It can be an interesting conversation, telling your parents that you’re going to become a blogger. There’s a lot of misconceptions, and I feel like there is certainly a spectrum. I consider myself a travel blogger, but I don’t do it full-time. That being said, there are still plenty aspects of blogging that my family doesn’t always understand.

I recently had the chance to fly to Madrid for a mother-son trip. She was going there with my dad, but we arrived a day before him. I could only stay that day, so we were determined to do the best 24 hours in Madrid possible!

Since I was in my element so to speak, I wanted to take this opportunity and make this more than a mother-son trip. I wanted to add value in a way that went above just seeing monuments and shopping for souvenirs. I saw how I could create a unique experience for my mom that could only be delivered through traveling with a content creator. After reading this post, I would love any feedback from the mothers out there!

How I made our mother-son trip more meaningful:

#1 Photography Tips & Tricks!
Since content is cornerstone to what I do, I wanted to share with my mom how I do my photography! It worked out beautifully! My favorite moment was taking her headshots near Plaza de Juan Pujol. She often smiles without showing her teeth, so I asked her to try laughing for me. We ended up laughing at us trying to “candidly” laugh. But the image turned out perfectly!

Besides talking headshots, I showed her how to use color coordination with her outfit or within the background, and we looked for unique takes on touristy landmarks. For the examples below, we were at the Plaza de Cibeles!

#2 Survival Spanish
Being bilingual myself, I know how helpful it is to know some phrases in the local language. Since she was staying for the week with my dad, I taught her what I called “survival Spanish.”

We went over basic phrases and how to pronounce the names of places she’d be going. Our Uber drivers had been giving us tips, so I consolidated those for her. She made some friends with the other wives attending the conference, and she lead them around town with her map in hand, and Spanish rolling off her tongue (or so she told me hehe).
(Related Article: How to keep your French alive)

#3 Lunch Date
Living states apart from my family, I now value our time together more than anything. I thought, what a better idea than treating my mom to lunch in my favorite part of Madrid!

My mom and I have both been the “healthy eaters” in our family, so I took her to try Avocado Love near Malasaña. She enjoyed her “Amazon salad,” and I devoured my vegan burger! Despite the cafe being noisier than we anticipated, it was still nice to have share some “distraction-free” time.

My personal relationship with my parents is obviously unique to me, but I hope this post adds some value to your next trip with parents, in-laws, or mentor! I wish I could have stayed in Madrid longer, but for now I’ll let my parents explore a little on their own. 😉

Sending you each my best for the upcoming weeks from 35,000 ft.,