Staycations are the new way to enjoy vacations without going into debt on plane tickets or overpriced gasoline. Do you and your teen need a break but can t afford to get away? Maybe you re just snowed in, or don t want to travel over the break. You can have a fun weekend get away at home. Warning: this activity involves blowing off chores and responsibilities—a good message to send your kids of all ages!
Home may be where the heart is, but it is still nice to escape from it occasionally. Whether you re saving up for Christmas or you can t see your car through the snow, sometimes escape is impossible. You can, however, create a weekend getaway—a staycation—without leaving the house.
To start your staycation, you and your family must agree that, just as if you were staying in a hotel, there will be no chores, not even making beds or cooking! (The kids and probably dad will readily agree, so this rule is targeted at mom!) Let your kids play an active role in deciding what the theme of your staycation will be: Is it family bonding time? Do you and your teen daughter need a spa like weekend of pampering? Wish you were out seeing the world?
Whatever theme you and your family chooses, design your weekend to fulfill it as much as possible. If it s family bonding time, pop some old home videos in and play board games. You know how you never have enough time to play a whole game of Monopoly? Well, this staycation weekend, you finally do have the time to discover just who in your family is the Monopoly tycoon! Pop some popcorn and watch a favorite movie. No cooking – you ll have to order out for pizza tonight.
If it s just you and your daughter and it is pampering you seek on your staycation, have a home spa weekend. Focus on eating healthy, meditating and relaxing. Take long bubble baths while drinking a glass of champagne (sparkling cider for the younger girls) and reading a romance novel. Paint your fingers and toes and deep condition your hair. Again, no cooking – order in Chinese food.
For those with wanderlust, weekends at home are the hardest for you, but even you can have a weekend getaway by watching some favorite foreign films, looking through photos of prior trips and making plans for your next travel destination. No, it s not the same as getting away, but if money is tight or weather is a problem, there are ways to get away right inside your own home!
This can be a great way to reconnect with your family, but if you want your teens to be involved, let them help with the planning and cater to their desires as well as your own. Remember, this is a great way to get to know the budding adult your teenager is becoming, so don t lose sight of the true purpose of your staycation.
Author Resource:
Norbert Georget is an accomplished professional speaker, teen motivator and author of the book, No-Nonsense Parenting For Today’s Teenager – How To Feel Like A Good Parent Even When Your Teenager Hates You. To learn more go to http://www.parentingtodaysteenager.com/home2book.html