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The Family Vacation

So this post is not about the horrors of vacationing with children, it's more about what is a family vacation anyway?  Having just returned from ours to the beach, I got to thinking about this on the long trip back home.  To me, the family vacation has two components:

1. The family should vacation together (see how insightful this is?) and
2. The family should decide on the family vacation together

So, despite the fact that for me, the two components of a vacation are without kids and without kitchen, that doesn't qualify as a family vacation.  The second criterion I was forced to acknowledge because I found myself having to cajole my kids too many times to venture out to the beach with me.  What if they decided on the family vacation?...Hmmmm.

So at what age does a child earn the ability to have a say in vacation destination and activities (within constraints of course)?  I figure that in about 4 years time, Liam will be 7 and able to make sensible choices. Lucas can do so now, at least he can evaluate alternatives.

I have also thought about what the family vacation may not be - a way for me to have my children experience some of the happiest family vacations I had when I was a child.  I am trying, but it doesn't seem to be taking.

Regardless of where we go next year, if we are able to, it won't be where I want to go necessarily.


View from our room of the sun rising over the Gulf.
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Savi said…
Sounds like you had a "complicated" vacation :/

By your criteria, I guess we don't really have family vacations as Neil and I are the ones who decide where we go. But we do discuss it with the kids and try to plan things so as to keep everyone happy. It's not easy, as everyone in the family has different tastes. In the holiday we just had, my daughter's favourite day was the day it rained constantly and we stayed in the cottage and she stayed in bed and read one of the Twilight books all day long. My son's favourite was the day he got to go body-surfing at the beach. As you might guess, it can be a difficult balancing act to keep them both happy!
25 July 2010 at 13:05
Austin Trini said…
I can imagine how difficult it would be to balance conflicting needs! But it sounds like you were able to do something where everyone could have done something they enjoyed.

I feel like I am opening a can of worms by considering the possibility of kid-input. I just want L & L to have a good time.

S reading Twilight? Hmmm have you read any of the series?
26 July 2010 at 17:41
Savi said…
Yes, I've read all the Twilight books too, and I understand what you mean. They are a bit more adult than anything else Sharda has read, and she didn't enjoy the last two books so much - she said she skipped past all the "yucky" parts. They're not my ideal choice of reading matter for her, but I don't think they've done her any harm - I hope!
29 July 2010 at 14:17
Austin Trini said…
Savi, one of the things I have difficulty with now is that Lucas is at the stage where I have to read his books too. Sometimes to review of appropriateness (content, language, vocabulary, etc) but also just to have something to share with him. It's all good!
31 July 2010 at 21:20
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