The lazy days of summer beg for sleeping in and long lazy days on the couch. And sometimes that’s fun! Rest, relax, rejuvenate, enjoy. But when you’ve got young kids, and especially if you are home with them, every day can’t be a “Sunday.” (Trust me, we’ve tried.) We all thrive on a schedule and getting outside, even for short periods at a time.
So, in the day and age of devices, social media, and streaming television, how do you tear yourself and your kids away? We go to the extreme. RVing.
Stick with me here. You may think this isn’t for you, but just read on.
Family Wellness is so much more than exercise and eating well. It’s more than getting enough sleep and personal care. It’s also about finding something that is yours as a family. For us, that’s both small and big trips in our little mobile home. For seven years we’ve been leaving our little town in northeast Ohio for anything from a weekend to a month at a time. We have a local state park we love that is only 45 minutes away, yet feels like we could be anywhere. We’ve also driven for days to spend weeks in other parts of North America. As I type this, we are barreling down the highway in southwestern Colorado where we are spending almost four weeks touring the National Parks. We started in Ohio, made our way through southwestern South Dakota for a week and now Colorado for two weeks, ending with a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater before the three-day drive home. It’s a whopper of a trip. Our longest yet. But this is our thing.
How do you get away as a family? What is your “thing?” Maybe you…
- Tent camp in local state parks (or even in your own backyard)
- Enjoy a day of fishing
- Ride bike trails
- Spend every day possible at the pool
- Do something new in your city every day (tourism isn’t just for travelers)
- Go on road trips to visit family or see interesting things
- See free concerts in your town (look at your local Macaroni Kid edition to find these!)
- Go on hikes
- Play games in the yard (especially water games like the sprinkler on those hot days)
The possibilities are endless and change from region to region of the country. Whatever it is, find a thing that fits your family that benefits all of you. I’m not talking day-trips that are focused on kid-related activities. Sure, those are great as much of our lives revolve around our kids, but find something you can all benefit from. Maybe you get to teach your kids a new skill (like fishing) that you can then all enjoy together.
Now, go off and find your family fun!
