10 Tips for Creating a Successful Family Vacation

This summer has reminded me once again of how important the little things are.  Regarding vacations, it’s the little things, in fact, that make the biggest difference. Below are 10 tips to help make your family vacation a successful one for all involved.
1.    Tune into your family.  Be present, not distracted.  Sit back and enjoy your family without the stresses of work or other distractions.  Enjoy their hugs, jokes, off-the-wall comments, etc....and allow them to enjoy you.
2.    Tune out of work.  Do not sprinkle work throughout your entire vacation.  If you must work, do so for a predetermined pocket of time and then tune out of work and into your family.  Do not be constantly answering calls, responding to messages, etc.  That gets really old really fast…and annoying.  It also sends a message to your children that they come second—even on vacation.
3.    Listen.  Children often speak the truth.  Be courageous enough to hear their message without dismissing it or defending yourself.  If they’re hungry, feed them.  If they’re tired, let them rest.  Don’t be so determined to follow a schedule that you take the fun out of having fun.
4.    Laugh.  Have fun and be playful.  There’s nothing like a good hearty bout of laughter to bring a family closer together.  Moments of laughter are often some of the fondest memories for children and grown-ups alike—lighten up and laugh.

Raising Strong, Healthy Daughters

It’s important for every parent to realize that first and foremost children live what they know…and they know what they live.  This means that the best way to raise a healthy daughter is to be healthy yourself.  She is watching the adults in her life.  She is paying attention to how her parents speak, treat, and relate to one another.  What she sees in her parent’s marriage is what she’s likely to repeat in her own.

What our actions are teaching our daughters:
1.    Poor self-esteem:  If we struggle to hold ourselves in warm regard we teach our daughters to do the same.  Our daughters will watch our insecurity and model it herself. She is likely to struggle with feeling worthy and will make a lot of decisions based on what will get her liked rather than what’s the right thing to do.  The best gift we can do is strengthen our own sense of self worth so she can grow hers.
2.    Harsh, abusive or disrespectful talk in the home. If parents speak disrespectfully, abusively or harshly to one another, they teach their daughter this is the norm in romantic relationships.  If the family is harsh in general she is learning that harshness is a part of all relationships.  She is likely to grow up to become harsh herself or be in relationship with someone who will treat her harshly.  The harshness will feel familiar—just like a pair of comfy, ripped up jeans.
3.    Negative self-talk: When we walk around the house calling ourselves fat, dumb, absent-minded etc., we teach our daughters to do the same.  She will learn to focus on her flaws rather than her strengths.  A steady focus on flaws keeps you down and hurts your ability to hold yourself in warm regard.