If I could move my family to a remote island and leave everything behind, I would do it in a heartbeat! My island fantasy most likely isn't going to happen, so instead, we make sure to take family trips. Trips are expense and vacation time can be hard to come by, so it's really important to savor every single moment! Here are the three ways we try to make the most of our vacations.... they are simple and seem obvious, but sometimes those are the easiest things to forget!
1. DISCONNECT
Please put down your devices and enjoy the incredible things right in front of you. Seriously, about 90% of the people lounging by the pool on our last trip were glued to some kind of screen. This may be hard to believe, but when we travel out of the country, my husband and I leave our phones AT HOME! Yes, you read that right. We bring the ipad, and I check it twice a day-- once in the morning and once before bed. If someone needs to reach me, I will know. If there is an emergency, they can call my hotel. :-) Live in the moment!
2. DOCUMENT
All you people glued to your phones appear to be taking photo after photo, but really, how many of those pictures do you print out? I encourage everyone to bring along a camera that is not your phone. I have my big DSLR, but I also use our new GoPro a lot. It takes video but also pretty awesome still shots. It's tiny and can go underwater. Once you are home from vacation, PRINT OUT YOUR PICTURES!!!! You don't have to blow them up and cover your walls in them, but consider making an album for each trip. Our home is filled with albums, and my kids (and I) love looking back at them. It's so much better than viewing them on a screen!
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| Here's an album from our 2 week trip to the BVI's over 8 years ago. As you can see from the tattered edges, it gets looked at a lot |
3. DIVE IN
It's so easy to just lounge back and tell the kids to go play. I find I am a much happier parent and traveler when I actually engage my kids. Dive in the pool, dig in the sand, play! I'll admit, sometimes I hate getting my hair chlorine and salt water soaked and having sand just about everywhere, but it's so worth it! My kids also become less annoying when I give them the attention they really want. There are absolutely times when we need a break and prefer to observe (this is a great time to take advantage of a kids club if your resort offers it), but I never regret the moments when we are all having fun together. I am quickly realizing that family trips won't be like this for long. Before we know it, we will be the ones begging the kids to play with us. ;-)
Now go book a vacation! If you need a recommendation, check out our most recent family trip to the Royalton Riviera Cancun HERE!!!
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