If you ask me what my favorite memory is as a child, I always say without hesitation the yearly trips I made with my family to the beach for New Years. We would stay in a cabin right across the beach with some friends and I literally lived in my swimsuit for a whole week. We would eat delicious food, build the best sandcastles, go fishing, get dunked by waves every other day, and my dad would take out his guitar and we would sing together.
I’ve always relished those memories and have always thought that my parents gave my sisters and I a valuable gift by taking us on that yearly trip. Now that I’m a mother, I’ve tried to do the same with my children, and I love hearing them reminisce about our trips. And it’s not just the memories, going on vacation as a family has so many other benefits. If you’re thinking about taking a break or need to feel closer to your family, family travel could be a good option for the following reasons.
Strengthen Family Bonds
During our everyday lives, we are always busy. Between work and school and extracurricular activities, it’s even hard to get everybody to sit and enjoy a meal together. Traveling helps us to forget about our daily worries and obligations, so we can relax and enjoy our family and friends. We can finally sit down as a family and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The many activities that we enjoy together, gives us the opportunity to spend more time together without having to worry about rushing off to soccer practice or to parent-teacher interviews. It’s just you and your family.
Learn by Doing
In Social Studies this year, my son learned about Egyptian civilization. A few weeks ago, we were fortunate to travel to New York and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). My son was able to see real hieroglyphics, sarcophagi, and ancient Egyptian art. What he learned at school became much more relevant and, most importantly, real. Our kids learn best when they are able to do, see, touch, hear, and smell. Reading books and seeing videos are great ways to learn, but being immersed in a different culture or place are learning tool that is more valuable and long-lasting. These hands-on experiences can range from exploring historical sites to diving into local traditions. For families seeking truly unique cultural immersion, a trip focused on specific local customs and cuisine, such as experiencing events like Tokyo Nights - Sumo Wrestling and Sushi with children who are young adults, can provide an unparalleled adventure.
Create Lasting Memories
"Hey mom, do you remember when we saw that mama bear at Yellowstone with her cubs?" Family travel creates long-lasting memories. Stories that you create together bring you closer together. Having something in common, other than sharing the same genes, strengthens those family ties. These stories or memories can be shared over and over again for many years to come.
Get to Know Each Other
When we are on vacation, we tend to relax and let our barriers down. Family travel provides a great opportunity to get to know each other a little bit more. There are no outside obligations pressuring you or deadlines bringing you down. Again, it’s just you and your family hanging out at the beach, or going on a hike through the beautiful canyon. It’s a great opportunity to ask your kids how they are. Just watching them do different activities, we can learn so much about them.
Gain a Different Perspective
Developing cultural sensitivity is vital in today’s diverse world. By exposing our children to different cultures and learning how other people live their lives, we are teaching them to embrace differences and be more understanding. The social skills that our children can learn them to deal with conflict more effectively as they are able to see other people’s point of view.
Family travel is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but it also has many benefits. From forming stronger bonds to creating long-lasting memories to getting to know each other more, these benefits are without a doubt important for family life.
Help for Planning Family Vacations
Vacations are a great bonding experience, but they can also be costly and hard to do for families. If you are planning a trip, consider planning in the offseason. This may be harder to schedule, but you can save significantly. Many social media channels and newsletters also provide updates for vacation deals to help people save. You can also look at sites like Groupon or travel clubs like inCruises to find savings on vacations.
Remember, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter nearly as much where you go or how much you spend, what’s important is that you take the time to be together. By planning something outside of your daily routines, you’ll create lasting memories with your family and build a strong bond.
