Travels with kids and a mobility disability in Chiang Mai
Our family of four has visited Thailand multiple times, including a notable time in Chiang Mai. Here are some of the things we learned and experienced, plus some resources to help you plan your own trip to Chiang Mai.
Families can find great (and kid friendly) food in Chiang Mai
“Connor’s orange carrot emerged with a little bead on the end, almost like the red on a matchstick. And that thick, brownish, translucent chile jam would certainly trigger a type of fire.”
Scavenger hunt and night safari: Things to do in Chiang Mai with kids
“Chiang Mai’s love of Japanese food came practically to our front door.”
Food tours and other Chiang Mai culinary experiences
“The thinner you slice the chile, the hotter it will be in the final dish.”
Chiang Mai cooking classes
“The trouble began, as it so often does, at bedtime.”
My son’s two worst swear words
We’ll close with one more wee family story of our trip to Chiang Mai with kids.
The trouble began, as it so often does, at bedtime.
Connor and I were in the living room of our Chiang Mai rental. He had brushed his teeth and gotten ready for bed. Yet, instead of reading, now his eyes took on a puckish glint as he beamed at me.
“The two worst swear words I know start with the same letter.”
Oh dear.
How to handle this situation?
My mind froze. Connor’s mouth paused. The world stopped, or at least seemed to slow and sharpen, like your perception when you deal with a difficult situation, or a bullet-time scene in The Matrix.
It’s not that we shy away from swearing in the St. Clair family. We’ve always tried to be somewhat measured about our language. Though, as a man who prides himself on a share of flaws but relatively few actual vices, a good cussing is about as much as I let my short hair down.
When we or those around us have cussed around the kids, we’ve never bothered about it. If they have then gotten self-conscious, such as smacking their hands over their mouth after dropping a big ole F-bomb around the kids, we’ve simply asked them not to worry about it. It’s better to move on with an “all is normal” vibe.
Kids respond far more to the feeling behind the words, than the actual words themselves.
Not our first language discussion
It’s also not the first time Connor and I had discussed swearing. We’ve had discussions about cuss words, what they mean, how they’re used, and how if he did want to try using any, it could only be with me or Jodie, and he had to use the word correctly.
Now, though, I wondered what in the world he had in store for me. Maybe something had come up in a video he and Aster had watched. Maybe he had heard something I had said, or Jodie had said, or something some tourist in the market had said too loudly.
I braced myself. And let the world go back into normal speed mode.
“Okay,” I replied. “The two worst swear words you know start with the same letter. What are they?”
He leaned in toward me. Grinned a little. And let fly.
“Hell and hate,” he said. “They both start with H.”
I hugged him.
“Two big ones indeed,” I said.
Hell, not a big deal after all. If anything, I felt grateful and relieved. Sure, he would come to know, and I’m sure use, swear words that our culture considers far more intense. (Besides, I’ve insisted that if anyone gets to teach our kids to swear, it’s me and Jodie. If you don’t teach your kids to cuss, who will?)
Yes, I was thankful. Thankful that even at a young age, my son knew the worst swear word, the word, and the concept, that was more toxic, gross, corrosive, demeaning, and offensive than any other.
I won’t even say it again.
Connor hugged me back. And my gratitude grew. At least he also knew how to counter it, what was better than it, and what we can always choose when we want to choose a better way.
Sounds like a wonderful day, and tasty too!
Glad he’s learned how to counteract that word. God love him.
Love you all, Dad