It has been said that parenting is a full-time job—one that you can hardly get away from, especially if your kids are young. However, without appropriate downtime, it is easy to experience burnout as a parent. And that won’t be good for you, your spouse, or your kids. So, here are four reasons why you should schedule some vacation time as parents.
If all of your interactions as a couple revolve around your children, you need a vacation.
Birthdays, doctor’s visits, school events, sports. There are so many things to do with your children that it’s hard to find time to do anything apart from them. But, if you don’t spend time with your spouse—and your spouse alone—your children may turn out great, but your marriage will suffer. Taking a week-long vacation can be a great way to rekindle the romantic fires between you and your significant other.
Taking a vacation can give you new insights on your children.
Children are complicated people, and that makes parenting difficult. Sometimes, in the midst of parenting, you can see the trees but miss the forest. Taking some time away from your day-to-day duties can allow you to get a fresh perspective on your little ones and see some things that you have not seen before.
Taking a vacation can give you time to be a kid again.
It can seem like being an adult means you can’t ever have fun again. And while you’re around your kids, that may be true—you have to be the mature, responsible one. But, when you’re alone or on vacation with your spouse, you can let down your proverbial hair (unless, of course, you have hair). Staying at a hotel, such as a Marriott, following a travel guide, visiting a theme park or the like can be excellent ways of unwinding from your adult responsibilities. And it will allow you to tackle your parenthood tasks with renewed vigor.
Taking a vacation can help your kids become more grateful for all that you do for them.
It is easy for children to take their parents for granted. From birth, they are used to having everything taken care of for them. If they have to live for a little while with a family member or trusted caretaker, they can begin to realize how much you actually do for them. Taking a vacation as a parent can also be a way of helping your kids grow up and begin to take care of themselves. It’s a good practice to begin when your children are in their preteen years. It’s not an easy thing to do, but your kids will be adults for far longer than they’re children.
These are just a few of the benefits of vacationing as parents. Obviously, you want to go on vacations with your kids sometimes as well. A good practice is to plan a five-day vacation trip four times a year. Take ten days with the kids, and ten days for just you and your spouse. Your marriage and your family will be better for it.
