Family Vacations
Our family vehicle was a seven passenger van and our family filled it up! With my husband, myself and four growing kids, there was no just no room for a seventh person…and that’s the way we liked it! At least, when it came to family vacations, that is.
I’ve always been very selfish of our family vacations. Those special times for families to connect and reconnect; to create memories; to enjoy being together, to have adventures, to laugh and to love. For that one week, we are an island unto ourselves; away from home, with its duties and responsibilities. We can sleep late, play hard, eat well, and stay up late without worrying about work or school. We come home tired and happy with lots of pictures and memories.
As our children got older, a good many of their friends were able to invite someone along, whether it be a best friend or a boyfriend/girlfriend. They even got invited to go along on several of these family vacations. We politely declined.
Once you invite someone else, it is no longer a family vacation. The friend, even a best friend, takes attention away from all that a family vacation is about. The emphasis becomes more on friendship and less on kinship! And, oh my, if it’s a boyfriend or girlfriend, family time takes a backseat to one-to-one togetherness. Lively group conversations give way to quiet tête-à-têtes. Inside family jokes have to be explained to those who may not understand.
It is not that we didn’t like our kids’ friends or their boyfriends/girlfriends. We did and we enjoyed spending time with them the other 51 weeks of the year! Family vacation week was OUR week.
Our family vacations have changed as we’ve gotten older and our family has expanded. Not everyone gets to go every year, due to work or other obligations, but one thing is constant. We have a great time with each other, cementing the family bond! Enjoy your family!
By Lenora Cooper, a dedicated mom who loves to spend time with her family. Lenora is a freelance writer for mybabyclothes.com. Get your little ones dressed in some great baby clothes or unique baby tutus and coordinate them with a beautiful baby headband or a stylish baby hat for some family fun this summer.
Photo courtesy of znewsome