How this Mom and Son Duo Are Writing Books and Sharing Their Travels to Encourage Other Families to Travel with their Kids
For many generations, the highpoint of childhood memories included annual family vacations. Yet, amid a volatile economy, Americans are working more than ever before, and families are taking fewer vacations and spending less quality time together. In fact, according to an Accenture report, approximately 42 percent of respondents sacrificed time with family due to the demands of their careers, while nearly 60 percent said their devotion to work has negatively impacted their family life. Clearly, these statistics show a need for increased family bonding time when trying to find that ever-elusive work/life balance.
As a way to help inspire other families to spend time together by taking vacations, mother and son team Deborah Haile and Jonah Seyum co-wrote the bestselling book collection Jonah’s Global Footprints. In these two lighthearted and positive reads, Deborah and Jonah share their unique experiences in the Dominican Republic, Dubai, Thailand, Eritrea, South Africa, Cuba, and Spain. Jonah also wrote his solo debut Basketball or Soccer.
Jonah’s Global Footprints Series offers:
- Book 1: The Search for Elephants in Thailand: Deborah and Jonah’s journey to Thailand to see his favorite animal
- Book 2: Finding My Amigo in Cuba: Jonah’s excursion to Cuba with his mom hoping to see his best friend
Jonah’s Solo Book:
- Basketball or Soccer: Jonah’s decision about whether to play basketball or soccer
Jonah Seyum
Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, world traveler, and bestselling author, Jonah Seyum is seven years old and has traveled to 10 countries. He is the first published Eritrean child author and enjoys spending time with his family. As a lover of both sports and reading, Jonah plays soccer and basketball as well as loves reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He enjoys learning new languages and dancing to Eritrean music.
Deborah Haile
Founder and Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, writing coach, and bestselling author, Deb is a busy working mother committed to seeing the world with her son. She loves seeing the world through his eyes and sharing stories from their travels by writing Jonah’s Global Footprints: Book 1: The Search for Elephants in Thailand, and Book 2: Finding My Amigo in Cuba, and more to come in the series.
She holds a master’s degree from George Mason University in Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. Deborah is originally from Eritrea but grew up in Minnesota. She is passionate about teaching children about global cultures and wants to help make travel an essential part of every childhood. She plans to publish more books based on the different countries she and Jonah visit.