By Stacy Dymalski
Jun 2, 2010
At least once a year, it’s great to take a family vacation. This gives you an opportunity to focus on your kids without the interruptions of daily life. But what about you and your spouse? Don’t the two of you also deserve a little R&R while on vacation? True, the priority of such a trip is to bond as a family, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve some grown-up quality time, as well. With a little planning you can give your kids a wonderful holiday and at the same time relax with your spouse without so much as a blip on the kids’ fun meter.
So how do you do it? It helps to have help. No matter where you’re off to, consider taking along your own babysitter. This gives you the freedom to do simple things like go out for a late dinner after the kids are in for the night. True, it’s expensive if you’re flying, but if you’re driving to your destination, it will only require an extra seat in your car. Negotiate a flat fee with your sitter and agree to pay for his or her room and meals. Also prearrange how much time and exactly when you expect your sitter to be in charge of your kids. You want to nail down as many details as possible ahead of time, so that there are no misunderstandings during your trip.
If taking your own sitter is not an option, but you’d still like a night out with your spouse, think about picking a vacation destination that’s near someone you trust leaving your kids with, like grandparents, a favorite aunt and uncle, or a close family friend. Then make arrangements with these people to do just that. (Be sure it’s someone you’re close enough with to make such a request, otherwise it’s imposing.) Call your trustworthy would-be sitters ahead of time and just be honest. Say “Here’s the deal, we were wondering if you could take the kids for one night while we go out alone.” You’ll be surprised how accommodating people are, if you just ask. You can even offer to return the favor someday if they have kids. The key to making this work is to set it up well in advance. There’s nothing ruder than to show up at someone’s house and say, “Hi, we’re dropping the kids off. See you tomorrow!”
As for where to go on your family vacation, nothing beats Las Vegas for catering to both kids and parents. Walking through the themed hotels is an experience unto itself. In many cases round-the-clock daily shows (jousting, magic and circus acts, for example) are free, so you and your family can enjoy great entertainment without spending a dime. Or you can all lounge around one of the many hotel swimming pools. And at night, the concierge can arrange for a nanny service (Dial-a-Granny is one of the best, where licensed, insured, bonded, health screened and FBI-checked older woman come to your room to watch your kids) so you and your spouse can go gambling or take in a show.
If your family tastes are more active, a ski vacation might be fun. Traditionally, costly lift tickets have prevented the average family from hitting the slopes, but now you can purchase discounted lift tickets in advance at participating Costco stores and through AAA (depending on the resort). For example, the Salt Lake City Costco offers lift tickets at Park City Mountain Resort for almost half of what you pay at the resort (coming to less than what it costs for your family to spend a day at Disneyland). Or you can put your kids in ski school for half a day, allowing you and your spouse to take some runs alone.
Whatever you decide to do on your family vacation, it’s important to include plans for you and your spouse (remember, it’s your vacation, too). Just because they call making time for yourself a “guilty pleasure” doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty about doing it.
|
Stacy Dymalski is a freelance writer, filmmaker, and stand-up comic. Her screen credits include co-writer (with Zack Van Eyck)/director of the feature film "Jupiter Landing" and writer/director of the web sitcom series "Hagnet." Stacy learned about being a parent the hard way: she became one. A working mom, Stacy finds the humorous lessons in family life and then writes about them in magazines and books (much to the annoyance of her two sons). Stacy recently co-authored 'The Vixen Chronicles' with Brandy Pinkerman:
|
|
The Vixen Chronicles follows one woman’s backward search for Mr. Right
Brandy Pinkerman’s serial dating begins AFTER she marries a potato farmer at 18 just to get away from her controlling, abusive parents. Soon disillusioned by a husband who prefers business calls to blowjobs, Brandy eventually finds solace in the beds of other men, all of whom turn out to be just as dysfunctional as the family she left behind in small town Nebraska. Proving you can’t get rid of your demons until you bitch-slap them square in the face, Brandy ironically gains wisdom and self-esteem only after keeping company with some of the most narcissistic and morally-deficient men ever to walk the planet.
Brutally honest, painfully funny, and based on true events, Brandy Pinkerman will have you laughing through tears as she shares some of her most ill-advised dating adventures. We’ve all been there, but Brandy shows you that not only will you survive, but somewhere along the way you’ll realize that choosing the tougher road gives you answers to questions you never knew you had.
Brandy Pinkerman Janke is the owner of Tri-State Insurance and an associate at Renaissance Financial Services. She lives in Lubbock, TX, with her daughters, Hailey and Sydney. Currently, she's working on her second book "Adventures in Brandyland." And yes, she is still dating.
|
|
