We went on a trip this week that did not go at all as we expected. My kids were expecting to swim and kayak in a beautiful lake. Instead, we had a late winter storm and it was freezing cold! To top off the cold, our cabin heater didn’t work well and it snowed or hailed pretty much any time we went outside. We even tried to go swimming when we got home and it started raining and thundering as soon as we got into the pool. I’d say this was one of the most slow-paced vacations we’ve ever been on and the weather was definitely out to get us.
The interesting thing is that this trip was so relaxing! We were forced to be lazy. We read books, played games, the kids cuddled to stay warm, and laughed and laughed together. I think sometimes I over plan our vacations but this showed me what was really most important about taking a family vacation.
What would you say is the real reason for taking a family vacation? I’d say it’s all about time together as a family. I just want to have fun, get a break from school, work, and reality, and to have your family bond and grow closer together making memories that will last forever.
We weren’t able to catch any fish on this trip so we had some lemons left over from our trip because we didn’t catch any fish. So I taught my son how to make homemade lemonade. I guess that’s the lesson here…make the most of your time together no matter what your circumstances.
There are some things you can do to help plan for unexpected changes in your plan.
- Check the local weather. I saw the snow report and called the lodge so we knew to bring lots of warm clothes and blankets.
- We have each child pick their favorite games. Sometimes we play a lot of games, other times we are too busy or too tired.
- We always have our kids pack a bag of books to read, activity books to play, and coloring books. That way they can play in the car or whenever we have downtime.
- Research the area around where you are going and make a list of things you could do if there is any extra time.
- Bring extra food and snacks.
Have you ever had a vacation ever gone wrong or not as you planned? What did you do to handle the unexpected changes?
I feel like our vacation was a success even though it didn’t go as planned. I saw my kids connect, laugh and just be silly together. Of course, now I’d really like to go somewhere warm…maybe on our next vacation!