What a trip you had with your son, this would be something he will remember forever. More so because you didn't make a reservation for that art museum, yes, a great lesson that life rarely goes as planned. But a bigger lesson your son probably took from it is that his dad will go any distance to make things happen for him. 😊 And a Happy Meal at a Japanese McDonald's? I'd say you truly nailed it. 👍
Thanks Yuni! Yes, it turned out to be a good lesson in planning and adaptation. And indeed, as long as happy meals exist, kids will forgive nearly any mistake a parent makes :)
The teamLab moment is such a real Japan-planning lesson, especially with a fixed train out of Kyoto. Popular timed-entry places don’t just need “a ticket” — they need a ticket that still fits the route, the transfer time, and the rest of the day.
I took my daughter to Japan when she was about your son's age, and it's a trip I will never forget. It was also her idea, but just a whim. Back then, no one knew about matcha ice cream, but now it's all the rage here! We never stayed in a ryokan, but we loved it there and went back two more times. We took lots of trains everywhere and got our money's worth out of our rail passes. All the food there is prepared better and tastes better, even McDonald's, I think, and people were wonderful--so helpful, kind and respectful. People were very kind to my young daughter, giving her little "gift-o"s, and showing her around.
Your son may not remember later in life all that you did on your Japan trip, but he will recall that you went there together and had a great time. I don't travel much these days, but I'm sure glad I did when my daughter was growing up. It opened her eyes to the creativity and kindness of people living in a bit of a parallel universe, and it made her more open to exploring this wonderful world. She's been a whole lot more places now, more than me, even managing to get engaged on the top floor of the tallest building in Taipei, where she has since visited again to see her husband's grandfather and aunts. It's a big world worth seeing!
Travelling will open up your kid's eyes, but the preparation can be rough, especially when you have 3 little ones pulling at your arms making it hard to type, as I do at this exact moment!
Totally agree, your child will remember the experience more than the details, but it's definitely important to get them out into the world!
What a trip you had with your son, this would be something he will remember forever. More so because you didn't make a reservation for that art museum, yes, a great lesson that life rarely goes as planned. But a bigger lesson your son probably took from it is that his dad will go any distance to make things happen for him. 😊 And a Happy Meal at a Japanese McDonald's? I'd say you truly nailed it. 👍
Thanks Yuni! Yes, it turned out to be a good lesson in planning and adaptation. And indeed, as long as happy meals exist, kids will forgive nearly any mistake a parent makes :)
Good lessons!
The teamLab moment is such a real Japan-planning lesson, especially with a fixed train out of Kyoto. Popular timed-entry places don’t just need “a ticket” — they need a ticket that still fits the route, the transfer time, and the rest of the day.
Exactly, and you usually need to purchase that ticket a month in advance too 🤣
Never been to Japan, but I am a father. Love this story.
I took my daughter to Japan when she was about your son's age, and it's a trip I will never forget. It was also her idea, but just a whim. Back then, no one knew about matcha ice cream, but now it's all the rage here! We never stayed in a ryokan, but we loved it there and went back two more times. We took lots of trains everywhere and got our money's worth out of our rail passes. All the food there is prepared better and tastes better, even McDonald's, I think, and people were wonderful--so helpful, kind and respectful. People were very kind to my young daughter, giving her little "gift-o"s, and showing her around.
Your son may not remember later in life all that you did on your Japan trip, but he will recall that you went there together and had a great time. I don't travel much these days, but I'm sure glad I did when my daughter was growing up. It opened her eyes to the creativity and kindness of people living in a bit of a parallel universe, and it made her more open to exploring this wonderful world. She's been a whole lot more places now, more than me, even managing to get engaged on the top floor of the tallest building in Taipei, where she has since visited again to see her husband's grandfather and aunts. It's a big world worth seeing!
Travelling will open up your kid's eyes, but the preparation can be rough, especially when you have 3 little ones pulling at your arms making it hard to type, as I do at this exact moment!
Totally agree, your child will remember the experience more than the details, but it's definitely important to get them out into the world!
Yes, I did it with my one and only, and I was very organized back then—no more!