What are the best memories we have of our childhood? It is rare that we remember a doll, a lego box or the countless toys that cluttered our childhood bedrooms, but who can forget a family camping trip, a fishing trip with dad, a museum outing with mom, brothers and sisters? Who can fail to remember those joyful vacation trips crammed in with cousins and luggage in the little family car? In a world where everything pushes us to consume, these moments of joy are memories that are both pleasant to live and essential to the construction of the child’s personality and the family bond.
Here’s why taking a family vacation is the best gift to give your child.
Devote quality time to each child
Family vacations are a time to discover each child’s personality. Away from the daily stress, you will have the opportunity to observe the way your child behaves and ask important questions. The child will regain confidence in himself and in you. This is difficult to do on a daily basis, as we are caught up in a hectic pace. This privileged moment will have a very positive impact on the construction of the child’s personality and on his emotional development.
Family vacations, a factory of memories
Vacation memories are among the most beautiful traces that an adult keeps of his childhood. We rarely remember the gifts and toys, even the expensive ones, that our parents give us, but we never forget a hike with our father or a family butterfly hunt. Together on vacation, we create lasting memories. The inevitable vacation photos immortalize these moments that we remember with pleasure long afterwards.
Discovery and openness to the world
Vacations are a time when children discover new things with their parents every day. Awakening children’s curiosity and introducing them to new experiences opens their minds to what is strange and new. Without traveling to the other side of the world, a simple hike in the mountains or a walk in the forest can awaken their desire for discovery and adventure. From a short walk on the Normandy landing beaches for example, you can make a nice lesson on the history of the Second World War and plant in them a passion for history.
The family trip: the best gift for your child
Of course, the most important part of a vacation is the quality of the time spent together, but family travel is an extraordinary initiation stage. Whether abroad or in another region, it is the perfect opportunity to discover new places, to learn about new tastes and to develop their ability to adapt in an unusual place. In addition, more and more scientific studies prove that traveling with your children improves their brain development. Discovering, marveling, learning, hearing other sounds, improves their physical abilities, their five senses, their imagination and their sociability. Young or old, travel is an enriching experience that will always be remembered as a beautiful moment in life.
Family vacations are also an opportunity to teach children new things and introduce them to new activities. On vacation, you have more time to devote to your children, as opposed to the hectic pace of everyday life. Thus, we can take advantage of the vacations to get the child to start cycling, or to learn to fish, or even to simply give him the taste for walks in the forest and develop his relationship with nature. These are necessary steps that will remain forever engraved in his memory.
Family vacations: time to play!
There is one thing that is essential to a child’s development that most parents do not have the time or availability to do, and that is play. Family vacations offer an ideal opportunity to develop the parent-child bond and put the child back at the center of the family’s interest, so that he or she can gain confidence and improve self-esteem. By seeing their parents participating in their games, building sandcastles with them, playing hide-and-seek, or role-playing… the child feels valued, important and wanted. This reinforces his attachment to his parents and gives him a better self-image.
Transmitting and consolidating family values
On vacation, the unusual activities that we share with the children consolidate the bonds and strengthen the complicity with each of them. Moreover, it is the ideal moment to inculcate certain values, such as solidarity, sharing, tolerance, generosity… These privileged moments reinforce their feeling of belonging to the family. Each child is reassured of his or her importance and place in the siblings and in the eyes of his or her parents. The rapprochement that takes place between family members restores a balance that is sometimes disturbed by the rhythm of daily life.
Starting over on a solid basis
After having rejuvenated as a family, the return to everyday life is all the more serene. In the meantime, you will have learned to talk, laugh, play, share and live together. Without spending too much money looking for dream destinations, going on regular family vacations is the best gift you can give your children. Multiply small outings, for a weekend or a day, escapes to the countryside, or camping on the beach…
To rediscover simple pleasures, create memories and strengthen that precious bond with your children, investing in family vacations is the best form of savings you can make for your children. Toys, video games, tablets… are fun and desired by children, but nothing beats the time you spend with them on vacation, as this is ideal for their personal growth and development.
