Untethered Childhood

Jordan Neri

Dreaming of taking your kids on an international adventure? Untethered Childhood is a travel and parenting podcast for families curious about exploring the world with kids, but who feel held back. Together, we're rethinking what's possible. Each conversation opens a window into a different corner of the world. Join host Jordan Neri—a wildfire survivor who learned firsthand that memories don't burn—as she sits down with scientists, travel journalists, and historians, to tackle the real pain points keeping families home, while painting a picture of the story waiting for you. This show isn't about perfect itineraries or luxury trips. It's about raising explorers through meaningful, real-world experiences that build connection and resilience. We're mapping out a jumping-off point to put immersive cultural experiences within reach. From building borderless friendships at young ages to navigating unfamiliar places with confidence, we're creating comprehensive family-friendly destination guides with practical travel tips that inspire you to meet new faces in new places. We’re audio-first for a reason, because connection starts with conversations. Think of us as a gathering source. Step beyond routine. Collect memories that last. Take the kids. New episodes every Tuesday.

  1. 5d ago

    Make the Swap: Skiing the Austrian Alps with Kids featuring Hilary Russell

    Welcome to the winter edition of our Make the Swap series! If you caught our episode with Marion Donat, you know the idea: same style of trip and time off, just reimagining the destination. This time we’re trading the usual U.S. ski trip for the Austrian Alps! Hilary Russell of The Slope Seeker Family has skied the same corner of Austria for more than 15 years, first with her husband and now with their three boys. Her family skis twice as long there for about half of what they used to spend skiing in the US. However, as Hilary will tell you, the savings are only half the story! It’s the village bakeries, the cows and horses out in snowy fields, ski instructors who are direct but kind, and a ski school lunch table full of kids chattering in different languages. Sign us up! Hilary grew up in Türkiye and Germany and learned to ski in the Bavarian Alps as a little girl. Today she lives on a lake in Alabama, and helps families plan their own Austria ski trips. A LITTLE SKI HISTORY Austria is widely considered the birthplace of modern downhill skiing and ski teaching. In the early 1900s, Hannes Schneider began teaching in St. Anton. His Arlberg technique spread around the world, all the way to the ski school he opened in New Hampshire in 1939, which trained many American instructors. Closer to Hilary’s home base, Axamer Lizum hosted Olympic alpine events when Innsbruck held the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976. IN THIS EPISODE The “why are we doing this?” moment that sparked her family’s swapWhy you don’t have to be an expert skier to love it hereWhy Austrians won’t put up with price gougingVillage lifeOne pass = 12 resortsGearhart, the slopeside hut owner who now greets her husband as “Alabama”Walkie-talkies, gondola friendships, and kids gaining independence on the mountainHow Austrian run colors compare to U.S. runsOff days: tunnel water slides, Swarovski Crystal Worlds, and day trips to Salzburg and Neuschwanstein CastleHow she’d structure a first week for beginnersWhat to pack, what to rent, and drying clothes on the wall heatersThe big side-by-side swap comparisonDESTINATIONS COVERED — AUSTRIA Innsbruck and the Tyrol regionKühtai (night skiing!)Stubai GlacierSchlick 2000Axamer LizumHochoetzMuttereralmDay trips: Salzburg and Neuschwanstein Castle (Bavaria)RESOURCES Hilary on Instagram: @theshamblessttraveler (her story highlights break down each ski area, packing, and gear)The Slope Seeker Family itineraries: theshamblessttraveler.comMake the Swap: Belize and Mexico City with Marion Donat: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1PX8VAMhSv1midCSKBCFMMCoffee Break German podcast (Hilary’s pick for learning a few phrases)Untethered Childhood on Instagram: @untethered_childhoodEmail: hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.comWhat swap should we cover next? Come tell us on Instagram, and we’ll go track down an expert for it. P.S. Untethered Childhood was just named one of the best family travel podcasts on Feedspot. Thank you for listening, sharing, and cheering us on! Until next time, we’re raising explorers together.

    Make the Swap: Skiing the Austrian Alps with Kids featuring Hilary Russell
  2. Oct 20

    Iceland with Kids: Puffins, Volcanoes & the Science of Pareidolia featuring Erin Campbell

    Have you ever spotted an animal hiding in the clouds? There's a word for that. It's called pareidolia, and it's your brain's hardwired habit of spotting faces and familiar shapes in everyday things. This week I'm sitting down with Erin Campbell. Erin has spent 20 years studying what really motivates people. Today she's a fractional CMO, mom to an 11-year-old, and co-founder of Pareidolia, a family board game built around one simple question: What do you see? Erin walks us through her family's 10-day trip across Iceland's west and south, a three-generation trip. We go from the bottom of a dormant volcano to the top of a glacier, with whale watching, Arctic river rafting, and thousands of puffins playing in the wind along the way. Then we dig into pareidolia: why our brains do it and how a simple game of "what do you see?" teaches kids that people can look at the same thing and come away with different conclusions. We close on working mom life and the three words Erin's never forgotten: embrace the chaos. Iceland and pareidolia turn out to be a natural pair. Erin spotted faces in the icebergs (a woodpecker head! a proud seal!), and Iceland has its own long tradition of seeing more in its rocks than meets the eye. Just ask a local about the hidden people said to live in them. This episode isn't sponsored -- I just love this notion of observing, and how well it fits in with traveling with our kids! DESTINATIONS COVERED — ICELAND Keflavík International Airport (KEF)ReykjavíkÞríhnúkagígur: volcano tourSnæfellsnes Peninsula: a scenic coastal drive and a boat ride to spot whales and sealsHvammstangi: bird watchingThe Golden Circle: Gullfoss (waterfall), Geysir, and Þingvellir (where two tectonic plates meet)Hvítá River: whitewater raftingSólheimajökull: glacier hikeJökulsárlón: zodiac boat tour on the glacier lagoonIngólfshöfði: puffin colony tourThe Blue LagoonMENTIONED The Culture Map by Erin MeyerJohns Hopkins Magazine: The science behind why we see faces in natureiScience: Processing visual ambiguity in fractal patterns: Pareidolia as a sign of creativity (2022)ABOUT THE GUEST Erin Campbell has spent 20 years inside the retail and marketing world, trying to understand one thing: why people buy what they buy. She's done it from every seat at the table: as a strategist at Saatchi & Saatchi X, where she ran a $20M digital and retail media portfolio for brands like Walmart, Procter & Gamble, and Spin Master; as SVP of Customer Insights at Hy-Vee, where she built the company's first-ever attitudinal customer segmentation; and as a consumer product founder herself, co-founding and exiting the beverage brand GEN Z Water within three years. Today she's Managing Partner of The Circle Foundry, a human capital investment firm she co-founded to back founder-led consumer brands she believes in, and a Fractional CMO who has advised more than 100 first-time founders. She lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her husband, Brandon, and their son, Everett. Pareidolia Games: play.pareidoliagames.comTikTok: @pareidoliagamesIG: @pareidolia.gamesFollow along: IG- @untethered_childhoodLook up. Ask what they see. Keep raising explorers. Memories don't burn, and neither does imagination.

    Iceland with Kids: Puffins, Volcanoes & the Science of Pareidolia featuring Erin Campbell
  3. Oct 13

    Europe with Kids: The Packing Blueprint I’ve Honed

    Packing for Europe with kids doesn’t have to mean hauling half your closet across the ocean. Let’s get real: one of the most daunting parts of international travel with kids is the bags. I’m a little maniacal about my lists in the weeks leading up to a trip, and it’s taken a whole lot of trial and embarrassing error to land on a system that works for our family. You should see my checklists and post-it notes and highlighters. I've spent years fumbling through suitcases, car seats and obsessing over supplies for "what if somebody gets sick". On our July trip to Europe, I jotted down tips in real time, as it was happening, and built this solo episode from my notes. It's a good one to save and listen to before you roll out your luggage. I’m walking you through how I build our family packing list for Europe, from that very first list to the last zipper. I wanted to give more meaning and context, so this one goes beyond the suitcase. We talk about the mindset that turned packing from a dreaded chore into a fun challenge for me (something our wildfire taught me), and how to get your whole household ready before you peace out for the airport. It's a lot about cognitive offload, lightening your mental load (you know, my love language as a millennial mom): being purposeful about putting pieces in place ahead of time so you can stop second-guessing. The goal here is to get you to the "settle in and enjoy it" phase faster. IN THIS EPISODE “Forced minimalism”: what losing every possession in our wildfire taught me about packing light and choosing fewer, better piecesStart with the type of trip, then set your goal: how your bag count shapes decisions from there on outWhy I start two to three weeks out (I love to ease into a trip) The questions I ask before packing medicine plus where I don't cut corners What to bring vs. what to buy when you land My capsule wardrobe for travel, and why it doesn’t have to be all neutrals. Life is too short to leave your pretty dresses at home!Planning for laundry so you’re not packing for two full weeksKids’ clothes, shoes, and the bright-color trick for spotting each other in a crowded airportPeace-of-mind safety steps: AirTags, an ID bracelet for little ones, and the itinerary I send to our emergency contactsGetting kids excited before you go, kids’ activities for long flights, and the toiletry-bag hack that keeps all those little pieces from exploding in their backpacksHousehold prep: depleting the fridge, checking passports MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Hatch travel sound machineAnker battery packDolly Parton’s Imagination LibraryDr. Bronner’s soap (I love the lavender)Seventh Generation laundry detergent sheetsCONNECT Instagram: @untethered_childhoodEmail: hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.comStay light where you can, bring what makes you feel like yourself, and let the rest work itself out once you land. Keep raising explorers.

    Europe with Kids: The Packing Blueprint I’ve Honed
  4. Oct 6

    Straight from My Travel Journal: Ischia with Kids

    Ischia: Italy's laid-back island, waiting to be discovered. Off the coast of Naples, there's an island with over a hundred natural hot springs, a castle that lights up the night sky, and a pace of life that makes you forget where you left your phone. Ischia is the lesser-known island in the Bay of Naples: lush, volcanic, and wonderfully unfussy. The people pull you in like you're one of their own, and the kids on the beach will have yours playing ball with them before lunch hits the table. In this solo episode, Jordan cracks open her travel journal from five days on Ischia with her husband, two kids, and her in-laws, the slow, sunny ending to a faster-paced trip through Italy. The first half gives you a feel for the island: the spa day, the castle, the food, the little fishing village. The second half covers the nuts and bolts: where to stay, how to get around, and what she'd do differently next time. IN THIS EPISODE Where Ischia sits in the Bay of Naples, and why it's a natural fit for families who want to settle inA full day at Negombo: 14 thermal pools carved into rock and caves, a cove full of yachts, and a lunch "kiosk" that turned out to be something much betterHow a grilled chicken leg and an orange Italian Fanta made a little boy proud as a peacockGiardini Ravino, a garden built from a sea captain's 40-year plant collection, with peacocks roaming the grounds (plus a heads-up for toddlers and cacti)Sant'Angelo, the car-free fishing village where kids can roam and playCastello Aragonese, first built in 474 BC: pirate stories, dungeons, and how to tour itConiglio all'ischitana, the slow-braised rabbit dish + the island history behind itThree fave restaurants Rooftop aperitivo with a castle viewGetting around: walkable streets, a stroller-friendly town, cash-only taxis, and a very memorable rental carWhat's on the list for next time -- yay for learnings!DESTINATIONS COVERED — ISCHIA, ITALY Ischia Porto (Via Roma, Corso Vittoria Colonna)Ischia Ponte and Castello AragoneseForio and Giardini RavinoSant'AngeloNegombo thermal park WHERE WE STAYED + ATE Villa DurrueliDortasAurasPorcavacca Steakhouse RESOURCES Coming soon: our episode on navigating Italy's ferries with kidsInstagram: @untethered_childhoodEmail: hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.comSome places ask you to keep everything running. Some just let you be there. Keep raising explorers. Memories don't burn.

    Straight from My Travel Journal: Ischia with Kids
  5. Sep 29

    Argentina with Kids: Waterfalls, Wine Country, Glaciers & Penguins featuring Explore the Americas

    Okay, y'all. You voted, and Argentina won! So we went deep. We're building a three-week trip to Argentina together, and by the time we hit the end of the world (Ushuaia, that is), you're going to want to book it. Argentina is one of those countries that's almost impossible to encapsulate in one sentence: jungle waterfalls, wine country at the foot of the Andes, glaciers, penguins, a lake town that looks like it was picked up out of Switzerland. So we're not summing it up. We're going stop by stop, and I've got the two best people to walk us through it. Kathleen Hall and Melanie Marsell are the powerhouse duo behind Explore the Americas, a women-owned family travel company built around Latin America. Together they've designed more than 3,000 trips, personally tested over 500 properties, and been featured in Travel + Leisure, HuffPost, and Authority Magazine. Melanie is a proud tica who grew up on a farm in rural Costa Rica and has been working in Costa Rican tourism since 2011. Kathleen started out as a biologist, came to Costa Rica to study abroad eleven years ago, took a job at the beach, planned to stay a year... and never left! What keeps things extra interesting is they have opposing viewpoints on some travel areas, so we really get some flavor here. Kathleen's a Brazil gal, Melanie's a Chile gal, and it makes for the most fun conversation. Oh, and Melanie recorded our episode 38 weeks pregnant. I always say mamas on the brink of delivery get stuff DONE, y'all! I pulled up my map, we got to work, and I only butchered a few pronunciations along the way. (Kathleen gave my "Buenos Aires" an 8 out of 10. I'll take it!) In this episode: The Buenos Aires neighborhoods they send every family toEstancias, gauchos, and asado, just an hour outside the cityIguazú Falls: why the Argentine side puts you in the falls, the boat ride that's a whole lot more than mist, and the famous walkway not to plan your trip aroundMendoza, which Melanie calls a hidden gem for families: horseback riding in the Andes, the Vendimia harvest festival, and a winery tour that sends you home with a bottle your kid designedBariloche and Northern Patagonia: lakes, paddleboarding, and a chocolate tour with major Willy Wonka energyEl Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier, and why you don't have to be an "ultimate trekker" to do Patagonia El Chaltén for you hiking familiesHopping over to Chile for Torres del Paine (and puma tracking!)Ushuaia: the End of the World train, penguins, and the Beagle ChannelWhy Argentina is a jet lag win for US families: one time zone, about an hour off EasternGetting around a very long country, including the two-airport mistake in Buenos AiresBabysitting, when to go, visas, and vaccinesWe briefly get into a Disney comparison, and I promise it's not the same ole tired comparison argument you've heard over and over againDestinations — ARGENTINA (+ A LITTLE CHILE & BRAZIL) Buenos Aires: Palermo, Recoleta, tango dinner showsEstancias outside Buenos AiresIguazú Falls and the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo)MendozaBarilocheEl Calafate and the Perito Moreno GlacierEl Chaltén and Fitz RoyTorres del Paine, ChileUshuaia, Tierra del Fuego National Park, and the Beagle ChannelGuests: Kathleen Hall and Melanie Marsell, co-founders of Explore the Americas exploretheamericastravel.com | Instagram: @exploretheamericastravel Email: info@exploretheamericastravel.com Follow along on Instagram: @untethered_childhood and email - hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com ¡Vamos! We're raising explorers together.

    Argentina with Kids: Waterfalls, Wine Country, Glaciers & Penguins featuring Explore the Americas
  6. Sep 18

    Dr. Jacqueline Harding on How the Brain Responds to Laughter and Human Connection

    Have you ever been curious about the science behind novelty and child development? Why a food they've never had before, or hearing a language they don't recognize, can light up their brain? Well today, we're breaking it all down! Dr. Jacqueline Harding is an internationally recognized child development expert whose career spans advising the UK government, practitioners, and parents, and shaping the children's TV shows kids grow up on, from Peter Rabbit to Teletubbies! In this conversation, she and Jordan dig into the science behind her latest book, The Brain That Loves to Laugh: A Visual Guide to Humour and Human Connection in the Early Years — why laughter drops cortisol and reverses the stress response, and what she calls the "triangle": the shared attention, eye gaze, and closeness that build real connection between a parent and child, whether you're across the table or across an ocean. From there, they get into novelty: how new places, new people, and new languages activate a child's brain in ways familiar routines can't, and why that novelty is what makes travel memories stick. They talk about why resilience is something kids learn by watching how the adults around them handle a setback (canceled flights included!) and why it's never too late to reconnect with a child. Of course, we had to save some time at the end to get Dr. Harding's list of favorite spots for a family trip to England (her homeland), from a whirlwind day in London to slower days in the Oxfordshire countryside. Key Takeaways: Hope, humor, and human connection as what Dr. Harding calls essential nutrients for a developing brainThe "triangle" (shared attention, eye gaze, and close proximity)The brain's "Velcro for negative, Teflon for positive" wiring, and why kids need an abundance of good experiences How novelty from traveling opens up a child's brain from a narrow "spotlight" of focus to a wider "lantern" of creative awarenessThe NASA-funded creativity studyNeuroplasticity and why it's never too late to reconnect with a childModeling resilience for kids during travel setbacks Why children need to feel safe before they can be creative or take social risks Dr. Harding's recommendations for a family trip to England: London highlights (Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Oxford Street, the Thames at night, Hyde Park, London Zoo) and slower days exploring the Oxfordshire countrysideAbout the GuestDr. Jacqueline Harding is an internationally recognized child development and education expert who advises the UK government, practitioners, and parents. She's the founder of Tomorrow's Child and TCTV, chair of the Bright Start Foundation, and an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Middlesex University, and previously served as a BBC Education Editor, government consultant, and headteacher. She's worked on children's TV shows including Peter Rabbit, Teletubbies, Clangers, BBC's BeddyByes and My First, and CBeebies Parenting, and recently consulted with Disney and Mattel on the Toy Story 5 toy line. She's the author of more than 40 books, including her trilogy The Brain That Loves to Play, The Brain That Loves to Laugh, and Little Brains Love to Talk, alongside children's books. She's a mother of four and grandmother of nine, and lives just outside Oxford, England. Dr. Jacqueline Harding's website: drjacquelineharding.comFollow Untethered Childhood on Instagram: @untethered_childhood

    Dr. Jacqueline Harding on How the Brain Responds to Laughter and Human Connection
  7. Jul 14

    Bali with Kids: Alison Emerick's Guide to Family Travel in Indonesia

    Bali with Kids: Alison Emerick's Guide to Family Travel in IndonesiaThe island that overwhelms you on arrival — and is nearly impossible to leave. There's a place where restaurant staff hold your baby so you can finish your meal, where kids aren't just tolerated but celebrated, and where six months planned turned into three years lived. That's Bali, according to today's guest. Alison Emerick's family spent three years living in Bali — sandwiched between two years in Singapore and their current home in Lisbon — moving there when her kids were just three and five years old. She's walking through everything a first-time family needs to know: how to survive the flight, where to actually stay, which beaches are worth it (spoiler — not many), and what happens when your kid splits her chin open! Meet Alison Alison is a writer, photographer, and American mom of two now living in Lisbon after nearly seven years abroad — first in Singapore, then three years in Bali. She's the founder of Semicurated Life and the author of a comprehensive Bali Family Guide covering neighborhoods, sample itineraries, and safety information for families. Before any of it, she studied French and International Studies and teaching English in Japan through the JET Program. In This Episode: Where Bali is in this great big world, and how to get thereSurviving the long-haul flight: overnight legs, screens without guilt, and why Singapore Airlines tops her listThe airport "taxi mafia" and why a prearranged private driver is worth arranging in advanceHealth and safety on the ground: dengue, rabies, motorbike accidents, and the reality of pay-before-they-treat-you healthcare — including the day her daughter split her chin open and needed stitches under anesthesiaArea-by-area breakdown: Sanur vs. Nusa Dua vs. the South Bali resort towns vs. UbudWhy Ubud disappoints more families than it delights, and where she sends people insteadIsland-hopping options: Nusa Lembongan for the beaches Bali itself doesn't really deliver, and Flores for Komodo dragons and some of the best snorkeling of their time in IndonesiaWhat things actually cost: villas, private drivers, food delivery, childcare, massagesThe daily offerings (canang sari) woven into everyday Balinese life, and what they taught her kidsWhen to go: the wet-versus-dry season breakdown, and her least-favorite month to visit Links + Resources  Follow Alison’s adventures on Instagram: @semicuratedlife  Alison’s Bali Family Guide: https://stan.store/semicuratedlife/p/get-my-bali-guide-for-families-now Semicuratedlife site: https://semicuratedlife.com/ Questions or episode ideas? hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com Follow the show: Instagram @untethered_childhood

    Bali with Kids: Alison Emerick's Guide to Family Travel in Indonesia
  8. Jun 25

    Southern Italy Travel with Kids: Insider's Guide to the Amalfi Coast featuring Luigi Panella

    Italy is one of those countries you dream about taking your kids for years....because, it's Italy! If you're itching for a family trip to Italy, we have some ideas and starting points for you. There are 20 distinctive regions, and today we're zooming into Southern Italy - the CAMPANIA region! This "happy land" is the region that gave us Amalfi Coast, Naples, Pompeii, and Sorrento. Luigi Panella is a Southern Italian luxury chauffeur who was born and raised in Campania and has spent the last 15 years guiding families through the region he knows through and through. He's the kind of guide who doesn't just drive you somewhere, he tells you what you're standing on. I've trusted him with two of my own Italy trips, including one with two very small kids, and he is a big reason those trips worked so well for us. This episode is a window into what a Southern Italy trip for a family could look like, the sweet hidden stops along the coast, the food, and how to approach it with kids. It's an insider's guide. I truly think if you go with your kids, it'll leave a lasting impression on all of you. Wherever you are in your planning — just dreaming or actively researching — we hope you leave feeling inspired. Andiamo! In This EpisodeWhy the Romans called Southern Italy's Campania region Campania Felix — the Happy Land — and why it still earns that nameThe mindset shift Luigi says will make or break your Italy trip: come as a traveler, not a tourist, and choose one or two regions to really sink intoThe case Luigi makes for ditching the car and seeing the Amalfi Coast by boat with young kids (from the man who's driven that road hundreds of times)Where to base your family on the Amalfi Coast, and how to hop between villages by ferry like a localThe layers hiding underneath the coast's 13 towns — including an ancient Roman villa buried beneath a church in Positano, the cave at Conca dei Marini (La Grotta dello Smeraldo), and why Ravello inspired a Wagner operaWhy Luigi calls Naples a "giant playground of history and flavors" — and what it takes to see it that waySorrento as the ideal family home base: stroller-friendly, walkable, connected by train, and deeply localWhy kids love Pompeii (the volcano backdrop, the Romans' big cobblestones, the sense of a city frozen in time)Making the case for Matera — a UNESCO World Heritage city where people lived in caves until the 1950s — and its neighbor Alberobello and its iconic trulli stone housesLuigi's cheat sheet for spotting a tourist trap restaurant vs. the real thing (short menu, slow pasta, dinner at 7:30)What Southern Italy's food culture teaches kids about slowing down, lingering at the table, and what it means when someone says prendiamoci un caffè Links + Resources🌐 Luigi Panella: luigipanella.com 📱 Instagram: @LuigiPanellaLuxuryChauffeurs 📩 Questions or feedback? hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com 📱 Follow along: @untethered_childhood You go to Italy for the views. You leave with something deeper. Keep raising explorers.

    Southern Italy Travel with Kids: Insider's Guide to the Amalfi Coast featuring Luigi Panella

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Dreaming of taking your kids on an international adventure? Untethered Childhood is a travel and parenting podcast for families curious about exploring the world with kids, but who feel held back. Together, we're rethinking what's possible. Each conversation opens a window into a different corner of the world. Join host Jordan Neri—a wildfire survivor who learned firsthand that memories don't burn—as she sits down with scientists, travel journalists, and historians, to tackle the real pain points keeping families home, while painting a picture of the story waiting for you. This show isn't about perfect itineraries or luxury trips. It's about raising explorers through meaningful, real-world experiences that build connection and resilience. We're mapping out a jumping-off point to put immersive cultural experiences within reach. From building borderless friendships at young ages to navigating unfamiliar places with confidence, we're creating comprehensive family-friendly destination guides with practical travel tips that inspire you to meet new faces in new places. We’re audio-first for a reason, because connection starts with conversations. Think of us as a gathering source. Step beyond routine. Collect memories that last. Take the kids. New episodes every Tuesday.

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