5 Ingredients For A Great Family Vacation

Aimee & The Boys -Vacation 7-9-15

Just got back from a week long vacation with the family. This year we rented a lake house with a great view of Lake Murray. Vacation has always been a really big priority for my family and my sanity. We’ve been on a lot of trips over the years, but this year’s getaway was the best ever. Yes, even compared to Disney World. Here are a few things that we’ve found makes for a great vacation:

1. Consider A Place Everyone Enjoys.

There is no one size fits all, but it’s always good when you can consider the interests of everyone. My five year old lived in the pool. My 11 year old loved the video games. My 13 year old fished day and night. My 15 year old, enjoyed the hot tub and having his own room to unwind. My wife enjoyed time together and especially seeing smiles on every face. A place doesn’t have to be perfect to be a great vacation location.

2. Make Sure You Get AWAY.

I’m sure my phone rang over 25 times thoughout the week. However, I only returned two phone calls in response to true emergencies. If your trip doesn’t get you away from most daily stress and demand it will likely be a waste of money. Personally, I’m not a big fan of staying home for vacation since my profession is always in demand.

3. Create Quality Moments Together.

I purposely took time with each of my four boys during vacation. Sadly, they don’t always get my undivided attention back home, but they do on a bass boat. Play games and eat together. Look for moments to share deep thoughts, express your love, and listen to the heartbeat of each family member.

4. Relax And Take It Easy.

One of my favorite parts was knowing that I could just breathe in and out. I could sleep in late. I could stay up late. My greatest stress was deciding what I felt like eating for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I’ve concluded that it’s better to take a week away than just a few days when possible. For me, it takes a few days to even remember how to unplug and unwind.

5. Get Feedback From Everyone.

How can you continue to improve anything without feedback. Our last night together we all got in the outdoor hot tub. We went around the circle and gave each person the opportunity to tell us three things. One, what did you enjoy most? Two, what was your most memorable moment? Three, what was your favorite meal? These may sound like small questions, but they can lead to greater understanding of each other. You might be surprised what really stood out to someone.

(Mark 6:30-32)(NLT)30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. 32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

*Craig Crosby is the Chaplain for Patriot Hospice. He is also the lead pastor of Refuge Church which holds weekly services Sundays 9:15am & 11am @ the Colleton Rec Center.