10 Ways to Reconnect With Family on Vacation
Life can be extremely hectic with work, school, extracurricular activities, homework, housework, and outside commitments; that finding quality time sometimes requires getting away from the daily grind. What better way to reconnect with your family than packing up and taking off together on vacation several times a year.
Most people think of a weeklong get away when contemplating vacation, but long weekends are wonderful departures from life as well. In this article I want to touch on how important vacations are and share ten ways to make the most of your time away with family.
- Traveling by car provides numerous benefits for family travel. With small children it allows for packing up all the items required such as a pack n’ play, stroller, car seat and toys. It also provides the freedom to leave when everyone is ready without having to rush, and allows for stops along the way as needed. But the biggest benefit is that it presents a great opportunity to spend quality time dialoguing with your children while on a long car ride.
- Vacationing with Extended Family allows for much needed bonding time as everyone’s life is so busy, and most families are scattered across the country. Many people have purchased vacation homes specifically for family gatherings and creating a special place to come together. But if you don’t have your own vacation home, there are wonderful houses for rent in prime locations across the U.S. These houses become extremely affordable when the expense is split between siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins or grandparents; and what better way to reconnect than over late night talks in the living room, early breakfasts in the kitchen, or while getting ready to go out.
- Picking Destinations with Activities Everyone Loves creates an environment for learning about everyone’s passions and relating through those experiences. There are so many choices when planning a get away, whether it is around sporting events, swimming, hiking, golfing, skiing, amusement parks, sailing or just sightseeing, that everyone has an opportunity to do what they love with the people they care about the most.
- Leaving work at the office is the most important ingredient to a successful family vacation. Since there is not enough time spent with family throughout the year, due to outside obligations, vacations should be considered sacred time spent totally focused on the most important aspect of life. So leave the laptop at home, make sure the office can’t reach you, and let your kids know that you are totally there for them. They will respect you for it. Work should support your life; your life shouldn’t support your work.
- Avoid Distractions by not allowing technological advances such as a cell phone to interrupt your time away. For every day that you are away, be ‘in the moment’ with your kids. This is prime time for catching up on what you have been missing. When life is busy and time is scarce, kids are not free flowing with their thoughts and feelings because they know they are on a time limit. They also tap into the pressures and responsibilities that their parents are feeling and figure their problems or situations are not as important. But providing a whole day, weekend, or week, totally dedicated to being there for your kids will create “talking time.”
- Slow Down and go with the flow of the day by losing your watch and the agenda. Too often life is regimented, with every minute of the day being accounted for. By not having to be somewhere at a specific time, for days on end, becomes a stress reliever in itself. Kids require more down time than our society has allowed for, and parents need down time as well. Take advantage of having a whole week without a schedule and be open to what your family needs, it will provide the recharge necessary for everyone.
- Enjoy Meals Together every day that you are away. No matter how you spend the time, food and fun always go hand in hand, whether it be cooking together or relaxing in a restaurant. By sharing a house, the kitchen becomes the gathering spot for everyone, as food and drink are shared, and conversation becomes easy and free flowing. Eating out also provides an environment for being together, catching up, and a mutual exchange of ideas.
- Explore and Learn by venturing to new places. This will allow you to show your children the sights and let you experience venues from their perspective. By doing activities together you get an opportunity to hear what their thoughts are and gain information about the inner workings of your children. Having knowledge about your child’s strengths and weaknesses will help you to advocate for your child in the future. This time together is priceless.
- A Fresh Viewpoint is gained about your life and family by getting away from the daily grind. Sometimes people can get caught on a ‘hamster wheel’ going through the same cycle day after day, unable to see what is going on around them. But by jumping off that wheel and pulling oneself away, a fresh perspective can be acquired; possibly providing answers to how life can be better for oneself and one’s family.
- Treasure Private Time with your Children, and with your Spouse through quiet moments that can be found in the daylight, or late evenings. These brief encounters will become the memories that are cherished for years to come.
Life is so short, with time speeding past at a lightning pace. Without even realizing it children go from babies, to toddlers, to middle schoolers, teens and than high school graduates. Make the most of your time together and plan more vacations throughout the year to reconnect and build that every lasting bond that can be so fragile.
©2007 Tracey T. Serebin
