For the Reader

Family Time Can Be Fun!

Summer is the time for beach trips, brilliant sunsets and vacations. Whether you’re road tripping, flying or enjoying a staycation, spending time with family over the summer is as natural as ice cream melting in the sun. I just returned from spending a fun-filled week in Hilton Head, SC with my in-laws and my vacation stats were impressive:

Mosquito count: in the millions, 

Mosquito Bites: 3 (not bad considering the count)

Gator Sightings: 9

Possible Chupacabra Sightings: 1 (I saw a goat, my husband saw wings…we can’t agree)

Burgers Eaten: 5

Glasses of Wine: Still Counting

Sun Burns: 0 ( a victory indeed)

With five adults and five children living under one roof, it can be a challenge to enjoy vacation to its fullest. I took a poll of the Kwasniewski/Atwood Clan and we together cobbled this list of tips so you can prepare to have the best possible vacation with your family. 

You’re welcome in advance.

Book A House With Enough Bathrooms – it might cost you a few dollars more, but we learned from experience that sharing a bathroom is bad enough, but sharing it with multiple adults and kids in your extended family can be harrowing. Stay one day less, rent a house further from the beach, but for the love of Ray J, don’t book that four bedroom/one bathroom condo on the beach with a phenomenally low price. You will regret it.

Family Game/Spa Night – For the past three trips, we’ve combined family game night with a spa night by putting on put on face masks (this year we opted for under eye masks) while we play. It’s a fun, inexpensive evening that the whole family can participate in.

Say Yes To Ice Cream – When it’s ungodly hot and humid, nothing brings a smile to everyone’s face like a trip to the local ice cream parlor. The benefit to your happiness outweighs any calories, especially after a long afternoon at the beach.

You Need More Chips – With ten people in the house, you’d think three bags of chips a day would be enough. But you’d be wrong. No matter the hour, someone had their hand in a bag of chips. So make sure to put a few bags in the cart on every trip to the market. You won’t be disappointed. The same goes for wine as long as we’re talking grocery shopping…

Lock The Bathroom Door/Open It When Not In Use – Be very clear if the bathroom is occupied or not. Trust me, no one wants that kind of surprise…

Take Separate Flights In Case One Of The Planes Goes Down – This dark counsel is from my father-in-law. I’ll let you decide if he’s joking…

Plan A Few Activities – You just might need to get away from the crowd for a few hours, so sign up for a yoga class or tennis lesson or go see that yarn museum no one else wants to see. Family time is great but a moment alone is also  a treasure.

Take Turns Cooking – If you’re in charge of meals at your house, a vacation house rental isn’t much of a vacation. Between grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up the kitchen, the only difference between vacation and home is that there are more people to cook for and the kitchen doesn’t have all the basics you need. So mix it up – have a dads cook dinner night or let the kids make everyone sandwiches for lunch. When everyone pitches in meals and cleaning feels less like a chore.

Try Something New – Be it restaurant, sport or cocktail, try something new individually and as a group. You just might stumble upon something you love or a new family tradition (that’s how #2 got started incidentally)

Only Travel With People You Love – This really is the most important rule! Whether you’re family by blood, marriage or choice, spending your free time with the people you love is the best way to make the most of your vacation. But definitely lock the bathroom door…

Hope you’re having an amazing summer wherever you are!

Happy Tuesday🏖

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