Purposeful Summer Vacations
How do you pick where to spend your family vacations? Do you have family vacations? In planning your family vacations what is important to your family? How thoughtful are you at planning your family vacations? When was your last family vacation? What was the vacation like? Plan out a budget for the next family vacation & see if my suggestion can work especially for those who have children of school age.
I know, I know family vacations are to be fun! Ours certainly are. My children always come out having had experiences that they will remember for a lifetime. We are thankful that God has allowed us to make some of these “proposed I wonders” into reality. Some of these adventures might be a little expensive but family time is priceless. I can see your timelines, you already are taking wonderful, expensive trips. I just want you to be a little bit more purposeful in your planning.
I can’t remember when we realized that family vacation was important and needed. All I know is God put in my heart to go this route; “family experiences through education”. Your children are learning about all of these things in school, why not help them make connections with what is learned in the classroom and meanwhile connecting with family. I am an educator, in all that I do, I attempt to bring out the educational piece.
You see, we are currently on a “college tour” type of summer vacation. Greg graduates high school Spring of 2020. In the fall when most seniors goes to visit colleges/universities, I will not be able to go visit. For our family, this summer is what works best! How, how much, how many visits, where, was all discussed. Greg is given full freedom to fend for himself, from being given his passport, ID to being able to use a hotel room key, communicating with merchants when you didnt get the “best” for your money. Teaching him what it would be like if or when he leaves in thefall of 2020.
I know, I know vacations are to be fun! Ours are! One summer we went to D.C. exploring the world of “checks & balance” in government. We tour all of these places and monuments that are most newsroom back drop, streets that are mentioned on the news became real to them. Meanwhile the children are making observation of life “outside” of our family. Making observation of the homelessness in D.C., making observations at the Tomb of the Unknown, making observations of our hotel rooms. Meanwhile, we as parents are explaining and teaching about compassion, God’s blessings, sensitivity, politeness, gratitude among other characteristics of a “good citizen”. Helping them understand that these opportunities are not afforded to all and how we should be humble as a family and thankful that we are surrounded with each other and that theirs some whose parents are at war and are not able to have “family vacations” for long period of time. (That always gets Greg & Emmie to bicker less with each other)
One summer we visited Cali (one of the priciest) but we did it! WE wanted the kids to understand the whole “westward movement” “gold rush”, why so many earthquakes in Cali. We visited all of the most talked about places in California. Meanwhile discussing the “high standard” of living, traffic, multi-culture, my myth of a belief that Californians were blond, and blue eyes. (Hey I know you if you were raised in the 90’s you watched Beverly Hills 90210). Well we debunk that theory. I have yet to see a place where I have observed so much diversity within these 50 of these United States… well maybe NY, but you get my point.
One summer we simply visited the state of GA, (I know we live in GA currently). Emmie had studied the different regions of GA, so we took her to the mountains, where she could hear me scream like we were on a roller coaster, saying “I can’t wait until we get to Helen, GA. In my opinion that was the last time I saw flat land. The family being marveled by the “old” structure of houses in Augusta, GA to the beaches of Savannah, GA, & vast land along route 16. The school system doesn’t allocate enough funds towards field trips for students to make these connections. So I take it upon myself as a parent to help my children “build” on their learning in the classroom by having life experiences through family vacations.
Ok you get it…!
Has any of our trips failed from happening? Yes! We had planned to go to Canada one summer, to help Emmie understand the importance of our “northern neighbor” but because of the loss of grandparents we decided to spend time with the whole extend family because it was appearing that the only time we would come together was for sad occasions. So that summer we learned how to live as a “united” family.
Yes, we too have spent summers at the beach, & yes we too have spent summers on a cruise, & yes, we too have spent summers off the main land. Just be a little more intentional in your planning, you already are taking marvelous summer vacations. While planning these family vacations: consider the vacation budget allotted, plan for 1-3 possible options, talk to the kids about what they are learning in school, have a family meeting lay out the options & vote. If the family didn’t budget enough for choice A, go to choice B and table plan A for next year.
Please share your thoughts on this suggestion? Please share how you decide where to go on summer vacations. Please share where you are going or where you have already gone this summer on vacation. Let’s maximize on these family vacations!
Share, advise, educate & grow,
Wilnia
Mom2Greg&Emmie