Vacation Strategies

May 31, 2011

Marin Mommies guest article by Marin marriage and family therapist Kate Brennan.

Summer is just around the corner. Vacations from school can be pleasant times for the entire family, not just the children. The daily pressures of homework or early morning rushing will cease to exist for a few months during the long days of summer. The daily routines will change during vacations but it is reasonable to expect children to follow routines regarding meals, chores, and recreation. If boredom is expressed, a little bit of encouragement from you can motivate her to find interesting things to do on her own. Below are some ideas for both staying at home and for trips.

Staying at Home

Plant a vegetable garden. Make a summer salad from vegetables grown in the garden.
The daily watering and cultivating of the garden will help your children with responsibility while teaching them about the wonders of nature.
Summertime is a wonderful time for pleasure reading. Explore the library's non-fiction section together to find books about hobbies or a summer project that interests your child.
Make a book tree by placing a small twig in a pot filled with dirt and hang pieces of paper from the twig with the names of books read.
Select a book to be read aloud for the entire family. This can be an enjoyable way to unwind in the evening.
Take a walk together in the evening. Watch the full moon, listen and look for the sounds and sights of the evening. Check out a book on astronomy and contemplate the stars together. (H. A. Rey, author of the Curious George series was a backyard astronomer and has a wonderful book for children on the subject: The Stars.)
Local getaways: Slide Ranch off Highway 1 before Stinson Beach is a wonderful adventure. Children milk cows, collect hens' eggs and help create their own meal from the food they have gathered. Call for time and schedule. The Point Reyes National Seashore Association's field seminars offer night hikes, tide pool exploration, and various other classes; Marin County Open Space offers some great hikes and nature outings as well.
For older children, volunteering can be a great way to give back to the community, chase away, the doldrums and meet new friends. It can be as simple as cooking a meal for an elderly neighbor, volunteering at an animal shelter, picking up litter in the creeks, or organizing an outdoor movie night with donations to a favorite charity.

Tips for Traveling

Look at an atlas of where you are going with your children and learn about the local vegetation, population, industry, etc. Peruse guide books with your children and let them help you plan what museums, parks, and restaurants you will want to visit.
Eliminate arguments over who sits where by making a seating schedule together before you leave and tape it to the back of the front seat.
Be aware of the physical needs of children traveling. Stop periodically and let out some steam. Pack a nerf ball and play catch at the rest stops. The tendency is to push through with as few as stops possible. We’ve probably all paid the price for that. That last stretch of driving when everyone is tired and cranky can put a big damper in the road trip, so plan a few extra stops along the way. Take in a short hike or picnic by a stream. Visit that funky museum you always zoom past, stop at the roadside fruit stand.
Out-of-state license plate counting can be fun. You or your child can outline some maps of the country from an atlas ahead of time. When a license plate is spotted, the child puts a mark in the appropriate state. Your child will learn a lot about geography while being amused, too.
Before leaving home, go to the library and stock up on CD recordings of songs and stories. You may want to make a schedule for listening if there is more than one child.
Encourage photography and journal-keeping. Later, when you return home your child can make books of their travels.

Kate Brennan, marriage and family therapist, received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of California Berkeley and her master’s degree in counseling from University of Southern California. She has been practicing in Marin since 1994 working with children, adults, and families. She specializes in family-centered issues such as post-partum depression, developmental and family trauma, attachment, temperament counseling, parenting, and media’s impact on family life. Her training is in family systems therapy, attachment parenting, humanistic psychology and trauma therapy. Her knowledge and training in mindful based relaxation techniques is also used to help children and families learn the tools to deal effectively with anxiety and stress. Visit her online at www.marintherapypartners.com, or contact her at (415) 453-1402 or kate@kebrennan.com.