This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Always say yes to the vacation.
Time goes by too quickly and things come & go.   Time together can’t be found once it’s gone.

Days, weeks, months… when they are gone, they are gone and we can’t get them back.  Say yes to the vacation, to the chance to bond and create memories.

I read a study the other day that was pretty powerful.  It just supported what I already knew… that vacations were better than gifts.   Experiences better than toys.

Two kids  jumping in the air.

There is a reason that our kids long for the beach like I do… and it’s not because we love the beach.

 

It is because we love our time together.   They love going biking with me early in the morning.

They love building sand forts with my husband.

They want to take a walk down to the lighthouse, “just the two of us” because these things create bonds with our kids… unbreakable bonds that only come from spending time together.

A group of people standing on a beach.

My husband and his family camped, a lot, when he was a child.  He loved camping.  He loved everything about it: playing cards with his family, cooking over a campfire, exploring the area.

My family went to the beach a few times a year.  I love the beach.  I love riding bikes, looking out onto the water, running on the beach (even though I loathe running), finding shells with our kids, finding coral that we can bring home to save as a reminder.

It doesn’t matter where you are going as long as you make it a fun, memorable experience.  You can do that by being involved with your kids.

Finding fun things to do, new exciting things to show them and creating a bond that will last a lifetime.   Be present in the moment.

“Family holidays are valued by children, both in the moment and for long afterward in their memory,” psychologist and best-selling author Oliver James explained to The Telegraph.

 

“It’s all about talking nonsense with your parents, sharing an ice cream and moments of time in which your interests are genuinely taken into account.

So if you’re going to spend money on something, it’s pretty clear which option makes more sense.”

And get this: Traveling with your kids can also be beneficial to their brain development. “An enriched environment offers new experiences that are strong in combined social, physical, cognitive, and sensory interaction,” says child psychotherapist Dr. Margot Sunderland.

“Think: family together in the pool, walking together through the forest, touching long tall grasses waving in the wind, toasting marshmallows on campfire, hanging out together under warm sun, feeling sand between the toes.

Research, of course, repeatedly indicates that, despite the fact that we go on buying more stuff, adults really regard experiences like travel as far more fulfilling. Children, says James, are no different. It’s just that they value different aspects of that travel. ~telegraph.co.uk

He goes onto say: “Dad or Mum, building sandcastles, playing badminton on the beach, jumping over waves.

It seems like fun, but it’s also “attachment play”, and it’s vital for bonding. Attachment play also enhances self-esteem, sending a child the psychological message: “You have my full attention. I delight in you. I delight in being with you.”

You know, the toys that we give them are exciting and fun… the video games keep the busy.  New movies will occupy their time, but you child will never remember their favorite day of TV.

Click here to find more parenting tips like this on our Facebook Page

kids-dont-remember-their-best-day-of-television

 

JOIN OUR FREE ONE ON ONE TIME CHALLENGE… 

During this one week challenge, I will send you one e-mail a day, with your daily challenge.  The goal is to build the bond between you and your child… to build a home that our children will want to come home to.

You are also welcome to download & print my 1-0n-1 time calendar and free “One on One Time course”   I will e-mail everything to you right away.   

Click here to get started. 
A calendar with a text on top of it.

More posts you might like:
A woman leaning on a kitchen counter with clutter around her as she holds her head in her hands.

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.