Overcome the top challenges facing parents when planning travel. Use these tips to maximize learning and maximize family memories, both at home and on your trip. Plan a road trip or an international trip of your dreams before your kids leave home without going into debt or dropping a ball!  Margot shares with you the Top 5 challenges (expressed to her by other parents), and she includes ways to surmount those hurdles. You are not alone.

MAIN TOPIC:  Challenges abound when parenting.  Planning a learning-centered trip has its own challenges.  Get forward motion on your dreams.

QUESTION AT THE END:  How do I plan the learning before a trip focused on American History?

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END:  Centers on who you are and the nature of your dreams.  (You'll sit up straighter when you hear this tidbit!)

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Trip ideas + 3 reasons for TRAVEL. How to see your loved ones light up, plus turbo-charge your kids' education, whether your travel is for learning American History, exploring your state, European art, or more.  Don't miss the 3 kinds of connections which family travel creates, plus don't miss Margot's trip examples.  Your family will return home from your trip with new eyes.  (Yes: for parents of kids who homeschool or who attend school!)

MAIN TOPIC:  Connections are made when you choose to travel with your kids.

QUESTION AT THE END:  Where can I find good books to read? 

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: Why plan your own trip?

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Should stinging ants, annoyances or self-doubt make you hesitate to plan a trip with your teens and tweens?  Don't miss out on meaningful family trip experiences. Listen to find out two stunning reasons why you should plan a trip.  (Hint: the reasons involve YOU!)  Vigorous inspiration, whether you homeschool or whether your kids attend school.

MAIN TOPIC:  Yes, trips have annoyances, obstacles and hassles.  I give two reasons why you should plan family travel.  Don't miss the 3 "growth" stories about me from our Great Britain travel, geology & National Parks travel, and from our RV travel.  What you'll learn is critical for your kids.

QUESTION AT THE END: "How can I get my family to help with the work while on a trip?  Travel is a hassle!"   I've got a simple solution!

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: The Magic Wand to make your travel smooth!  How certain actions now (at home) will give you power on your trip.

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Engage your family in a trip to England by learning together BEFORE you go. Whether you're interested in castles, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Downton Abbey, World War II sites, Roman history, this episode will help create meaningful travel.  Great, whether your kids homeschool or attend school. Find out what to learn and where to go in Great Britain.

MAIN TOPIC:  Great Britain has so much to offer.  Learn a few of my family's favorite places (like Stonehenge, the Globe Theatre and Hadrian's Wall) plus how we LEARNED together in the months prior to departure.  Books, maps, and research.

QUESTION AT THE END:  Should you drive in Great Britain?

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: A golden tip so you don't miss anything helpful.

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Plan a trip about Early American History (and the learning to do at home in the months prior to departure).  Whether your teens/tweens homeschool or whether they attend school, you will learn WHEN to travel, WHAT to learn beforehand, WHERE to go, and HOW to handle multiple ages in your family.  A trip that includes Early American History sites will empower your kids as citizens.

MAIN TOPIC:  Listen for ways to learn together before you travel together to Early American History locations.  I'll share some of my family's favorite locations (like Colonial Williamsburg and Plimoth Plantation), plus topics to learn about before you go (like the Constitution, slavery, and the Civil War).  Homeschoolers can plan an entire academic year prior to travel, and all families can find the "just right" amount of learning to add in.

QUESTION AT THE END:  I share my method to choose where to go, whether it is choosing a trip or whether it is selecting places to see on the trip you're designing.

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: What is the most mentally-nutritionally-dense thing you can do at your house before a trip?  A small thing which is huge?  Listen and find out.

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Learn how to show your kids U.S. government at work.  Knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is critical to be an informed, active citizen.  Listen for my specific tips of what to read/listen to at home and, then, where to go in Washington, D.C. to best see our Constitution in action.  You'll learn why booking too many tours in advance may prevent you from taking in some of the choicest government-in-action opportunities. (Yes, this tip is contrary to my usual book-it-ahead planning approach.)

MAIN TOPIC:  Learn about the Constitution, at home and in Washington, D.C.  My steps help you navigate your choices, so you can plan your best trip to D.C. and give your kids a solid understanding of the Constitution.

QUESTION AT THE END: How to not "burnout" inside museums

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: My goosebump-inducing heart-moment regarding the U.S. Constitution that happened at James Madison's Montpelier.  Inspirational!

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Maps can unlock the secrets of the places you go.  Certain maps can exponentially improve your trip.  The right map for the right job is essential.  I will share the specifics of what I use when planning trips and when traveling.  (Don't miss Episode 008 when I discussed using maps to hook your family into the dreaming and exploring phase.)

MAIN TOPIC:  Unlock the secrets of the places you go.  Maps hold the key.  This is part 2 of 2 in the Map series.  Part 2 covers my novel ways you can use maps when you're planning and when you're traveling.

(Part 1 in episode 8 covered maps to use right now at home for dreaming and exploring with your family.)

QUESTION AT THE END:   A bit tongue-in-cheek: "Margot, maps don't thrill me.  Which are your 2 top picks from your plethora of tips?  Tell me the 2 essential maps."  No problem!  I have 2 essentials to tell you.

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END:  What is the arch-enemy of travel-planning!?

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Maps at home are an effective first step in bringing your trip alive for your family.  This podcast tells you how to use maps right now with your family, whether you're dreaming up a trip or currently well into the planning of a specific trip.  You will hook your family with these simple steps.  (See Episode 009 for novel ways to use maps for planning and while traveling.)

MAIN TOPIC:  You want to hook your family into your trip, right?  You want to bring this trip alive at your house in the time prior to your departure.  One of the easiest and most impactful ways to hook your family in (and visibly bring the trip alive) at your house is to use maps.  This is part 1 of 2 in the Map series, covering using maps right now at home for dreaming and exploring. (Part 2 covers my novel ways you can use maps when you're planning and when you're traveling.)

QUESTION AT THE END:  "How do I deal with butterflies (and stress) before a trip? Is it common?"

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END:  An easy-to-implement activity to connect your family with your trip (centered around maps).

Show notes and more available at:

https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

If you could save money on a trip by doing something that actually increases family memories, you'd jump at it, right?  Picnicking will help you stretch your travel dollars while enabling you to create phenomenal experiences. 

MAIN TOPIC: 

Picnicking is not just my favorite way to stretch our travel dollars, it is also my family's favorite way to eat on a trip.

We'll go through why picnicking is so great and practical ideas to write down so that you're armed with ideas before your next trip (yes: shopping lists for both simple gear and for food ideas).

QUESTION AT THE END:  I'll share a few great books to read aloud (or listen to) on trips.

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END:

Listen for what to keep in mind about making purchases of souvenirs on trips.  (You'll laugh at one of my favorite trip purchases.)

Listen to more at https://dreamconnecttravel.com/podcast/

Don't let trip experiences be forgotten. Learn how 3 simple ingredients will make your trip's moments be long-remembered by your family. 

MAIN TOPIC:  3 ingredients of creating memories.

Learn (through examples) how to make events stick in your family's hearts and minds.  Including...

• Should your kids keep a journal?
• What happens when someone melts down at a museum?
• Do you have to buy trinkets at gift shops for memories to stick?
• Why are casual discussions important (and what is the biggest SQUISHER of family discussions)?

QUESTION AT THE END: How do I pay for our trip?

CHEWY TIDBIT AT THE VERY END: 2 ways BOOKS equip you to maximize both learning and family memories at once.

Show notes (including free download): https://dreamconnecttravel.com/006-3-ingredients-for-memories-creating-memories-part-2/

Part 1 of this "Creating Memories" series: https://dreamconnecttravel.com/005-create-memories-part-1-your-angle