What Makes For a REAL Family Vacation?
Everybody loves the idea of a family vacation.
Of course, who wouldn't? It's a vacation - a time to relax, get away from the stress of your life, and have some real fun.
And it's something to do together, which everybody agrees is important.
So, there's this idea of a wonderful vacation with your loved ones, which appeals to everybody.
But what happens when you start making plans for it? Let's say you want to go to the beach, so you start looking for beach resorts that are "family-friendly.
" You find lots of beach resorts, and they all have beautiful photos with great scenery and smiling kids, and you say to yourself, "This is going to be great! We're going to have a great time at one of these places.
" So then you start looking in more detail at these beautiful kid-friendly beach resorts.
And it's great - they have tropical pools with slides, they have spas, they have boogie boards, they have beachfront restaurants.
Now you're really starting to dream! But then you look at what they say about being family-friendly.
And you know what they say? Do you know what these beach resorts offer that they think makes them kid-friendly? Child care.
Kids activities.
So, on your family vacation, your kids can stay busy and you don't have to worry about them.
Somebody at the resort will watch them for you and make sure they have some fun.
Is that what you wanted for your "family" vacation? I think that's terrible! A family vacation shouldn't be a time to separate yourselves! That happens way too much at home! Between work and school and extra-curricular activities, mom and dad and each of the kids are each going their own way all of the time.
A "family" vacation should be a time when everybody does stuff together! It's the only time when you get away from all of your regular activities and obligations.
You shouldn't waste this precious time by just filling it up with more activities where each person does their own thing! If you go to the beach for your family vacation, you should play on the beach together.
You can play in the waves together.
You can build a sand castle together.
You can take turns burying each other in the sand.
You can look for seashells together.
You can ride boogie boards together.
Or you can go touring or exploring together.
Or shopping.
You get the idea...
but do it together! That's what makes for a real family vacation.
That's what everybody will remember, with pleasure, for years down the road.
Of course, who wouldn't? It's a vacation - a time to relax, get away from the stress of your life, and have some real fun.
And it's something to do together, which everybody agrees is important.
So, there's this idea of a wonderful vacation with your loved ones, which appeals to everybody.
But what happens when you start making plans for it? Let's say you want to go to the beach, so you start looking for beach resorts that are "family-friendly.
" You find lots of beach resorts, and they all have beautiful photos with great scenery and smiling kids, and you say to yourself, "This is going to be great! We're going to have a great time at one of these places.
" So then you start looking in more detail at these beautiful kid-friendly beach resorts.
And it's great - they have tropical pools with slides, they have spas, they have boogie boards, they have beachfront restaurants.
Now you're really starting to dream! But then you look at what they say about being family-friendly.
And you know what they say? Do you know what these beach resorts offer that they think makes them kid-friendly? Child care.
Kids activities.
So, on your family vacation, your kids can stay busy and you don't have to worry about them.
Somebody at the resort will watch them for you and make sure they have some fun.
Is that what you wanted for your "family" vacation? I think that's terrible! A family vacation shouldn't be a time to separate yourselves! That happens way too much at home! Between work and school and extra-curricular activities, mom and dad and each of the kids are each going their own way all of the time.
A "family" vacation should be a time when everybody does stuff together! It's the only time when you get away from all of your regular activities and obligations.
You shouldn't waste this precious time by just filling it up with more activities where each person does their own thing! If you go to the beach for your family vacation, you should play on the beach together.
You can play in the waves together.
You can build a sand castle together.
You can take turns burying each other in the sand.
You can look for seashells together.
You can ride boogie boards together.
Or you can go touring or exploring together.
Or shopping.
You get the idea...
but do it together! That's what makes for a real family vacation.
That's what everybody will remember, with pleasure, for years down the road.
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