Why is it so important to plan and experience travel as a family?
Today's working moms and dads are extremely busy people. We have our jobs, our duties, our responsibilities, our daily routines that rule and govern our lives. Our children also live extremely busy and structured lives - school, homework, organized sports, artistic pursuits, organized play - governed by weekly routines. The busyness of our everyday lives often dictate how, when and where we spend our time, and it isn't always with each other.
Even - and especially - in these financially stressful times, it is critical to nurture ourselves and our children through quality family time and relationship-building. This can mean taking time from the weekly routine and playing tourist in your own town. It can mean a weekend camping trip to a lake-front campsite. Or it can mean a full-fledged European holiday for four weeks, or lower-key beach holiday to Thailand for two.
The real importance is the time spent together, and the ways in which it's possible to add value to that time through proper planning beforehand. The opportunities to open up your and your children's minds to new things, people, places and experiences are nearly limitless.
The fact that you are thinking or planning a trip together as a family is already significant. You've decided to take a break from your busy lives and spend quality time together doing activities that will bring joy to your lives and build family memories. Your children will never forget the time you've spent with them as parents - it's priceless.