Family vacations that actually recharge you?
With the last push before school and work kick into high gear, it's that time to venture out and enjoy a family trip. But between the planning, packing, and disconnecting from the office, and then the actual trip, sometimes I come home exhausted and in need of another break. I haven't gotten the formula perfected, but I've found a few things helpful in making the time with loved ones not only enjoyable, but a boost to my energy reserves.
Direct flights are my thing. So I'm pretty lucky to live in NYC, since it's a major hub to lots of great locations. I will hereby admit I avoid connecting flights for family trips. Sure, my kids are older now and pretty adaptable, but I usually want to spend the least amount of time possible traveling, and focus on getting where we're going. I'm also a stickler for flight options. Early on I went to a location whose only direct flight left at 5 am. I did it once, it was torture, and then vowed never again. I grew up at a time where being in a car for 1-2 days was a part of the vacation schtick, and personally I enjoyed rocking to my mixtapes on my walkman. But my grown self with kids doesn't have the same zen in a car. So I've learned to also make sure the destination is pretty close to the airport. At some point I'll consciously break this rule of thumb, but so far it hasn't held us back, and greatly improved our moods going to and from wherever.
Packing Lists. I love lists. They are my thing. I not only create lists, but then sort and update said lists. This does not make packing any better. In fact it's one of my least favorite things. Mostly because packing for anyone other than myself is just the worst. I've learned to create extremely detailed packing lists for the kids, and then loosely supervise their packing. This has made my life so much easier. One time I accidentally left the "r" off of shirts (I'm the worst with typos). The kids thought it was the funniest thing ever and had a blast reminding me of my mistake as they got through their chore. I'm sure everyone will tell me that this is not exactly a revelatory action, making a packing list and having other people own their own stuff gathering, but I wasn't doing it for too long (they were young) and once that change happened, my stress level went way down.
Leave time everyday for nothing. My mom and I went on a trip to Belgium many years ago, and we discovered every inch of Belgium possible. As many museums, walking adventures, concerts as we could squeeze in a day-- we did it. And it was awesome. But my kids and husband get cranky if we have an overly programmed day, so we make the vacation as much about being together and relaxing as we do about seeing new things. This has been my best discovery of planning a wonderful time. Everyday we do one thing, then leave time to read, rest and relax together. I remember in Rome we would do our sightseeing in the morning, have lunch out, then come back to our home base and crash for the afternoon. We loved that trip, and it was largely due to the laid back way we approached out schedule.
And getting home was a breeze (direct flight of course) so the hardest part was clearing JFK customs (which was challenging. Ahem.) I have so many wonderful memories of time with family and friends, and thanks to these 3 simple concepts, have been able to come home recharged and ready to face September. Hope everyone has a great rest of summer!
