Have you been waiting for long to take a break from your routine? It’s the right season of the year and you’ve indeed come to the right web page 🙂
Nothing was as exciting as vacations in my childhood. Even as a child, I had framed little ideas for my distant future holidays with my children. Yeah, seems I’ve been a mommy for several years 😆 To begin with we would decide on a place and work out the travel plan and the estimates. Done that well, now hear my childhood points:
#1 Discuss the vacation plan with our children: It creates that real excitement in kids when they are invited for a holiday discussion. We would announce a couple of days prior to the departure day that there will be a discussion about the vacation after the dinner. When all are seated, an interesting conversation about the hot spot will be initiated. I would explain briefly the history of the place and why that’s a great place to visit. The travel plan will be detailed with a map if relevant. We would ask them if they have suggestions or inputs; giving them a day is a good thought. And would wait to get amazed by what their brains have in store!
#2 Make them responsible: Apart from having fun, vacations are also opportunities to drive the responsibility factor in children. I don’t intend to give them Hitler instructions like “If you will not wake up early, we will cancel the trip and return back home.” Instead, would educate them on the need to be safe and disciplined. I shall encourage them to pack their bags, look after their belongings, help each other, adapt at the new place and follow instructions. And will not forget to pour a little dose of responsibility to the father as well 😆 Believe me, half of mom’s stress during holidays will get alleviated by this.
#3 Will not stop teaching: I believe learning should not be confined to home. If there’s a paper factory on the way, we should explain them how it works. Make them observe mirage and explain the science behind it. Discuss the plant species that we see along our path and teach them their significance. That means I must have brushed up my lessons already 🙄
#4 Share my Memories: If I had a similar vacation in my childhood, I would share my memories with them. I shall talk to them about the fun-filled times I had with my parents and sister. Certainly, vacations are nice times to get more friendly with the little ones.
#5 Would not say NO to become a kid again: When my kids scream out to me to jump into the pool, I would just jump without becoming fuzzy about getting wet. If they are thrilled swinging by the banyan props, I won’t shy away. I will get hold of a prop too and share their joy. After all, the only way to grow young with age is to do it with little children.
#6 Do more than seeing: The traditional way of vacation is to visit places, take pictures in front of the popular spot and post it in facebook. Let’s change! If we happen to visit an art gallery as part of our trip, I will help my children create an art with canvas and colours. In a scenic spot, there will be photography sessions. Including a trek, boating or a horse ride will add merriment to all.
#7 Have some private fun in the family: This is a time when I wouldn’t have my house hold chores and office work. And children won’t have homework and assignments. We would celebrate this togetherness with a private dance party, a song mela, a campfire, a puzzle time, building a tent house, enacting a drama, a story session or just anything that the family would enjoy at our stay place.
#8 ‘Nature’ will be the theme of all our vacations with our children: We will do a nature walk whenever possible instead of taking the car. Use a pool, pond or beach for a bath instead of taps and showers. Walk barefoot sometimes may be in a garden. Have one of the meals by hunting for fruits from trees or fishing. Try mock conversations with birds and animals. Sleep under the open sky watching stars and the moon.
#9 Speak my heart out: Not that I cannot do this at home. But it’s a time to relaxe the mind and soul. Family shows a good route to do that. If I had some longtime secrets, I would take this chance to reveal. And know from my children too what they have in their hearts. The best time to make best friends with my kids!
#10 Make a handmade album of the vacation: It would be interesting to collect dry leaves, flowers, pictures, feathers , sea shells and other things of memory from the vacation spot to create our album at the end of it. What say?!
Well, my son is still too young to even understand what a vacation means. Fingers crossed, will wait for a few more years to see my ideas unfold 🙂
This post was written for Indi Happy Hours sponsored by Club Mahindra.