By Jodi · Atlas & Elm · December 2025
I was burnt out. Like, genuinely, deeply burnt out. Not the kind where you just need a long weekend. The kind where you wake up tired, go to bed tired, and wonder when life started feeling like something you were just getting through.
My husband felt it too. And honestly, so did our kids, in their own way. We were busy all the time but not really present. So we made a decision that probably sounded crazy to most people around us.
In December 2025, we packed up our life in Canada and moved to Alicante, Spain. Our son is five. Our daughter just turned two. Neither my husband nor I had ever been to Alicante before. We just went.
I needed more meaningful time with my kids. The move felt necessary.
Living on the Costa Blanca has been a dream. And I don’t say that lightly.
The Dinner That Changed My Perspective
We had only been here a few days when we went out for dinner. If you’ve ever taken little kids to a restaurant, you know the drill. You scope out the exits. You pack snacks. You mentally apologize in advance to everyone seated nearby.
This restaurant had a kids’ play area right in the dining room. Our son ran straight to it. Our daughter shuffled after him as fast as her little legs would go. And I braced myself.
Nobody cared. Actually, that’s not right. People cared in the best possible way. A waiter came over to say hello to our daughter. The couple beside us smiled at us, genuinely, like having kids at the table was just part of a good evening. Because here, it is.
It became very clear, very quickly, that kids are just part of life here. They’re not something to be managed or apologized for.
A meal is meant to be enjoyed. And you’re meant to enjoy the people you’re eating with.
Nobody rushed us out. The food came slowly, in courses. We sat there for almost two hours. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t thinking about what I had to do tomorrow. I was just there, with my family, eating good food, watching my kids play.
What This Taught Me About Travelling With Kids
I used to think travelling with kids was just hard. Full stop. Something you survived and came home exhausted from.
I don’t think that anymore.
Travelling with kids doesn’t have to be so hard. You just have to know the right places to go. Places that genuinely welcome kids, not just tolerate them. Hotels with great kids’ programs that give you some time to breathe while your children are having the time of their lives. Experiences that shape who your kids are becoming, not just something to keep them busy.
That’s the difference. And once you’ve felt it, you can’t unfeel it.
Why I Do What I Do
This is exactly why I started Atlas & Elm. I plan and book luxury family travel because I know what it feels like on both sides of it. I know the exhaustion and the anxiety of arriving somewhere with small children and hoping it works out. And I know what it feels like when it actually does, when every piece of the trip was chosen with your family in mind.
The right hotel, the right destination, the right experiences don’t just give you a holiday. They give your kids something they’ll carry with them. And they give you back something you didn’t realize you’d lost.
We offer everything from hotel bookings to fully customizable itineraries. Every trip is built around what your family actually needs.
Ready to Travel Differently?
If you’re dreaming of a trip that works for everyone in your family, including the little ones, I’d love to help you plan it.
Reach out at [email protected] or visit atlasandelm.com. Let’s find your next adventure.
