The timing of this contest is uncanny. I got a phone call the other night from my sister, she had just confirmed our reservation at the family cottage for a week in July. We have been trying to plan a vacation with our families together for the past 2 summers and now it was GO time. Problem is our daughter isn’t five yet.
We have not taken a ‘family’ vacation since I was pregnant with our our daughter five years ago. From the moment she came out we knew this would not be an easy baby and most likely not the best travel companion. paralyzed by fear we told ourselves by the age of 5 she would probably be able to tolerate a five hour a plane ride but more importantly old enough to join kid camp!
Honestly the thought of riding shot gun for five and a half hours in a metal tube with the child that can barely tolerate sitting strapped in at a stop light makes me weak in the knees.
Since man (nor woman) can not live on work alone we scheduled vacations. Vacations taken separately with our oldest. My last vacation was two summers ago, I took my son to Seattle.
He was 11 and loved planes (we took the Boeing tour)
he loved music (went to see his first concert Foo Fighters)
and wasn’t interested in anything remotely teen-related like texting, Call of Duty or girls. The weekend was just about us and our search for the best donut (for the record it’s Top Pot downtown on 5th Ave.).
My husband has taken our son river rafting on the Snake River, golfing at Sun River and sightseeing in San Francisco. All of our trips wonderful but still fragmented.
Last year as I sat with my doctor for my annual physical he went through the usual list of questions. Yes, no, no …sometimes, sorta…. define recreational… and then this:
doc: when is the last time you and your family went on a vacation?
modchik: ummm… eyes dart around the room. Do you mean all of us?
doc: Yes, a vacation…. AS a family.
modchik: well we have a toddler you know.
doc: and….?
That day I walked out with only one script and it read… “take one family vacation for at least one week, at least once a year”. Refill.
He was dead serious.
I know what he was trying to say. No vacations mean no time to de-stress. Stress leads to imbalance, imbalance leads to dis-ease, disease causes long term health issues yadda yadda yadda … He reminded me how important it was to spend time away from our over scheduled lives and create the memories TODAY for our kids tomorrow.
disclaimer: I am writing this post to participate in the Golden Inn Resort “What is the importance of a Vacation” sweepstakes for a chance to randomly win a full conference ticket to Blogher 2010. You can learn more about the Jersey Shore Resort and contest at their blog.
I picked up my coffee this morning and mid way through your honesty, words came over me “this is excellent writting – if she ever stops writting I will be destated” followed by “the terrific writter will be super famous some day after she publishes her first novel – making that Twilight Stephanie Meyer’s stacks of coin seem like pocket change”. Great post, wonderful ability to connect to everyone, you have this trip all wrapped up in my book.
.-= Kathleen´s last blog ..From Momma to Mommy to Mom =-.
We are all booked and ready to go…….Happy Momma’s day Lindsay.
Devastated – silly iPhone not destated.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Memories of my family vacations are some of the best memories of my life. Hope you win the contest as I would love to meet you at BlogHer this summer. I live in Brooklyn, NY.
.-= Queen of the Click´s last blog ..queenoftheclick: @lincolnlog Kelly, I can’t believe how big Lincoln has got! =-.
We are trying for Maui in early August, but with three teenagers who play Varsity HS sports and club teams in the off season, finding time off for all of us at the same time is hard. If we don’t make Maui, we will be attending a family reunion in Omaha in August to celebrate my husband’s grandmother’s 85th birthday with about 300 of our closest family members.
Sounds like a great time to go , before you hit the ground running with all your Fall sports. I bet its relaxing though with your kids all being in HS. You get some “me” time that way!
We will be in Europe this summer (finally), with the kids mind you….Paris, Provence, French Riviera, Venice, Florence and some day trips to other cities in between. Let’s hope all goes well. Much Love 🙂
You MUST share pics when you get back – wow! It is going to be a SPECTACULAR trip! and just think about the SHOPPING!