Becoming a parent changes everything. From your daily routine to your outlook on life, children impact your thoughts and activities on a daily basis. Travel is no different. Whether it’s how often you fly or take road trips in search of new adventures, or simply how you get around your city, having children changes it all.

According to sciencedirect.com, the presence of younger children in the household is, on average, associated with relatively higher auto use, and lower levels of physically active travel (i.e., walking and bicycling) and public transit use. They go on to specify that parents of school-age (6–15 years) children, without other small (5 years or less) children, are found to engage in significantly more auto use than childless couples. So what does this mean?

RELATED: More And More People Are Choosing Travel Over Marriage, A House And Children

The likelihood of engaging in 20  minutes or more of active travel per day falls as couples transition to parenthood and drops further as small children turn school-age. As parents turn to convenience and comfort, it looks like they are missing out on outdoor exercise and adventure. 

With hectic schedules, tight budgets, and the added stress of traveling with kids, it’s no surprise that the frequency of domestic and international air travel also decreases for new parents – especially new moms. In a 2014 survey by Devries Global, statista.com reported that women without children traveled an average of 16 days domestically during the year, while women with children only traveled 10.

RELATED: 6 Airline Policies That Support The Traveling Parent

International travel was even lower. Women without children traveled ten days during the year internationally while women with children traveled only three days. That’s a 70% decrease in international travel. 

If the stress of traveling with children is holding you back, be sure to check out our article on 9 Tips For Stress-Free Air Travel With Children to help you prepare for and feel confident in booking your next vacation.