6 Tips for prioritizing travel as a parent

You may think now is not the time for family or solo travel, whether work is too busy to take time off or you don’t think you can work it into the budget. But the future is uncertain and the kids will be grown and gone in the blink of an eye. Seize the time you have together and make family travel a priority every year — starting now.

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Think travel, whether with the kids or solo, isn’t in the budget this year? Think again. We’re certain there are a few ways you can put a little more jingle in your travel piggy bank — say, by dining at home more often (and, ahem, brown bagging it to work), DIYing your mani-pedi instead of getting it done twice a month at the salon or making your own cup of joe in the mornings instead of rolling through Starbucks for your fix on your daily commute to work.

I’ve heard it said more than once that moms need a vacation to unwind from their family vacation. It’s true that it takes an awful lot of work to orchestrate the “perfect” family vacation. But even if you’re not doing any family travel, heading up a household takes a lot of work. And if you don’t take some time to unwind and recharge, you won’t be at the top of your game. So while you’re lying on the beach solo, remind yourself that you’re doing it for the good of your whole family. Guilt? Erased.

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Your kids’ teachers can stand at the front of the class and lecture all about the pyramids in Egypt or the ruins of Stonehenge. But taking your children to see these historical sites in person will give them firsthand knowledge that a classroom lesson simply can’t top. So plan a trip in the name of expanding your kids’ minds — as well your own. And you don’t have to spend a bundle on a huge vacation in the name of cultural exploration. Even if you’re simply planning a campout in the woods, take the time to incorporate an education about fire safety or the area’s indigenous plants and wildlife.

If you’ve turned down the chance to take a spontaneous family or solo trip because there is a never-ending list of household chores and errands to be handled, you definitely need to re-prioritize. There will always be weekend chores to do and a house that needs to be cleaned. But an opportunity for spontaneous family travel presents itself only every so often. If you’re faced with a choice, take the vacation. The laundry isn’t going anywhere. We promise.

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Can you think of a better reason to put family travel at the top of your priority list than a chance to become even closer with your kids? Vacationing together gives you a chance to spend time together outside of the repetitive routine of school, work, extracurricular activities, dinner, homework and housework. In addition to family travel, we highly suggest prioritizing a romantic “parents-only trip” so you and your partner can reconnect and rekindle the flame that sometimes gets put on the back burner during the hectic day-to-day hustle.