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Six
good reasons to take a
family vacation.
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by: Jolana
Klobouk
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When
I was young, family vacations
with my parents consisted of
driving for a week from place
to place in a hot stifling
car. My parents had the knack
of picking the hottest week of
the summer to do so. In spite
of that, we still had fun,
managed to find interesting
sites to explore and those are
the memories that I still
have.
I discovered the joy of travel
to far reaching destinations
on my own by the time I turned
18. Jumping on a plane and
heading off to Brazil, Europe
or cruising the Caribbean, has
turned into a life long
passion my whole family now
enjoys with me.
Family vacations have evolved
over the years. There have
never been more choices, more
variety and more options
available for family vacations
as there is today. Especially
since 9/11, the focus on
family and community and
played a strong role in our
society. The travel industry
has noticed and has geared up
for families. From
all-inclusive vacation
packages and cruises, which
are equipped with kids clubs
and special activities: to
resorts that supply a nanny
for your stay, it’s never
been a better time for
families to travel.
Still not sure? Here are just
a few of the benefits of
taking a family vacation:
1. The family that plays
together, stays together.....
It is a time to get away from
it all. Away from work, the
phone calls, the kid’s
activities, the daily to do
list. This is a great
opportunity to spend time as a
family and get to know each
other. Go for a hike, build a
sandcastle, explore a museum.
There is more time to talk and
spend time together without
the daily distractions.
2. Teach your children
well....
Travel is an excellent
learning tool for kids. They
can have the opportunity to
learn about things first hand
they may have learned in
school, read about or saw on
TV. Any destination can offer
this learning experience
whether it is a few hours
drive away from you home or in
Europe. Family vacations will
teach children about different
cultures, food, history,
geography, climate,
environment and so much more.
The best part is that it’s
way more fun for them then
learning it through homework!
3. New experiences they will
never forget.....
Family vacations provide a
whole new venue for
experiences that your kids
never would have had
otherwise. We took a family
cruise last winter, and it was
my 9-year-old son’s first
cruise. We told him all about
the ship and showed him
pictures but I don’t think
he could quite grasp what it
was really going to be like.
We landed in Fort Lauderdale
and as we were driving to the
port, we could see our ship in
the distance. He was excited
but still very nonchalant.
Once we got to the port and
pulled up alongside the ship,
he looked up and up and up at
the enormous ship, his mouth
dropped open and he gasped in
amazement. That reaction was
worth the price of the whole
trip and is something I know
our family will always
remember.
4. Life is an adventure,
especially on vacation....
Even if you are not
particularly brave there are
still many ways to experience
the adventures that lie in
every corner of our planet. It
may be as simple as going to
the zoo at your destination
and seeing the animals that
are local to that habitat or
taking a jungle tour though
the Amazon. There is so much
to see and do, pick the
adventures that appeal to your
family and do them together.
5. You kids won’t be kids
forever....
Doesn’t seem like yesterday
that the teenager that just
borrowed your car, was in
diapers and day-care? Most
parents agree that time seems
to fly by quickly and those
babies are grown before you
know it. There will come a
time that your children will
have lives of their own and
sad as it may seem, spending
time with Mom and Dad will not
be anywhere near the top of
their list. Take the time for
a family vacation while they
still want your company.
6. Time to kick back and
relax......
Now this part is important.
One of the main reasons to
take a vacation is to get some
rest and recharge. It is
important for everyone so
don’t over do it. Try and
schedule an active day
followed by a more relaxing
day. It’s hard to do in some
destinations where there is so
much to see and do like Disney
World, but trust me. The kids
will be less tired and cranky
and it will give you a reason
to come back to the
destination again!
I know this all sounds so
good, it makes you want to
book that trip you’ve been
putting off doesn’t it?
Well, I will add in a dose of
reality here and include a few
negatives. There are some
natural stresses to travelling.
Planes get delayed, kids get
cranky, families can have too
much of a good thing and get
on each other’s nerves. The
list can go on, but don’t
let that discourage you, the
advantages are too numerous to
ignore.
So whether you choose to pack
the kids in the car or fly to
more exotic destinations, the
benefits are the same. As far
as memories go, we tend to
remember the good things; the
time spent together as a
family, the new things that
were discovered, the new
friends we made, the places we
saw. This is what your
children will remember and,
the fact that you were there
with them to enjoy it.
About the Author
Jolana Klobouk is a former
travel agent who has traveled
extensively for work and
vacations with her family. For
more travel information, visit
her travel websites: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com
and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com
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