But right now, here I sit...vacationing at the beach - toes in the sand, sun beating hard on my blindingly white skin, with Libby sitting on the brink of the crashing waves, running her fingers repeatedly through the sand. And life. Is. Good!
Vacationing can be a challenge for the single parent. Whether it's lack of time or limited finances, it can be hard to make it happen. But I'd like to challenge you if you are a single parent (and even if you aren't) to make a yearly vacation a priority. It doesn't have to be a luxurious, all inclusive, week long resort vacation...even a night or two in a local hotel (or even at a friend or family member's house!) will do.
And here's why I think it's so important:
1. Rest and relaxation. This is probably the most obvious reason but it should not be overlooked! It's good for our souls to get away from the busy-ness of our everyday realities.
2. The memories. I grew up vacationing with my own parents and I can tell you that those are some of our most treasured family memories. In fact, just today my mom and I were laughing about a time that my brother and I were playing in the ocean and my dad took off from his lounge chair at a full run (which never happens!), yelling for us to get out. He had seen fins sticking out of the water and was certain a whole school of sharks was headed our way! Turned out to be a school of manta rays! :)
3. Enrichment. Maybe I'm stretching it here, but think about it...how great is it for your child (and even yourself!) to get out of the comfort zone of home and meet new people, try new foods, and have new experiences? There's a lot to be learned! The novelty makes it exciting and perhaps even more memorable.
That's all I can come up with for now. (Hey, my brain is on vacation here too!). Why else are vacations important to you?
