Are you thinking about becoming a Digital Nomad Family? The nomadic life is not exclusively reserved for young, childless people – families can also escape the rat race. Let me tell you: It’s easier than you think and YOU CAN DO IT!
We took the plunge into life as a Digital Nomad Family in 2019. Back then, we booked a one-way ticket to Thailand with our two-year-old daughter, Lila. Today, there are four of us, and we can’t imagine a different lifestyle. Let me show you how we approached this massive change and how you can do it, too!
The Biggest Changes You Will Face as a Digital Nomad Family
But first, let’s start with some fundamentals. Because life as a full time travel family is profoundly different from conventional life at home. Is it easier? Absolutely not! Can it make you happier? One hundred percent!
Missing Routines
The biggest change for us was losing our established routines. This makes life with small children more challenging, especially when moving to a new place. You have to adjust to a new bed, environment, language, cultural differences, and even the simple task of finding a good breakfast cafe can be exhausting.
My advice: let go of the idea that you’ll maintain all your routines. Embrace the need to be flexible and adaptable. It can actually be a wonderful experience, believe me!
More (Quality) Time Together
While spending more time together may be one reason you want to become a Digital Nomad Family, it can also be very challenging. Gone are the days when everyone says goodbye at 8 a.m. and meets again in the evening (at least that was our routine in Germany). Now, you’ll need to work well together as a team, especially during relocations.
In our case, my husband and I often work together, whether at home, in a co-working space, or in a café. Additionally, you usually won’t have friends in your new location for the first few days or weeks, so you’ll end up doing a lot more as a family. This adjustment can be challenging at first, but from experience, you quickly get used to it, and it strengthens your relationship with your partner and children. I can’t imagine spending less time with my family now.
No Support From Family and Friends
In Germany, we had a reliable social network with parents, godparents, and neighbors who could look after our children. We trusted the people around us. As a Digital Nomad Family, constantly changing locations, it’s different. You have to pay for childcare, and finding a trustworthy nanny that your kids love is challenging (in this article, I describe how we find wonderful nannies in Asia).
Be prepared for it to be much harder to have a date night or get general childcare support. On the bright side, the digital nomad lifestyle can be a blessing for parents with less support at home. Nannies are often more affordable in many parts of the world compared to Western countries. Additionally, in Southeast Asia, for example, children are more loved, accepted, and welcomed in society, making family life much easier!
Fewer Toys for Everyone
Your Problems Shift
I found this change particularly interesting. When we became a Digital Nomad Family, I thought all our problems would disappear. I was wrong! They just changed. In conventional life in Germany, I worried about the weather, lack of family time, and the high cost of living. Now, I worry about finding international schools for my children, deciding our next destination, and socializing.
It’s not that you become carefree, but you face new challenges. However, you become more practiced and relaxed over time. Each year, it gets easier to plan a move, find a new school, and make new friends.
A Lot of Criticism
Unfortunately, this comes with the territory of making drastic life decisions. And as parents, we’re already used to criticism, right? Be prepared for everyone, absolutely everyone, to share their opinions on your choice. They might tell you how terrible it will be for your children or how they would never make the same decision. Most of this criticism comes from concern (usually from family members who only want the best for you) or jealousy (from people who secretly admire your decision but would never dare to do it themselves).
The key is to remember that this criticism is not your problem. Focus on engaging with people who support you and from whom you can learn. Those who criticize you out of jealousy will eventually fade from your life.
Learn how to deal with criticism as a Digital Nomad Family in this article.
How to Become a Digital Nomad Family
The Decision Making
Once the idea of becoming a Digital Nomad has been sparked, you should have a family meeting and brainstorm. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can we really imagine being away from family and friends for long periods?
- Are we open and flexible enough to get in touch with foreign people and different cultures (over and over again)?
- Can we generate income while traveling? If not, how much time do we need to make it possible?
- Can we legally pull our older kids out of their current school institution?
- Are we willing to decide for our children to live drastically different lives?
- How great is our need for security, and what do we need to do to satisfy it?
- Which country do we want to travel to first as a Digital Nomad Family? What might a life there look like?
The Preparation
We started preparing about a year before our life as a Digital Nomad Family was to start. These included various aspects. To make it more transparent for you, I have ordered them chronologically.
1 Year before the Start
Job
That’s a big step: you need remote work! Dizzy and I both quit our jobs and started our own businesses. He became a freelance Art Director and I switched from being a TV Journalist to a freelance author and copywriter.
We had a year to build our client base. We needed to start so early beforehand because it still allowed us to meet our clients in person, get to know them, and build a trusting relationship.
But of course, there are several alternatives. Maybe you don’t have to quit your job at all, but your employer allows you to work remotely.
I have written a few articles on this topic for you:
How to Travel around the World and make Money
20 Remote-Work-From-Home Jobs with no Experience Needed
Amazon Remote Jobs and What They Pay
Information and Inspiration
Not a week has gone by that we haven’t read about other Digital Nomad Families. We have watched vlogs and documentaries, read blogs, searched Facebook Groups and Forums, and researched through portals like Nomad List to be as prepared as possible.
6 Months before the Start
Apartment
We started looking for a new tenant for our apartment early on and discussed the detailed handover. That way, we had no unpleasant surprises regarding painting and renovations.
3 Months before the Start
School and Kindergarten
We canceled the kindergarten and all state subsidies a few months before we started. In Germany, that was a huge step because you wait about a year to get a childcare place here. Nobody voluntarily cancels it.
Contracts
My tip: Go through your account transactions and check all debits so you don’t forget any contractual partner.
Health Insurance
Please do not forget this point! We have canceled our statutory health insurance in Germany and arranged a five-year travel health insurance plan with Hanse Merkur. This insurance does not cover vaccinations or scheduled births, but it does cover emergencies, hospitalization, and treatment. We have used the insurance very, very often (and I think that’s why they didn’t want to extend our contract for another 5 years. Well, fair enough.). I wrote a blog article about the best health insurance for Digital Nomads. I hope it helps you!
Belongings
Now it’s time to part with your belongings. It’s difficult at first, but it gets easier, believe me! We sold almost all of our furniture, decorations, and clothes and ended up with four boxes still stored in my parents’ yard.
My tip: Digitize as much as you can to safe space (e.g. photos, documents)! And give items you care about to people you care about.
Taxes
If you want to try the Digital Nomad Family life first, you don’t have to worry about this point yet. You will probably continue to pay your taxes in your home country. After two years, when we finally decided to deregister from Germany, we changed our tax structure. Find out how to handle the tax topic in this article: Digital Nomad Taxes: All you need to know
Savings
Everyone has a different need for security. Ours, despite children, is not so high. Our emergency reserve when we started was just $10,700 (10,000 EUR). I know of people who began their lives as a Digital Nomad Family with much more. But also of some who had less.
I generally recommend the three-month rule: You should leave with enough money to live at your new destination comfortably for three months and afford return tickets on top of that.
Accounts and Finances
For a Digital Nomad Family, paying the fewest possible fees when withdrawing money, having reasonable exchange rates, and being protected against theft and card loss are essential. We have spread our money across different banks and credit cards. It is divided between DKB, the online bank N26, and Wise. On top of that, we chose an Amex card to collect and redeem points when flying and hotel bookings. Here, too, there are countless possibilities. Check out which offer suits you best.
Retirement Plan
A difficult topic! Especially for Digital Nomad Families, who generally have a different relationship to a conventional life with pensions and such. Therefore, again: everyone has a different need for security. We let our old fund pension savings plans continue to run. In the meantime, we believe more in other investment opportunities like crypto, S&P, etc.
2 Weeks before the Start
An Assistant at Home
You will most likely need a home address for correspondence (for example, for sending new credit cards). This means you will need someone to receive your mail, store it, and send you important things. In our case, this task is done by my mom and my brother. And they do a great job! But don’t worry if you can’t find a helper. Many professional companies will provide you with an actual address, take your mail, scan it, and email it.
Equipment
Take an afternoon and check through all your gear: Do you have everything you need for the job? Do you have enough suitcases? Is there anything you need to order or get?
My most extensive advice here is: relax! We were a bit overprepared at the beginning. You can get most of what you need anywhere else in the world (and usually even cheaper than in Europe). Here’s a list of apps you might need.
2 Days before the Start
Party Time!
This was the most challenging part for me: The farewell! To make it easier and more beautiful for everyone, we decided to have an afternoon farewell party for friends and family. That way, the goodbye was not so sad; everyone could laugh together and leave us with good wishes.
The Start into Life as a Digital Nomad Family
Now, the day has come. You have completed everything, are on your way to the airport, and can hardly believe your luck. Congratulations on making it this far! 99.9 percent of the people out there will never dare to take this step. The best – and probably most challenging – time of your life is waiting for you!
Digital Nomad Family Trends and Stats
The landscape of Digital Nomad Families is increasingly becoming a focal point of research and discussion. A 2024 survey by Cloudwards reveals that a significant 24% of American Digital Nomads are navigating the nomadic lifestyle with their children. This demographic trend highlights a shift toward families seeking adventure, cultural exposure, and adaptability for their children alongside their professional commitments.
From an age perspective, the Digital Nomad community is diverse, with Millennials making up 47%, followed by Gen Z at 17%, and Gen X at 23%. Interestingly, the Baby Boomer generation (born 1948 to 1964), once constituting 27% of Digital Nomads, saw a decline to 13% post-pandemic, reflecting a shift towards younger Digital Nomads. Globally, digital nomads come from various countries, with over half (52%) of them originating from the United States. Other significant contributions come from the United Kingdom (8%), Russia (5%), Canada (4%), Germany (3%), and France (3%).
As for earnings, a notable portion (36%) of Digital Nomads report annual incomes between $100,000 and $250,000, significantly higher than the average working American salary of around $60,000 in 2024.
Final Thoughts on the Life of a Digital Nomad Family
All in all, I want to encourage you. Starting a new life as a digital nomad family is challenging, no doubt. You’ll face various challenges, deal with language barriers, and have moments of frustration. But at the same time, you’ll also wonder why you didn’t take this step much earlier—at least, that’s how we feel.
Embracing digital nomadism means diving into new experiences and ways of life. Whether you’re looking at local schools, online classes, or experiential learning for your kids, there are plenty of education options. And in general, balancing your daily routine, work schedules, and travel commitments is key.
So, take one step at a time and realize your dream of long-term travel. You can do this! I believe in you!
Are you planning to become a Digital Nomad Family? Do you have any questions about doing it with young children?
Please let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading and for making me part of your day! Yours, Lulu
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