and make us feel as though we are visible grandparents.

And, that is why this trip is going to be a dream come true for me. I have been blessed to have taken this trip with my ultimate concierge. Now I am going to see Paris and many sights in Normandy through the eyes of our grands.

We will visit Notre Dame and Monmarte and take a city tour with a private guide. Then, we will enjoy lively conversations about Monet at his garden and home and talk about Marie Antoinette and French history at Versailles.

We will eat fresh fish and drink wine in little bistros along the wharf in Honfleur laughing and sharing stories of the day.

And, we will give thanks to our servicemen who died to protect all Americans at the American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy.

The boys will be taking videos and teach me how to use my new mic. I will be sharing those videos and photos with you as we travel through France.

My ultimate concierge is rushing me to catch our flight for Paris. I have to sign off, but, before I do, just a word about travel and why it enriches you. But rather than tell you in my own words, I’ve called in a few of my favorite travel quotes to help make my point. 😉

The Top Reasons to Travel With Grandchildren

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustav Flaubert.

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain.

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta.

Have you gone traveling with grandchildren? Where? When? Do tell! Please share your thoughts either in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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