I am Chris, Dutch, dad of three, and we have lived in The Netherlands (our home country), Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, and Erbil.
I also run another blog called Moving Jack. But Parenting Abroad is everything about our life and travels abroad with our three kids.
My mission
Making travel with kids easier and more fun. That is basically it!
Why? Because I hear so many times that traveling with kids is just too tough. So people postpone their trips for way too long.
And someone will always say, “Why travel? Kids don’t remember anything from before they are eight!”
But I really believe traveling is an important part of how a child develops. Even if they do not remember all of it later. Because traveling is all about changing your surroundings, learning new things, experiencing other cultures, and much more. These are all aspects that help a child develop, and adults too! (including me)
But, of course, every child is different, so this site is about what works for us, and hopefully for you as well.
Why I take the information part so seriously
Years ago I was one of the authors on a controlled study about patients with atrial fibrillation. We just wanted to know something pretty simple. If you teach people what to watch for, do they act on their symptoms sooner? They did.
And that idea never really left me. Good information, given to the right people at the right time, changes what happens. This site is the same idea, only pointed at parents instead of patients.
My background is a BSc in Clinical Psychology with a minor in child and youth, plus an MSc in Sustainable HRM. Before all of this, I was a DJ, about 600 shows across 40 countries. You can check any of it on LinkedIn.
That training means I know how to read evidence but it does not make me a doctor, and nothing here is medical advice.
The Family Room Index
Somewhere in Seoul I booked a room that said it sleeps four. It was a queen bed and a rollaway.
So now I check the rooms myself before we book anything, and I write down what I find. Which room, how many real beds, what the listing claimed versus what was actually there. That list got long and turned into the Family Room Index.
Contact me
If you want a hotel checked, or you think something here is wrong, the contact page is here. I answer everything, sometimes a bit slowly… (got three kids!)
I would really rather get a correction than have you book a bad room because of me.
Thank you for visiting my site, and I hope it helps you on your travels.