by Brandon Cunningham
I may not be able to get “Take Your Child to Vacation Week” made an official holiday, but it should be in families today. I have 4 boys and one girl. Time with one child is hard to come by in my house. Well, at least it used to be really hard. Now that my boys have all graduated and have jobs, it seems like it would be easier. It’s not.
Actually, it requires even more focus than it did when all the kids were home. I have always tried to go somewhere with one so we could get personal time with dad. My father never took us on trips alone but probably because we couldn’t afford it or he didn’t make it a priority. My feeling is you have time for what you really want to have time for in life.
My role in their lives becomes smaller with time so I have to pack it in to make things happen. Before you say, “But, you are lucky because you have money and free time!” Let me be clear. I have money because I worked hard, graduated college (using money from serving in the military), and managed my money right over the years. If I can do it, so can you. I encourage you to do so.
If you want to get out of the rut of kids leaving the house before you had a chance to spend time with them, you need to get engaged and make some plans.
My daughter and I are driving to New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma and back to South Texas. It is a week long road trip but that doesn’t mean you need to start there. Just go to dinner with one of the kids and maybe a movie. Do something just the two of you that lasts more than 2 hours and you have laid the groundwork for a lifetime.
If you somehow think this will not work or is a crazy idea no kid would ever say yes too just ask yourself one question. Do you wish your parents had done this? If dad had asked would you have gone? If mom just wanted to grab dinner would you have jumped at the chance? I know I would have ran thru the door to get in the car.
BtR 038 – Vacation with Your Kids 1-on-1
