Dad Worries He ‘Messed Up’ His Kids By Spending Years Traveling Full-Time As A Family For A YouTube Channel
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock When your family life suddenly becomes your job, the lines between professional and personal can blur. Many family influencers can probably attest to that, including one dad who spent years traveling with his kids for YouTube.
However, in an essay for Business Insider, Phil Lockwood worried that the experience might have had some consequences. The family of five worked and lived for their travel YouTube channel Always Be Changing, but Lockwood's three kids, despite enjoying their adventures, were missing out on the stability and structure of a constant home, and it took the Lockwoods a while to figure it out.
Dad worries he 'messed up' his kids by spending years traveling full-time as a family for a YouTube channel.
"My wife and I began traveling the world with our three kids in 2020, at a time when structure had already fallen apart for most families. School was remote. Routines were fractured. The future felt unpredictable. Travel, oddly enough, felt grounding," Lockwood recalled.
He explained that if his kids were going to spend all their time on screens anyway, the least they could do was replace their textbooks with real-life experiences. He and his wife wanted their kids to let the world be their teachers. Almost immediately after, they started documenting their travels on their YouTube channel.
"Sharing everything online felt natural at the time. It gave structure to our travels and, through ad revenue and brand sponsorships, helped offset the high costs. And it felt useful — like we were showing other families what was possible if they were willing to step outside the usual script," Lockwood continued.
At the time, Lockwood didn't see it as taking a risk. Instead, he saw it as them taking part in what many other families were doing, filming and sharing their lives publicly. Only they were getting paid to do it while traveling the world.
As their popularity grew, he started to see the cracks showing in his kids.
"As our youngest and most adventurous, Colt thrived on the endless variety. Reagan, my oldest from a previous marriage, enjoyed the journey, but eventually chose to return to in-person school, and we adjusted our travel around her schedule with her mom. Brooklyn, though, gradually stopped enjoying it altogether," Lockwood shared of his three kids.
It wasn't a dramatic fallout, either, but a slow realization that living on the road and in airports wasn't exactly helping his kids meet their needs. He pointed out that kids thrive on routine, including seeing the same faces and building long-term friendships rather than having to reset every few weeks.
"So perhaps it’s not surprising that children like to read the same books, watch the same movies, and sing the same songs on repeat every day. In fact, there is evidence that this repetition might even support learning," explained psychology expert named Vanessa LoBue, Ph.D.
The dad doesn't regret traveling with his kids but wishes he had prioritized a home base.
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"I'm glad we traveled. I'm glad our kids have seen the world. I'm also glad we stopped. I don't regret the journey my wife and I took our children on, but I no longer assume it was unquestionably right," Lockwood admitted. "If I could do it again? I'd prioritize putting down roots earlier — fewer destinations, more seasons in one place, more chances for the kids to build friendships that weren't constantly interrupted."
He pointed out that there's a major difference between traveling with kids and building a childhood around constant motion. The family still travels, but they make sure that it's scheduled around school breaks. Prioritizing consistency isn't just good for kids, either. A 2022 study found that marital satisfaction increased significantly for both husbands and wives when they had a structured family routine, especially in parenting.
There is sometimes a steep price for families that start vlogging and creating family channels with their children. While the lifestyle can certainly open more doors and create great opportunities, it can also deprive kids of the chance to have a normal, stable childhood. But that realization is why Lockwood decided to take what he's learned and do things a little differently moving forward.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
