Family Vacations Are Like Chicken Soup for the Soul

Saturday, August 22, 2015
Today we depart for our annual vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. My sisters, I, and our respective families started this annual vacation ritual in 2007. When we were in the early planning stages that year, none of us could have known that this would become a vacation that each of us cherished year after year.

Same place. Same time. Year after year.

As much as I love exploring new places, I have to admit there is something strangely comforting about the familiar. We don't need maps to show us where to go. We don't need a concierge to tell us where to eat. We have our favorite places, and we unapologetically return to them day after day. For some of us it's a favorite ice cream shop. For others it's a pizza place. For some it's a boutique.

I am always surprised when I describe this vacation to people, and they respond with, "Ugh. I could never spend an entire week with my family."

What?

What makes this vacation work is that we respect everyone's boundaries. We do things together. We do things alone. That is the beauty of a family vacation. You're spending time together, but you aren't necessarily always together.

It seems to be working. This will be our 9th year in a row making the trek to Delaware. Some go by car. Others go by ferry boat. But we all end up in the same place.

For me personally, this vacation feeds my soul. It's my one chance in the year to connect with my entire family in one place and share that connection with my daughters.  Family vacations are a source of fond memories for both children and adults, and I want my daughters to look back on these vacations and recall the wonderful memories we have made over the years.

No comments