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I compeletely agree with Melissa. It really, really depends on how flexible your kids are and how much extra stress you think it'll put on you to bring them. I know some 4 and 6 year olds that could do it and some that would be a major problem. It has as much to do with how much you can hand as how much they can handle. Also expecting and planning for comlications is a great way to start any international trip.
Warning: I'm going to ramble personal thoughts on international travel now, if you want to cut to the chase skip this.
I really enjoy this section (international adoption travel) because I'm so familar with international travel. I've discovered that I'm very split about somethings. I'm a major believer that taking your kids with you is a great experience for them, but then I'm very aware of the complications that any international trip can bring that most people realistically wouldn't want to either deal with kids in addition to or wouldn't want to put their kids through (hugh waits, uncomfortable places). For me though I don't think some of the issues would be as big as for other people given how "normal" I view a lot of the things that push a lot of americans into a panic (lanuage barriers, excessive red tape and currupted bouracracy, major delays/airport chrisis' ). All in all I'm really looking forward to this part of adoption, as crazy as that may seem to some.
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TCK"s or Third Culture Kids are difined as "[A] person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The third culture kid builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the third culture kid's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of the same background."
How being a TCK relates to my desire to adopt some day: I grew up an international child, and while the walls between country and race mean less to me than most, I grew up with an understanding of the influence of clashing cultures that is hard to explain to someone who exists in solely one culture. God has given me the gift of experiences to fuel my desire for international adoption and to understand an internationally adopted child's world.
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