How to make the most of your vacation

It is almost summer vacation time. Many families take a trip together, which often yields memories.

Vacations provide a chance to be together as a unit, which is often difficult during the hectic routine of the other seasons. They also provide an opportunity to share hopes and dreams, to reflect on past events and to plan for the future.

Vacations can be a lot of fun – or a nightmare. Much of the time the results are determined by careful planning. Some of the common problems that can contribute to a disastrous outcome are:


• Trying to cram too many activities into too short a period of time. Families race from one event or place to another, rising early and staying up late, adhering to a rigid and tight schedule. They, of course, end up exhausted.

• Selecting activities that do not meet the needs and interests of the whole family. Golfing may be fun for dad, boring for mom. A family reunion may interest only a few of the other members.

• Planning a vacation that turns out to be work for mom. Cooking meals and cleaning up the cabin every day won’t make a fishing or hunting trip fun for her.

The best way to plan is for all of the family to sit down together and contribute ideas and make suggestions. Teen-agers, for instance, often disagree with younger siblings and parents on what constitutes a fun time. They fear “death by boredom.” Mom and dad want to spend some time together without a rigid schedule. The younger children are very satisfied and happy playing in the pool or playing on a playground. There needs to be something in the vacation for everyone and within the expense range that won’t wreck the family budget.

Some suggestions to help in planning your vacation:

• Plan ahead when possible. Make reservations in advance.

• Consider a resort area where activities are provided for different age levels and interests. Often counselors plan activities for the children and supervise them.

• Budget for your vacation. Coming home to a lot of credit card bills or running out of money will detract from the pleasant memories. Vacations don’t have to be in a 5-star classification. Sometimes a trip to a state park or camping area meets the requirements and interests of all.

• Consider the mode of travel. Long hours in the car will lend to short tempers and irritable passengers. Books, games, riddles and frequent rest stops ease the tension. My family once rigged up a VCR n the back of the station wagon and rented movies to provide entertainment for the children. We also checked out audio books from the library.

• Vacations don’t have to be trips to far off places. Within a few hours of your home there are probably many places your family has not seen and would certainly enjoy. When selecting, just remember the main purpose of the vacation is for the family to spend some time together – pleasant leisurely times to add to their memory bank.

Copyright c 1994 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.