Do you recall that one summer vacation or that one family trip as a child that was etched into your mind as one of your best memories ever?
Now consider this, are your children making the same kind of memories? Family vacations not only build life long memories, they also break your family away from the usual routine, opening your minds to new cultures, foods and experiences, and according to research they are even good for your health!
One study found that people return from vacation happier and more relaxed. No surprise there, but the study also found these same folk were more productive and had closer family relationships. Consider this list of benefits the next time you consider whether to take a family vacation or not. Life at home is filled with responsibilities.
For parents, there are jobs to do, clothes to wash, errands to run and responsibilities to be kept. While on vacation, life can be filled with joy and worry free. That break from regular life can be a weekend camping trip or a weeklong stay in Europe. Fortunately, Tennessee is filled with beautiful state parks that can provide all the fun of a family vacation at no or little cost.
Travel gives kids opportunities to engage with others who are different from them, boosting their social and interpersonal skills. Moreover, as kids try new things, they develop greater self-confidence. Self-confidence is linked with self-efficacy, or the belief in your ability to complete tasks. Research shows that people with a high sense of self-efficacy are more likely to search for new solutions and persist with challenging tasks.
Travel presents kids with all kinds of opportunities to try new things in a low-pressure way. Vacations, after all, are about having fun. The SYTA study also found that many teachers believe that travel makes kids more adaptable. Travel not only takes us out of our usual routines and comfort zones, but it also forces us to deal with all kinds of unpredictable situations. Some of these situations, such as flight delays or lost luggage, are negative.
Others, such as discovering an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling spot or local market, are positive. Travel is often about going with the flow. When children see how you deal with unexpected situations without losing your cool — or how willing you are to change the original plan when a new opportunity arises — they learn how to adapt and be flexible themselves. From planning to execution, travel can encourage independence and teach responsibility. For example, children can practice independence by making their own packing lists and packing their own suitcases — with varying levels of help depending on their age, of course.
They can practice responsibility by keeping track of their own things while you travel. You can even give kids specific travel-related responsibilities, such as being the family photographer or navigator.
Kids also gain independence from trying new experiences. For example, younger kids can ride a zip line on their own or learn to ride a horse while you stand by.
Teenagers may be able to explore a market on their own while you sip a latte in a nearby cafe. Giving kids some freedom to choose activities according to their age and ability helps them develop a sense of confidence in their own capabilities, which can pay off as they get older. With parents acting as a safety net, kids become more willing to venture into the unknown.
They encounter obstacles and new adventures and learn that they can navigate them. Family travel can give kids just enough space to develop confidence in their capabilities while knowing their parents are still there when they need them. As a result, the adults they become will be confident and capable of going it on their own. Cost is the No. Most parents, myself included, buy our kids toys because we love them, and seeing their faces light up with joy makes us feel good.
Psychologist and best-selling author Oliver James agrees. Granted, a family vacation is more expensive than even the latest gadget, but cutting back on toys can help you save up for that big trip. It could be as simple as taking a family day to visit the local zoo, museum, or water park.
There are plenty of cheap and fun family vacation ideas to choose from. From planning a trip to going on one, family vacations provide all kinds of opportunities to teach kids about money.
For example, you can help kids fill a piggy bank over the year to save up spending money for your vacation. You can host a garage sale to make money for the trip and have your kids donate old toys to the cause. You can also talk with your kids, especially older ones, about budgeting for the trip. Discuss how much each aspect — such as food, transportation, lodging, and entertainment — costs and how you plan to pay for the trip.
That could include sharing with them the value of having a special savings fund for vacations or how to use credit cards responsibly. Studies have shown that a vacation can be beneficial for the overall development of your child.
They come back happy and enriched, having experienced a beautiful world outside their home and exposed to different cultures and ways of living. Aids in brain development: Children are always up for new adventures and vacations are the best way to nurture their desire to learn new things. It has been proven that more than theoretical knowledge, practical experience is a better way of learning new things. In an article, The Science Behind How Holidays Make Your Child Happier — and Smarter , which appeared in The Telegraph , Dr Margot Sunderland, child psychotherapist says that a family vacation provides the child with a rich learning environment with new experiences in social, physical and sensory interaction.
The enriched environment triggers the brain fertilizers which are associated with higher IQ in kids and exploring a new place together, helps in making your child smarter. Family vacations help in a child's brain development, which in turn improves concentration and is beneficial to physical and mental health. Studies have shown that children who travel get higher grades in school than those who don't.
Creates strong family bonds: Parents and children are so busy these days that often they go without having a decent conversation for days together.
It is only when a family goes on a holiday that they get uninterrupted time to interact — walking on the grass together, exploring new places, going for a swim in the sea, having a laugh at a joke over lunch — these are things families enjoy doing when they are together during vacations. This kind of relaxed time that parents share with children, creates everlasting bonds.
Keeps stress at bay: Professor Jaak Panksepp, a leading neuroscientist at Washington State University who discovered the two brain systems — the PLAY systems and the SEEKING systems, explains that holiday experiences activate these systems in your brain and your children's brains and they trigger well-being neurochemicals including opioids, oxytocin and dopamine.
Walking amidst verdant environs can reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and stress. So a good vacation can drain all the stress and leave a happy feeling behind. Studies have also proven that 20 minutes in nature, can improve concentration and attention of a child immensely. Brings out the inner explorer: With a new place to explore, a family vacation can become a fun adventure for the child.
Going to a different place increases the curiosity in kids. There's a vast canvas to absorb from, not just for children but also for adults. Right from flora, fauna to culture, people, relationships, architecture, history, there is so much to see and experience.
They come to know that there is a world apart from theirs, which is beautiful and exciting. It also shows them that there are people and places very different from there and how everybody lives in harmony.
The study showed that one-third of the people still clearly remembered their vacations. A quarter of those people said that they remembered these happy memories to get through the difficult times. Provides valuable experiences: We all cherish our relationships and these are essential for our well-being and the well-being of our children.
0コメント