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So this blog post is a bit different from our usual speech and language activity and idea packed content! During our time overseas in the UK, I learned 5 things about myself (and my kids) that helped me to feel more organized and confident. Who doesn’t love that feeling? Mandy and I thought we could pause our regular content to share the wealth!

We were in the UK for 5 weeks! My husband was there for work so of course my boys and I wanted to tag along! We started off in Glasgow and from there visited several places before moving on to London for a week. I tried to find a variety of activities to keep my five and two year olds engaged, but also needed to be realistic in what I took on as I was alone most of the time. Throughout our adventures, here is what I learned about myself, my kids, and the wonderful city of Glasgow.
#1: Glasgow was super inclusive!
Since we were in the city, most attractions were super close…and free! Yes, that’s right. Almost every museum we visited was free. This of course makes accessing everything this beautiful city has to offer very feasible for any income. With a small donation, we were able to explore the Riverside Transportation Museum, the Kelvingrove Art Museum & Gallery, the Hunterian Museum, the Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Police Museum, and so many more.


In addition, many of the attractions we visited had sensory friendly days or options. For example, at the Glasgow Science Centre there was a calming corner as well as headphones available next to louder exhibits. Several museums offered autism friendly days with dimmer lights, low to no music, and less admittance. It was really awesome to learn Glasgow was so good at making itself available to all.




#2: We lived super minimally…and I didn’t hate it…and neither did my kids.
We stayed in a lovely row house close to the downtown area. While we did have a washer and dryer rack, I did pack very minimally when it came to clothes as luggage tends to get heavy! I love clothes and may have a small obsession, but I can’t say I was sad to leave my full wardrobe. The boys and I were able to try our hand at a capsule wardrobe.
I admit…I may be addicted. Plus it cut my time doing laundry in half! When we got home, I went through my closet very seriously and ended up donating a ton of items. I did the same for the boys as well!
In addition to less time on laundry, I believe we spent less energy doing laundry as well. In Europe, most homes have either a combination washer and dryer or no dryer at all. Upon returning home, I bought a dryer rack plus ran a clothes line in the backyard. Such an easy way to save on energy costs!


Another minimalistic thing we picked up overseas was less toys. I don’t know about you, but toys tend to take over our house on a daily basis. With two small boys, we have it all from cars to LEGOS© to puzzles to games. While we did pack a few favorites, we really relied on our outside time to keep us entertained. In the evenings, we enjoyed reading and journaling the day’s events together. Again, when we got home, the boys did a great job thinning out quality toys to donate!


Lastly, I learned I can think outside of the box when it comes to meals! When at home in the states, I do cook dinner most nights with the occasional carry out meal. But I am used to having a large staple pantry to rely on. I had to think really hard on how to cook meals with essentially no pantry! So I mainly stuck to 5 ingredient meals or less…and it was so easy and delicious. In the end, it ended up being a lot of fun being creative and coming up with different meal combinations. We did have a few highly recommended restaurants we definitely tried though!


#3: Weather is unpredictable, but we still had fun!
Oh the weather! Being from the Midwest, our summers are hot and muggy. This was not the case in Glasgow! Of course I knew going into the trip that we would need rain slickers, rain boots, and umbrellas. And we used them every day!


The best part though? When it started to rain, it pretty much stopped as soon as it started. The locals didn’t seem to bat an eye so we followed suit. We just continued to enjoy our outside time and adventures despite the drizzles, downpours, raindrops, and mists! I loved seeing my kids adapt and carry on even though sometimes the weather was less than ideal.


A few times the weather was really not great so we did just hang out in our AirBnb. To keep both boys entertained, I made a scavenger hunt. Our front window looked out onto a fairly busy street. They had a check list to find all kinds of city vehicles and pedestrians.


While I made this scavenger hunt up on the fly (plus didn’t have access to a printer), we do have a much more comprehensive transportation version for you! Check it out below or click here!
Read more here: The Only Transportation Themed Activity You Will Ever Need!
#4: People are kind.
I really can’t say enough great things about the people we encountered during our time in Glasgow and the UK in general. I have so many memories of so many individuals that helped us along the way. Since we didn’t have a car, I relied heavily on public transportation to get us around the city. Loading a stroller on a city bus with a 5 year old in tow could sometimes be a bit cumbersome. People of all ages were always willing to help. However, we became bus and train experts thanks to many locals’ help!


One of the first mornings we were in the city, I took the boys to a small toy shop down the street called The Big Top. I was still getting my bearings and this was one of our first ventures out just the three of us. After looking around the toy shop, the couple who owned the store struck up a conversation with my youngest. I mentioned we were visiting for five weeks and still learning the area. The couple told me to come back to the store at any time during our stay even if we didn’t buy anything, because learning a new city can be overwhelming with two small children. I was so touched by their kindness. Then as we were about a block away walking home, the owner chased us down with some blank white paper he had found cleaning out the store the day prior. He said he thought the boys would like to use it to color.


During our time in London, my husband, the boys, and I were headed to the London Zoo on our last day before heading back to the US. We stopped at a coffee shop stand and my husband took my five year old to the bathrooms behind the small building. A few moments later, he came running out clutching my son’s chin with toilet paper. My son had slipped and fallen in the bathroom and had a very large gash on his chin. Panic of course set in because where do you go in a foreign country when you get hurt?


A younger couple grabbing coffee came out and immediately started to help us. They called the emergency number and ended up walking us to the nearest London emergency room. In our frazzled state, we did not get their last name! Just that his name was Ryan, worked for a financial company in London and Charlotte, NC, and had an uncle in Schaumburg, IL! (Maybe I will have to do some more sleuthing to track them down and properly thank them!) And don’t worry, my son was fine…just some glue and a few strong pieces of tape then we headed back to the zoo.
#5: I can do hard things!
While I am by no means complaining out about this amazing trip, I will not lie…I did have some anxiety heading into these five weeks. I knew my husband would be working and gone most of the time. Luckily, we did have different family visit throughout our stay which helped bring some comfort. But it did take me a week or so to settle in mentally. Once that happened, I realized…I really can do hard things. We all can as moms. I knew I wanted my boys to have an experience they could look back on (or just photos to look at!) so I needed to set aside my own insecurities and anxieties. And I am so glad I did! While it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine the entire time, reflecting back I am proud of what we learned and accomplished while living abroad.

While it was so nice to sleep in my own bed, coming home was a bit bittersweet! Our time spent as a family abroad was a once in a lifetime experience. I hope by sharing my experience some of the tips and tricks we picked up along the way can help you out in your daily mom life wherever you are. And remember…you can do hard things too!
Now where to visit next…😉
Kate & Mandy
Talking Mama Bears