GREENSBORO, N.C. — So, recently my family went on the traditional family vacation to the coast. Now, let's be honest parents, sometimes we dread it. Hauling all that stuff. Trying to keep everyone occupied and happy and just simply trying to stay cool! But I was reading an article recently on parentcircle.com about the importance of family vacations long after our childhood.
Obviously, they are bonding experiences. Think about it. How many opportunities do we have to turn off the outside world and just talk with our family?
Another reason is simply for the kids' development. Research shows that kids learn better with hands-on experiences and not just by reading about a topic. So, these family excursions during a vacation are extremely important for their knowledge base as well as their brain development. In fact, kids who travel have better grades than those who don't. How about that!
In a survey mentioned in the article, 49% of the people surveyed said a family vacation memory was one of the best of their lives. This proves that those vacations can end up being a memory that we use to heal when we are sad or anxious.
And finally, there's the social aspect. The article says those who traveled and may have had to take the initiative and speak to other adults about things realize the importance of social interaction. These social skills will guide them quite well in their future environments be it work or social.
So, the bottom line? Enjoy those vacations and remember the long-term benefits outweigh the occasional 95-degree trek to the beach with 7 chairs and blankets and a cooler bigger than little Bobby.
But that's just My 2 Cents.