The Working Mom's Guide to Family Vacation Planning (Pt.2)

Now that we’ve talked about the how, when, and where... let’s talk about WHY? (If you missed Pt. 1, check it out HERE)

I think we'd all agree that family vacations are a good thing. But have you ever considered the real, measurable benefits of travel for your children? Let's take a look at what the experts say:

Family Vacations will...

Make everyone happier & reduce stress...

Dr. Margot Sunderland explains, "Once your family holiday experiences activate these systems in your brain and your children’s brains, they trigger well-being neurochemicals including opioids, oxytocin and dopamine...They reduce stress and activate warm, generous feelings towards each other and a lovely sense that all is well in the world. With all the anti-stress aspects of these systems firing, family members get to emotionally refuel.

Make your kids smarter...

She goes on to say "Enriched environments turn on the genetic expression of key “brain fertilisers” in the frontal lobes, enhancing executive functions such as stress regulation, attention, concentration, good planning and ability to learn, also improving physical and mental health. The brain fertilisers triggered in enriched environments are also associated with higher IQ in children (Gunnell 2005). So, spend time exploring together in a new space, and you're making your child smarter.

Build stronger family bonds...

Mary Beth DeWitt, chief of child psychology at Dayton Children's Hospital says "Our lives are becoming so busy that it is sometimes hard to get away to facilitate and foster those relationships. Travel and vacations in some ways protect that time to share new adventures, strengthen our bonds and increase well-being." We see that the impact of traveling together is long lasting, with 62% of adults say their earliest memories are of family trips.

Looking Ahead

Fast forward 18 years from now, your youngest is going to college- empty nest- what experiences do you want to have given them? How do you want to spend quality time together during those finite amount of years when they are under your roof?

Were your conversations & experiences RICH or were they ROUTINE?

Below you can downloaded the free Family Experience Vision List. This is just a little exercise to help you think strategically about the experiences you want to provide to your kids before they leave the nest. In Pt. 3, I’ll show you how to organize those based on their ages.

Sharing my own Vision List & How to Organize by Age...... Read Pt 3