I love vacations. I am writing this post at my in-laws house, trying to finish it before we all head to the swimming pool. My six-year-old can’t wait to go down the slides. My two-year-old and one-year-old love to splash around. And, my husband and I act like big kids in the water. We have had a great trip so far.
And that got me thinking….what makes a good vacation? We have all heard plenty of horror stories from others about things that went wrong on trips. Cars breaking down, campgrounds filled with noisy neighbors, whining kids, and more. How can you be sure of having a great time when so many things are beyond your control?
Here are my 5 Tips for a Fun Family Vacation:
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
There is a direct correlation between the amount of sleep that I get and the attitude that I bring to each day. When I’ve only had a few hours of sleep, any setback or unexpected event seems insurmountable. However, if I have had a good night’s sleep, I can usually put things into perspective.
The same is true for kids, only magnified about 100 times! When planning our vacations, we always make sure to budget time for sleep. While there may be a couple of nights that we let the kids stay up late for a special event (I mean, who can tell their kids to go to bed when there are s’mores? Right?), we generally try to keep the same sleep schedule that they have at home.
2. Plan for Rest Times
Just as nighttime sleep is important, so daytime rest is also essential. Our children are very young, so we plan for a two hour quiet time each day. My two youngest generally sleep, and Big Brother usually reads or plays quietly with toys.
This also gives the adults a little bit of down time, which I, as an introvert, desperately need. I can retreat to a corner and read or write. Then I emerge refreshed and ready to enjoy my family and the afternoon’s activities.
3. Make a “Two Activity Rule”
If you have young children, you’ll know how quickly they can get overstimulated. Planning activity after activity can quickly lead to burn out and bad attitudes.
That is why we have instituted the “Two Activity Rule.” We don’t plan more than two fun activities per day. For example, today in the morning the boys went golfing while the girls helped grandma work at a food pantry. Then we will all go to the pool this afternoon. And, that’s it. Because we have simplified our days, we allow some margin time in our schedule. We can rest, relax, and enjoy simple games and fun together.
If you aren’t staying with family, you can still have a Two Activity Rule. Perhaps you go to the zoo in the morning, go back to the hotel and rest, and then play in the pool in the afternoon. With children, less is often more.
4. Be Flexible
I am a Type A person. I adore making lists and checking items off of it. (Check out my Read 100 Challenge if you’re not convinced!) Designing a vacation itinerary is my idea of fun!
Because of this, however, I tend to look at my watch far too often on vacation. I catch myself saying, “We need to hurry to get to…..” or “We don’t have time for…” My desire to get things done often gets in the way of real fun.
This is when I need my husband, who reminds me to relax and be flexible. Flexibility is key to enjoying a vacation because it helps you see the beauty of the moment. The giggle of a toddler. A little boy saying, “Mommy, watch me!” The sun setting behind the mountains. The advent of the first firefly of the evening.
Real life.
5. Keep Watch Over Your Attitude
The attitude that you bring to the day determines the enjoyment that you will get out of it.
We cannot control the events of the day, but we can control how we respond to those events. I learned this during a pretty awful experience at a restaurant recently (read more about it here). It can be so easy to slip into negativity. To yell at the children. To get frustrated with the service. To blame others.
But, when we allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by negativity, we can affect not only our experience but also our entire family’s. A parent sets the tone for the entire family.
So, keep a watch over your attitude.
It’s time for me to head to the pool. I have three little kids and a husband there who are pretty great, and I don’t want to miss it. I want to enjoy every minute of our lives together.
What tips do you have for a fun family vacation?
