Rome Lite: Upgrading an Eleven-Year-Old to the Full Roman Experience

Rome has always been my favorite place to land in Europe.

It is our home base, our recovery zone, and the place where my daughter and I ease ourselves into vacation mode before moving on to other destinations. After a long flight from Texas, Rome gives us permission to slow down. Well, at least for a day.

I purposely planned Rome for the beginning of June. Having visited before, I know Rome can be surprisingly hot. Texans like to think we're immune to heat, but Rome has a special talent for making you question your life choices while standing in a line with very little shade.

This trip feels different, though.

When I first brought my daughter to Rome, I introduced her to what I affectionately call "Rome Lite." Fewer museums, fewer forced marches across the city, more gelato breaks, and plenty of opportunities to retreat to air conditioning before anyone became overly dramatic.

To be fair, my daughter has never met an air conditioner she didn't love. Our recent walk across a shopping center parking lot back home nearly turned into a humanitarian crisis because the destination was not sufficiently air-conditioned.

She is eleven now, however.

Over the past two years, school has given her a foundation in Roman history. She knows the legend of Romulus and Remus. She has learned about gladiators and ancient Rome. The stories are no longer completely foreign to her.

So this summer, I am cautiously optimistic that she is ready for Rome—not just Rome Lite.

I have every intention of dragging her through the Colosseum and making her stand long enough to imagine what it would have been like to be a gladiator entering the arena. I plan to march her through the Vatican Museums, despite any complaints that may arise about walking, heat, crowds, or the apparent injustice of waiting in line.

Will she complain?

Absolutely.

Will she ask how much longer we have to walk?

Without question.

Will she someday appreciate seeing the Sistine Chapel, standing inside the Colosseum, and exploring the Gregorian Egyptian Museum with its mummies and ancient artifacts?

I am betting on it.

Parenting often requires a certain amount of confidence mixed with selective hearing. Sometimes our children need us to ignore their objections long enough to give them experiences they would never choose for themselves.

Besides, one day she may tell her own children about the summer her mother dragged her through Rome in the heat, armed with a water bottle, a gelato, and a determination to make history come alive.

And if she doesn't remember the history, at least she'll remember the gelato. We definitely hit Giolitti. They have an amazing watermelon-flavored ice cream with chocolate bits that are actually chocolate.