When planning a vacation with kids, it's not just about the kids. Family vacations really do need to be about the entire family. A family's needs will evolve and change over the years. Parents with young infants can be exhausted and in desperate need of help with baby care so that they can have a little time to themselves to relax. Active families with young kids may need lots of activities that will keep the kids busy and engaged. Parents know if the kids are happy then EVERYBODY is happy (and vise versa). As your children grow into tweens and teens, parents are faced with the fine balance of independence verses safety and responsibility. Then of course, there are families with children at all different lifestages so balancing the needs of every family member becomes even more of a challenge. Each family member also comes with their own travel personality. They can be excited about the idea of travel and adventure or reluctant to leave the comforts of home. Blended families may also need to consider the input and influence of co-parents.
Every summer our family looks forward to gathering for our annual family reunion. This year our family gathering will be on July 8th at the home of one of our cousins. It's a lot of work despite the fact that everyone chips in with cooking and preparation. We all live fairly close to one another so only a few folks have to worry about travel arrangements. Still after a fun filled day of conversation, BBQ and horse shoes everyone is reluctant to depart because we're all having such a good time. This year is a bit different, we all have a second "reunion" to look forward too.
