It’s time for a fall vacation and that means it’s the perfect opportunity to go and get out of the house with the people you love. A family vacation is really important in this day and age. Some of you might have kids who are going away to college and this might be the last time you will spend together before they leave home. With 48% of marriages that dissolve after twenty years, it’s crucial to keep a strong family bond with everyone. Here are a few ways to build a strong family relationship through this vacation.
Do Activities Together
When families do things together, they are brought closer together. It seems to be true. When a family does an activity together, they seem to form a special bond. There are many things you can do together. Are you camping this year? Why not do some cooking together? 78% of campers participate in outdoor cooking while camping. Maybe you could try some new recipes together. If cooking isn’t your strong suit, then there are many other things that you can do. The key is engaging with your family on the vacation. You could take a tour around the town you are staying in. In order to engage fully with everyone, create a rule where everyone has to power all phones off for at least an hour so that you can all talk to each other. They might find it painful, but it will be worth it by the time your vacation is over. Just make sure that you spend plenty of time together before going home.
Teach Your Kids How to Do Things
Vacations can be the perfect opportunity for learning. Sure, you can go on an educational trip with the family. Museums are a good place to start. However, that doesn’t have to be your first choice. You can simply teach them how to fish or how to pitch a tent. Educational moments even come in the most unexpected times. Sometimes you can get a flat tire while traveling to your destination and that is the perfect opportunity to teach your family how to change one. It is said that about $60 billion worth of vehicle maintenance goes unperformed every year. With that in mind, you can teach your kids that paying attention to your vehicle can help them save money. By learning how to take care of their car, they will have gained a little more independence when they get home.
Play Games in the Car
The ride or drive to your destination is one of the longest parts of the trip. It’s the most time that you will be together too. All of them in that vehicle for hours at a time. Some of them are going to pass the time by sleeping or playing around on their electronic devices. There might even be the radio playing in the background. Don’t let that take the place of conversations. You have to be the one to start the game. There are plenty to choose from as well. You could play things like iSpy, word games, spotting things along the road, etc. It will take work, but you have to make it happen. You might have to go as far as to put down your electronic devices. Just make the ride in the car worth it for bonding time.
Your family is growing up fast. Before you know it, your kids will move out of the home and live on their own. You have to make your time together last while you still can. These tips might not be much, but they are a start. You shouldn’t forget how important communication is. The more you talk and interact with your family, the closer you will become. From there, you can build bonds and happy memories that will last a lifetime.
