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A Note From Our Author We just returned from our family summer vacation to Shelter Island, NY. Every year, since my oldest child was born, we’ve rented a house on this wonderful little island where we create great memories and embark on new adventures. The island’s activities include: playing at the beach, visiting the ice cream shop, and the occasional game of miniature golf. We all love these lazy days away from home, but, as I was finally able to explain to my husband, with three small children it’s not really a vacation – it’s just a change of scenery! For my kids (and sometimes my husband) our time away might be considered relaxing and stress-free – but for me it's anything but. Getting ready for a trip to the beach takes almost as much planning and work as getting ready for school. Packing lunches, snacks, beach toys, beach towels, finding sunscreen, getting everyone dressed and out the door while ignoring the sibling bickering – takes at least an hour and a half. Then, of course, once we actually get to the beach, each child wants to do something different. Spencer, my eight year old, wants to play Marco Polo which requires participation by me or my husband since Kelsey, my three year old, is too young to play. Kelsey wants someone to build sand castles with her but someone also needs to stay with the baby, Hannah. Then, just when we think we’re able to pull it off and somehow please everyone, it’s time for lunch! I do find it amazing that somehow, during these vacations, my husband manages to read the paper, take naps, and play some rounds of golf while I’m unpacking suitcases, planning outings, packing picnics, and orchestrating rainy day activities. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy this time tremendously, I just have a hard time calling it “vacation.” Vacation to me is lying on a beach chair, dozing off with a trashy novel, and having the pool boy bring me a fruity drink with a little umbrella in it. For vacations with kids there should be some other descriptive phrase like “Family Recess,” or “Kids Rule Week.” Perhaps someone should run a contest to come up with the name. The winner could receive a cook, driver, housekeeper, and babysitter for their next family getaway. I know that as my kids get older it will become easier and I might even miss the chaos of all this, but after unpacking all of the suitcases and doing five loads of laundry, I’m going to escape to my bathtub and dream of my tropical island fantasy vacation. |