Enhancing Family Conversations and Bonds

Hi everyone!

Traveling with kids and soaking up the newborn season at home might feel totally different—but they share the same magic: true, undistracted presence. On normal days, life is a blur of school drop-offs, activities, and family obligations, and it’s easy to realize at bedtime that you were together…but not really connected. When we travel with kids or settle into that cozy “newborn bubble,” we naturally slow down, put our phones away, and remember how good it feels to simply enjoy each other.

Because of that, creating simple, intentional moments of connection—at home or on the road—has become a huge priority for our family. Conversation is one of the easiest ways to do that. A single good question can turn a quiet car ride or a chaotic family gathering into a chance to really see and hear each other.

That’s why I created Traveling with Tots – Family Conversation Cards, a set of 160 digital family travel cards designed to spark meaningful conversations wherever you are. They’re organized into spouse-to-spouse, parent-to-child, sibling-to-sibling, and general family questions. You can quickly pull them up on your phone during a road trip, while waiting for food at a restaurant, or when you’re hanging out with grandparents and cousins at home. Check them out and let me know what you think 🙂

With Thanksgiving coming up, along with all the Friendsgivings, your kids might be put in more social situations with people they don’t see as regularly. We learned from a trip to Pakistan to visit relatives, how important it can be to prepare little kids before meeting large groups of family members.

Getting kids ready for a family reunion is super helpful because it lets them know who's going to be there and makes things way less overwhelming. Plus, when kids know what to expect, they feel more comfortable and can warm up to everyone a lot faster. Based on our experience, I compiled tips on preparing little kids for big family reunions here.

If you are still trying to figure out a last-minute winter trip, one of the most incredible trips we have done with our kids was visiting Jordan. We went in December, and the weather was mild, and it wasn’t too crowded. Exploring Petra, as well as staying in a “tent” in the Wadi Rum desert, while we enjoyed the soft red sand, watched camels browse around, and star gazed together will forever be a core memory for me. For our full 1-week Jordan itinerary, visit here.

Fun fact - it was on this trip, on our drive from Petra to Wadi Rum, that my husband and I used conversation prompt cards. It led us to a discussion on when to plan for our third child and how to get on the same page. Next month, I was expecting our baby boy, Rumi! ❤ It’s moments like that inspired me to create these family travel conversation cards for the whole family to enjoy.

Looking for a family photoshoot photographer for the holidays? Check Flytographer (Discount Code: SHAINAREHMANN) to find out if they are in your city. Having professional photos of the whole family together is memorable! And the final product will make excellent gifts. If Flytographer is not available, I have resources on finding other photographer sites here.

Follow along on Instagram for daily tips, real-life stories, and how we manage the chaos (and fun!) of making memories with our four kids.

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We’re here to share what works, what doesn’t, and to answer your questions. Got a destination you want us to cover? Need advice for your next trip? Hit reply and let us know!

Happy Travels!

— Shaina & Sher