“I don’t think quantity time is as special as quality time with your family.” ~ Reba McEntire
Reba provides some great insight here. You can spend every day together without actually interacting much. Think back to your childhood. What moments stick out the best in your mind? For me, I remember the trips we took or the times we spent as a family playing and having fun.
Some of those trips probably cost quite a bit, but I know camping was one our favorite family pastimes and that was a fairly cheap outing. We tent camped, so that was even more affordable than some of the campers people tote along these days.
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Here are three of my favorite aspects of quality family vacations:
Memories —
We remember the moments shared having fun together. Picnics in the park, a drive to the next town to go to a museum, or even the public pool. We’ve done day trips up the mountain just to get away from civilization and hiking or walking around to enjoy the scenery. Anything that adds to the banks they can pull from later in life to remember us and our time in a good light.
Time —
Although you can spend time playing together at home, something about getting away from your distractions (phones, video games, tablets, etc) that makes you enjoy conversation with your loved ones. And that translates into number one – memories – that lasts a lifetime. You kids will know how important they are and appreciate the time you took out of your schedule to spend that quality vacation with them.
Saving Money —
Yes, you could go on a family vacation hundreds or thousands of miles away and spend a small fortune. However, raising a family itself is expensive and not everyone has the disposable income to do so. My mom was a single mom of two for a while and even after getting together with my now step dad, financial stability for costly vacations required time and saving. So, finding those cheaper yet still entertaining options becomes a necessity. You save money (or don’t have to stress about how to come up with the funds) while still having a family vacation added to the books.
While I covered reasons as to why family vacations are important no matter how elaborate or simple they may be, use your imagination for what kind of vacations to go on. Quality over bankruptcy is the importance! Take a drive to visit other family members even. Two hours from us, there’s a place called Storybook Island; it’s a free “theme” park with slides, huts, bridges, etc that are all created from different stories like Snow White and the 7 Dwarves. That place exudes fun for the kids and parents. We especially love character day when they have people dressed up as characters from different stories and shows; you can wander around and take pictures with each of them. Our only cost for a trip there? Gas. You can’t beat that!
I’d love to hear some of the vacations or “staycations” you’ve done with your family. Share your stories below!
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