Memorial Day is now behind us and that means that summer vacation is fast approaching! Do you anticipate the annual family excursion with excitement or maybe with just a bit of apprehension or even something approaching full-blown panic?
If you normally head off by car, do you creep out in the dead of the night so that your little angels will hopefully sleep most of the way? Or, if you travel by air, are the other passengers waiting in the terminal with you giving your brood dirty looks and praying to be seated far, far away long before you ever board the plane?
Let’s face it, traveling can be challenging for all of us but it can be especially difficult for children. They just don’t do well in a confined space for extended periods of time and it’s unrealistic to expect them to. So what do you do? Camping out in the back yard until they’re out of college might be an option but there must be a better way to spend those precious few weeks of the summer.
I’m not sure what the equivalent to the license plate game was before families took to the road in automobiles. I tried Googling what kids did in the days of covered wagons but without much luck. Maybe they counted dead armadillos on the right side of the trail? Or prairie dogs facing north? Anyway, today’s young travelers have lots of choices for entertainment — games, DVD’s, music, etc. Unfortunately, they still get bored and cranky in an amazingly short period of time. Even trips shortened by air travel and in-flight movies are sooner or later treated to the ever-popular repetitious kicking of the seat ahead and the familiar “are we there yet?”
If we think about it, though, are these situations really all that different from the everyday ones at home? Kids need help with understanding that what is happening right now is not going to last indefinitely, whether it’s a road trip or a homework session. Anxiety, stress, boredom and over-stimulation are tougher for children. An adult can look at their watch and know that the flight will be over in 45 minutes or the hotel is only an hour down the road. Saying that to a child doesn’t really help because the concept of time is simply too abstract.
This is where your Time Timer really shines! Setting the red disk to 45 minutes so that your son can “see” how much longer until he can get off the plane or to an hour so that your daughter knows she’ll be out of the car as soon as it disappears can work like magic. Using the timer to avoid confrontations and bickering over turns on games and electronic devices works as well traveling as it does at home.
Given the chaotic nature of our lives, we end up spending less and less time together as a family. Some days it seems as if we barely have time to say “hello” before someone is off to another meeting or game or activity of some sort. Family vacation is the perfect opportunity to connect and really focus on quality time with each other. Don’t let it get off to a rocky start with an unpleasant traveling experience.
Slip your Time Timer into your carry-on bag or place it within easy reach in the car. Make this the best vacation ever! Your family will love it — and you will be the envy of every other mother on the plane!
