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Six Good Reasons To Take
A Family Vacation
When I was young, family vacations with my parents consisted of driving
for a week from place to place in a hot stifling car. My parents had
the knack of picking the hottest week of the summer to do so. In spite
of that, we still had fun, managed to find interesting sites to explore
and those are the memories that I still have.
I discovered the joy of travel to far reaching destinations on my own
by the time I turned 18. Jumping on a plane and heading off to Brazil,
Europe or cruising the Caribbean, has turned into a life long passion
my whole family now enjoys with me.
Family vacations have evolved over the years. There have never been
more choices, more variety and more options available for family vacations
as there is today. Especially since 9/11, the focus on family and community
and played a strong role in our society. The travel industry has noticed
and has geared up for families. From all-inclusive vacation packages
and cruises, which are equipped with kids clubs and special activities:
to resorts that supply a nanny for your stay, it’s never been a better
time for families to travel.
Still not sure? Here are just a few of the benefits of taking a family
vacation:
1. The family that plays together, stays together.....
It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, the phone calls,
the kid’s activities, the daily to do list. This is a great opportunity
to spend time as a family and get to know each other. Go for a hike,
build a sandcastle, explore a museum. There is more time to talk and
spend time together without the daily distractions.
2. Teach your children well....
Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can have the opportunity
to learn about things first hand they may have learned in school, read
about or saw on TV. Any destination can offer this learning experience
whether it is a few hours drive away from you home or in Europe. Family
vacations will teach children about different cultures, food, history,
geography, climate, environment and so much more. The best part is that
it’s way more fun for them then learning it through homework!
3. New experiences they will never forget.....
Family vacations provide a whole new venue for experiences that your
kids never would have had otherwise. We took a family cruise last winter,
and it was my 9-year-old son’s first cruise. We told him all about the
ship and showed him pictures but I don’t think he could quite grasp
what it was really going to be like. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and
as we were driving to the port, we could see our ship in the distance.
He was excited but still very nonchalant. Once we got to the port and
pulled up alongside the ship, he looked up and up and up at the enormous
ship, his mouth dropped open and he gasped in amazement. That reaction
was worth the price of the whole trip and is something I know our family
will always remember.
4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation....
Even if you are not particularly brave there are still many ways to
experience the adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. It
may be as simple as going to the zoo at your destination and seeing
the animals that are local to that habitat or taking a jungle tour though
the Amazon. There is so much to see and do, pick the adventures that
appeal to your family and do them together.
5. You kids won’t be kids forever....
Doesn’t seem like yesterday that the teenager that just borrowed your
car, was in diapers and day-care? Most parents agree that time seems
to fly by quickly and those babies are grown before you know it. There
will come a time that your children will have lives of their own and
sad as it may seem, spending time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere
near the top of their list. Take the time for a family vacation while
they still want your company.
6. Time to kick back and relax......
Now this part is important. One of the main reasons to take a vacation
is to get some rest and recharge. It is important for everyone so don’t
over do it. Try and schedule an active day followed by a more relaxing
day. It’s hard to do in some destinations where there is so much to
see and do like Disney World, but trust me. The kids will be less tired
and cranky and it will give you a reason to come back to the destination
again!
I know this all sounds so good, it makes you want to book that trip
you’ve been putting off doesn’t it? Well, I will add in a dose of reality
here and include a few negatives. There are some natural stresses to
travelling. Planes get delayed, kids get cranky, families can have too
much of a good thing and get on each other’s nerves. The list can go
on, but don’t let that discourage you, the advantages are too numerous
to ignore.
So whether you choose to pack the kids in the car or fly to more exotic
destinations, the benefits are the same. As far as memories go, we tend
to remember the good things; the time spent together as a family, the
new things that were discovered, the new friends we made, the places
we saw. This is what your children will remember and, the fact that
you were there with them to enjoy it.
About The Author Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively
for work and vacations with her family. For more travel information,
visit her travel websites: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com
and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com.
This article was posted on March 20, 2005 |