Untethered Childhood

Jordan Neri
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Parenting

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. 18h ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Jun 8

    Giant Robot Slides and Luggage Forwarding: Japan With Kids, Part 2 (featuring Jo MacGregor)

    You did not come this far to leave without knowing about luggage forwarding. Part 2 of our Japan series with Jo MacGregor is here — and this one is all about the stuff that actually makes or breaks a trip. Phrases to teach your kids before you land. The konbini experience that her kids sprint toward the second they touch down. Omakase with children (yes, really). Playgrounds that look like they were designed by a giant who loved Godzilla. And the luggage forwarding system that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about traveling with kids. If you missed Part 1, go back and start there — it's a full three-week itinerary, city by city. This episode picks up where that one left off. IN THIS EPISODE Two mistakes families make when planning a Japan trip (and one of them will surprise you)Why Jo says strollers are non-negotiable Are kids actually treated like celebrities in Japan? Jo gives an honest, nuanced answerWhat to do if your family has gluten-free needs — including a Facebook group Jo recommends and a kitchen hack that changes the equationHow to read a room, Japanese-style: the cultural motto Jo uses with her own kids everywhere they travelJapanese phrases to teach your kids before the flight lands (including the one that will make every waiter light up)Konbini culture — what it is, why whole YouTube channels are dedicated to it, and why it might become the highlight of your kids' tripOmakase explained: what it actually means in Japan versus what we think it means, and how to do it smartly with a familyThe playgrounds. We talk about the playgrounds.Sumo and baseball — the seasonal schedule you need if either of these is on your listLuggage forwarding: the system that lets you travel like a local and pack like a human beingWhat Jo would say to a family the night before their first Japan trip if they called her in a panic LINKS + RESOURCES thetokyochapter.com — Jo updates her area guides constantly with new finds. Bookmark it! Jo on Instagram @thetokyochapter Find me at @untethered_childhood or hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com

    Giant Robot Slides and Luggage Forwarding: Japan With Kids, Part 2 (featuring Jo MacGregor)

  6. May 29

    Jo MacGregor's Japan: City by City

    Japan has been peeking out of your bucket list for years. Today we're handing you the map — and for the next hour, we are transporting you there. We are thrilled and honored to bring Jo MacGregor to the show for a special two-part series on Japan. Jo is a mom, language aficionado, Japan expert, and the author behind The Tokyo Chapter — the most-read Japan with kids blog out there. She is precisely what you need if you're interested in Japan — she brings a level of detail that will make your heart smile and immediately put you at ease.  She fell in love with Japan at fifteen as a full-immersion exchange student, spent most of her twenties living and working there (hotel concierge, ballet school, you name it), met her Scottish husband in Japan, and then moved back with babies. She's been going back three to four times a year ever since, keeping every restaurant rec, every playground tip, every detail on her blog FRESH and CURRENT. She lives in Melbourne now. She leaves no stone unturned. When you'll meet her you'll get it. You'll understand why I say we need a Jo MacGregor on every continent!! Here's what makes Jo different from every other Japan resource you'll find: her blog is the tips, the findings, and the honest mistakes — so you don't have to make them. Their life in and out of Japan is colorful and adventurous, and also beautifully normal and relatable.  This is Part 1 of a two-part Japan series. Today: the destinations and a full three-week family itinerary, city by city. Part 2 next week covers the practical details — what to book and when, those legendary Japanese playgrounds, convenience store culture, phrases you can practice with your kids and more. So make sure you come back next week! IN THIS EPISODE Jo's three-week family itinerary: Tokyo → Takayama → Kanazawa → Kyoto → Hiroshima → Miyajima → back to TokyoHow a fifteen-year-old exchange student became the internet's most trusted Japan-with-kids resourceWhat Japan smells, sounds, and feels like before you've even formed a thoughtFuturistic and modern meets old world elegance — the striking contrasts that make this country unlike anywhere else on earthTakayama: dreamy mix of old wooden streets and mountain air where time slowsRyokans, onsens, and the story of Jo's son who was a terrible sleeper — until Japan fixed him overnightHow to take your kids to Hiroshima in a way that's honest and age-appropriate LINKS + RESOURCES thetokyochapter.com — free area guides for every city in the itinerary, broken down neighborhood by neighborhood. Start here. Jo on Instagram @thetokyochapter — real-time tips, kids on trains, convenience store runs, all of it. Find me on Instagram @untethered_childhood or at hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com — tell me where you want to go next. Part 2 with Jo drops next week.

    Jo MacGregor's Japan: City by City

  7. May 20

    The Swap: Why Belize & Mexico City Work for Families with Young Kids

    What if this was the year you made the swap? Same budget. Same week off. Just somewhere new — a little outside your comfort zone, but not as far as you might think. This week I'm sitting down with my real-life friend (and one of the savviest travel minds I know) Marion Donat, a travel advisor with Fora Travel who has a way of making international family travel feel less scary and way more possible. She's a mom of two based in Texas, and Marion and I have known each other for nearly two decades — I've admired her adventures and her work for a long time. In this episode, we dig into two destinations Marion keeps coming back to for families: Belize and Mexico City. Ready to be surprised? Both are closer, easier, and more affordable than you'd expect. What You'll Learn in This Episode Ever since I started thinking about my own philosophy around family travel, one thing has gnawed at me: why do we keep going back to the same places? What are we missing?Why Belize might be an awesome gateway international destination for American families (think: English spoken everywhere, US dollars accepted, short direct flights, same time zone, and nurse sharks your kids will talk about forever)Why Mexico City is more manageable than it sounds for families, and how to find neighborhoods where you feel the city, not just see itHow staying in a short-term apartment rental puts you right in the middle of local life — pool, soccer field, supermarket downstairs, and allThe only Michelin-starred taco stand in the world—and why Marion's son still begs to go backHow Marion balances building a packed itinerary with leaving room to actually breathe and wanderWhat Marion hopes her kids carry with them from all of this travel when they grow up — this one will stay with you About Marion Donat: Marion Donat is a travel advisor with Fora Travel specializing in international trips for families with young kids. She has a background in hospitality and corporate meeting planning—which basically means she has spent her whole career figuring out how to make travel work, beautifully, for other people. Marion grew up in Newport, Arkansas (small world!) and traces her love of travel back to sitting around her grandmother's kitchen table as a little girl, hearing stories about Buenos Aires and African safaris, and thinking I want that. These days, she's the person who helps families stop scrolling "someday" destinations and start actually booking them. Instagram: @mcd.travelsMarion Donat — Fora Travel Destinations Covered: Belize: San Pedro / Ambergris CayeBarrier Reef snorkelingSwimming with nurse sharksMayan ruins + howler monkeys + carpenter antsFishing for your lunchGolf cart transportation (kids lose their minds over this) Mexico City (CDMX): Roma Norte neighborhoodThe best children's museum Marion's family has ever visitedMuseo Nacional de Antropología (giant artifacts that made her kids feel tiny in the best way)Lucha libre wrestling at Arena MéxicoFrida Kahlo MuseumThe only Michelin-rated taco stand in the worldDay trip option: Teotihuacán pyramids + hot air balloons Thanks for listening to Untethered Childhood. We're raising explorers together. I'll see you next time.

    The Swap: Why Belize & Mexico City Work for Families with Young Kids

  8. Feb 18

    You Don't Get Extra Time If You Give It Away: Peru with Heather Greenwood Davis

    You Don't Get Extra Time if You Give it Away: Peru with Heather Greenwood Davis Some conversations stay with you. This is one of them. In this episode of Untethered Childhood, host Jordan Neri sits down with Heather Greenwood Davis, a travel journalist, on-air personality, and mother of two who left a law career behind to build a life around storytelling and travel. In 2011, Heather, her husband Ish, and their two sons spent an entire year traveling the world together — 29 countries, six continents, 365 days. National Geographic named them their 2012 Travelers of the Year. In this episode, we hear about what that time taught her kids and what it taught her as a mother. About Our Guest: Heather Greenwood Davis is a force — she's been kicking doors wide open. She was the first Black woman to hold a travel column at both of Canada's national newspapers, The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. For over 20 years, she's told travel stories that encourage parents to raise global citizens without sacrificing their own dreams. Her work has appeared in National Geographic (where she's been a contributing editor and columnist), Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR. She's appeared on and hosted travel segments on Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, CTV's The Social, and CHCH Morning Live. She's won multiple gold awards for her writing, was named the Family Travel Association's Person of the Year, and was a finalist for Global Travel Writer of the Year. Heather's approach to travel and parenting comes down to this: we each get a life, and living yours fully isn't something to apologize for. She believes the world is kind and that the best thing you can do for your kids is show them — by example — what it looks like to be fulfilled. What We Cover: How Heather left a law career to return to journalism and travel writing and why creating that space changed everythingPeru as the family test drive before the year-long trip — what surprised them and what they learned about their kidsWhy Heather believes the best trips leave breathing room instead of packing every minuteRaising global citizens at home, even before you book a flightThe truth about motherhood no one says out loud: being fulfilled as a person makes you a better parent Destination: Peru LimaOllantaytamboMachu PicchuCuscoMirafloresRecommended tour company: G Adventures (partners with National Geographic) — gadventures.comHotel recommendation: SUMAQ Machu Picchu Hotel — family owned, incredible personal service, right at the bus stop to Machu Picchu — sumaqhotelperu.com Resources: Heather Greenwood Davis: heathergreenwooddavis.comInstagram: @byheathergdTV: CTV's The Social, CHCH Morning LivePublications: National Geographic, AFAR, Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, The Globe and MailG Adventures family tours: gadventures.com Untethered Childhood: Instagram: @untethered_childhoodEmail us your topic ideas: hello@untetheredchildhoodpod.com

    You Don't Get Extra Time If You Give It Away: Peru with Heather Greenwood Davis
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Jordan Neri
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jordan Neri
  • Show Website
    Untethered Childhood

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