Thursday, September 06, 2007

Vacations That Work With The Extended Family

My spouse's parents recently took their children and their families on a three day vacation. It was a wonderful time, with three generations together. I'm amazed that the trip had something for everyone, which made the trip fun for everyone. In addition, our daughter was able to spend time with her grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. Here's what made the vacation a great event for me:
  1. Something for everyone. We attended three major attractions: a zoo and conservatory, a children's museum and an antique/classic car museum. Most everybody was interested in at least two of the attractions and everyone enjoyed all three.


  2. One major attraction each day. This worked well for the children and those that preferred to start later. In addition, this approach provided some down time to enjoy other activities such as the hotel pool.


  3. Meals were eaten together. While we often started out together at an attraction, each family sometimes went their separate ways. However, we always had lunch and dinner together, which enabled us to reconnect and spend time together.


  4. Each family decided on one discretionary activity. Each family got to pick at least one of the planned discretionary activities such as the restaurant for dinner or extra activities for the kids.
Overall, it was an excellent vacation with lots of great memories for everyone.

For more on Crossing Generations , check back every Thursday for a new segment.

Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, Michael Connors

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