Interview with Cindy Richards
Meet Cindy Richards: Editor of TravelingMom.com and Vacation Pro
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Cindy Richards to our readers! Cindy was kind enough to help us with our latest vacation planning infographic, and we’re so grateful for her expert input. As the editor of TravelingMom.com, Cindy brings years of travel wisdom to families looking to plan unforgettable getaways.
We wanted our readers to get to know some of the amazing contributors who help shape our content, so we sat down with Cindy for a quick interview. Not only is she a seasoned travel writer, she’s also been a journalist with both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune—and she brings that same spirit of curiosity and insight to every family trip.
Interview with Cindy Richards
Q: Cindy, could you tell us a little about TravelingMom.com and how it all got started?
Absolutely! TravelingMom.com was founded in 2006 and is owned by Kim Orlando. It’s more than just a blog—we have around 60 writers on staff. We also specialize in helping companies grow their social media presence. In fact, we host a very popular Twitter party every Monday using the hashtag #TMom (which stands for Traveling Mom).
In addition to TravelingMom.com, our company also runs TravelingDad.com and SheBuysCars.com.
Q: How did you get started in travel writing?
My two kids are older now, but we’ve always loved traveling together. Writing about our trips just felt like a natural fit. It allowed me to combine my love of travel and storytelling into one fulfilling career.
Q: What was the best vacation you ever took with your children?
That’s an easy one! We rented a villa in Jamaica one year, and it was amazing. Not only was the location beautiful and relaxing, but one of the ladies who helped maintain the villa was a laundress. So I came home from vacation with clean clothes—a mother’s dream!
Q: What’s the best advice you could give to parents trying to plan a vacation?
Get the kids involved in the planning. Give each child a day and a small budget, and have them do some research to find something fun for the whole family to do on “their” day. It helps them feel more invested in the trip and teaches them a little about budgeting and research. We’ve done this with our own kids, and it’s always been a rewarding experience.
Thanks again to Cindy for sharing her time and expertise with us! To learn more or follow along with her travel tips, visit TravelingMom.com or join the conversation on Twitter at #TMom.