Have you made your plans for Spring Break? Where we are, many of the folks we see every day are those we end up vacationing with. That has never made sense to me. To me, vacation implies “vacating” your normal life for something new, different, adventurous, unexpected. That could be just seasonal…why else would so many of us from northern climates end up in Florida or the Bahamas?…or it could be a radical departure: leave behind your urban setting for the mountains, the seacoast, the desert. If you live in a rural home you might head to the big city with its theaters, restaurants, shopping and sightseeing.
Whatever your destination, be sure to document it for the kids. Take pictures. Accumulate shells (and pockets full of pretty rocks). If you NEVER eat dessert in a restaurant, order “one of each” and pass them around. If you DONʼT DO theme parks, find a water park (even an indoor one) and sit in the lazy river. If your kids have never seen “wildlife”, head to the local nature preserve early in the morning to spot migrating birds, squirrels, maybe even a deer or a fox.
Tell yourself “my phone is just a camera” this week. Donʼt rely on it to “keep you up” on the rest of the world. Believe me, itʼll still be there next week. So what if you donʼt play cards? You can still enjoy a game as simple as Phase 10 or UNO. So you donʼt love the beach. Take a book and sit under the umbrella. P.S. You might find you donʼt mind walking up and down the waterʼs edge.
Encourage the kids to try something new. That could be something as simple as a new salad dressing. It could be a new ethnic cuisine. It could be body surfing or frisbee. It could be flying a kite. It could be that new superhero movie (I know you donʼt like them. The kids do. And you might be pleasantly surprised!)
You donʼt have to leave learning behind just because youʼre out of town, either. There MUST be a museum of local interest, a landmark (thereʼs a small town in Tennessee that has a monument to the veterans who fought on BOTH SIDES in the civil war. Thereʼs a museum in a small town in Wisconsin devoted to glass paperweights). Instead of another t shirt, head to a local independent book store and find a paperback about local history, heroes or happenings.
IF youʼre lucky enough to be taking the family away, make the journey as much a part of the adventure as the destination. Are you stuck in an airport? Challenge the kids to see how many different languages they can identify fellow travelers as speaking. Are you driving? Even taking a break at a rest stop can be a chance to look for birds or flowers you donʼt see at home. Make a rule during car trips not to stop at chain restaurants. Itʼs amazing how much local color you can pick up by stopping downtown at the local spot.
Your kids may not be willing to leave their electronic devices behind altogether for a week. Maybe allow them to be used for half an hour at a time when in the car or after settling in for the evening. Sing in the car. Thatʼs right. Sing. Find a radio station playing music from your high school years (you know all the lyrics by heart). Sing along. Your kids will laugh, probably. But theyʼll know for sure that at one time YOU WERE COOL. Who knows? You might be fostering the love of your favorite group in your favorite kids!
And hereʼs a small thing that will make “vacating” more palatable even to the little travelers. Take along a “comfort” item. It might be a blanket, a stuffed animal, a pillow. A whole week of new adventures can be overwhelming for them. A little piece of home will ease that. And donʼt discount the idea of using aromatherapy oils to calm and settle kids (and adults) during the trip. New food, a new time zone, new surroundings, strange beds, strange foods, upset sleep schedules can all take their toll. The goal is to give your family a lifetime memory. Make it a happy one!
