| When I was young, family vacations with my parents | | | | distance. He was excited but still very nonchalant. |
| consisted of driving for a week from place to place in | | | | Once we got to the port and pulled up alongside the |
| a hot stifling car. My parents had the knack of picking | | | | ship, he looked up and up and up at the enormous |
| the hottest week of the summer to do so. In spite | | | | ship, his mouth dropped open and he gasped in |
| of that, we still had fun, managed to find interesting | | | | amazement. That reaction was worth the price of |
| sites to explore and those are the memories that I | | | | the whole trip and is something I know our family will |
| still have. | | | | always remember. |
| I discovered the joy of travel to far reaching | | | | 4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation.... |
| destinations on my own by the time I turned 18. | | | | Even if you are not particularly brave there are still |
| Jumping on a plane and heading off to Brazil, Europe | | | | many ways to experience the adventures that lie in |
| or cruising the Caribbean, has turned into a life long | | | | every corner of our planet. It may be as simple as |
| passion my whole family now enjoys with me. | | | | going to the zoo at your destination and seeing the |
| Family vacations have evolved over the years. There | | | | animals that are local to that habitat or taking a |
| have never been more choices, more variety and | | | | jungle tour though the Amazon. There is so much to |
| more options available for family vacations as there is | | | | see and do, pick the adventures that appeal to your |
| today. Especially since 9/11, the focus on family and | | | | family and do them together. |
| community and played a strong role in our society. | | | | 5. You kids won't be kids forever.... |
| The travel industry has noticed and has geared up | | | | Doesn't seem like yesterday that the teenager that |
| for families. From all-inclusive vacation packages and | | | | just borrowed your car, was in diapers and day-care? |
| cruises, which are equipped with kids clubs and special | | | | Most parents agree that time seems to fly by quickly |
| activities; to resorts that supply a nanny for your | | | | and those babies are grown before you know it. |
| stay, it's never been a better time for families to | | | | There will come a time that your children will have |
| travel. | | | | lives of their own and sad as it may seem, spending |
| Still not sure? Here are just a few of the benefits of | | | | time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere near |
| taking a family vacation: | | | | the top of their list. Take the time for a family |
| 1. The family that plays together, stays together..... | | | | vacation while they still want your company. |
| It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, | | | | 6. Time to kick back and relax...... |
| the phone calls, the kid's activities, the daily to do list. | | | | Now this part is important. One of the main reasons |
| This is a great opportunity to spend time as a family | | | | to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge. |
| and get to know each other. Go for a hike, build a | | | | It is important for everyone so don't over do it. Try |
| sandcastle, explore a museum. There is more time to | | | | and schedule an active day followed by a more |
| talk and spend time together without the daily | | | | relaxing day. It's hard to do in some destinations |
| distractions. | | | | where there is so much to see and do like Disney |
| 2. Teach your children well.... | | | | World, but trust me. The kids will be less tired and |
| Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can | | | | cranky and it will give you a reason to come back to |
| have the opportunity to learn about things first hand | | | | the destination again! |
| they may have learned in school, read about or saw | | | | I know this all sounds so good, it makes you want to |
| on TV. Any destination can offer this learning | | | | book that trip you've been putting off doesn't it? |
| experience whether it is a few hours drive away | | | | Well, I will add in a dose of reality here and include a |
| from you home or in Europe. Family vacations will | | | | few negatives. There are some natural stresses to |
| teach children about different cultures, food, history, | | | | travelling. Planes get delayed, kids get cranky, families |
| geography, climate, environment and so much more. | | | | can have too much of a good thing and get on each |
| The best part is that it's way more fun for them | | | | other's nerves. The list can go on, but don't let that |
| then learning it through homework! | | | | discourage you, the advantages are too numerous to |
| 3. New experiences they will never forget..... | | | | ignore. |
| Family vacations provide a whole new venue for | | | | So whether you choose to pack the kids in the car |
| experiences that your kids never would have had | | | | or fly to more exotic destinations, the benefits are |
| otherwise. We took a family cruise last winter, and it | | | | the same. As far as memories go, we tend to |
| was my 9-year-old son's first cruise. We told him all | | | | remember the good things; the time spent together |
| about the ship and showed him pictures but I don't | | | | as a family, the new things that were discovered, |
| think he could quite grasp what it was really going to | | | | the new friends we made, the places we saw. This is |
| be like. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and as we were | | | | what your children will remember and, the fact that |
| driving to the port, we could see our ship in the | | | | you were there with them to enjoy it. |