Family Vacations

Ops! Sorry I’m late this month. The day slipped past me. It’s vacation time. Taking vacations as a family is very important whether you go to an expensive family resort, or put up a tent a day’s drive from home.

When my children were little, we would throw the children in the back of the station wagon or van depending on which vehicle we had at the time. Today it would be much harder for the every-other-year 5-6 week road trip we used to take, seatbelts and all. However you do have electronic devices for long driving days.

I would put those away on the rest of the days. You couldn’t completely take them from teenagers, but you could limit them to… say 1 hour in the morning and 1 in the evening after the little ones are down.

Such trips bring the family together. When we went, the older boys helped set up the tent while I opened the trunk I called my kitchen and started dinner. All children not involved in setting up the tent helped. I planned a simple meal on travel days so dinner was ready not long after the tent was up with suitcases and sleeping bags in place.

It seems to me if a parent had questions about the use of untoward substances, it would most likely be found out. No, they couldn’t stay home or with a friend. Be a parent, not a pal.

Not all learning is in books. There are wonders to see, and new foods to be tasted. I highly recommend taking vacations. Although visiting grandma can be important, exploring other places is too.