The Politics of a Family Vacation

With all that’s taken place in the past couple of years with politics and the economy, Washington, D.C., promises to be a hotbed of change for the future.  Regardless of what you think should be done to get our country back on track, one thing is certain; whatever happens, our kids will inherit the outcome.

For this reason, now might be a good time to introduce your children to Washington, D.C., by way of a family vacation.  Some people don’t realize that the monuments, museums and exhibits in Washington are all free to the public.  That means you and your kids can spend days in the Smithsonian museums and not spend a dime on admission.  Or you can visit the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the CapitalCapitol, or just walk the Mall on a sunny day, and still not crack open your wallet. 

Even though Washington is rife with free things to do, there’s no need to do them all.  Your kids’ ages should determine what’s on tap for the day.  For example, if you have preschoolers or elementary school age kids, the Museum of Natural History, with all of its dinosaur and archeological exhibits, has got to be tops on your list.  The reconstructed skeletal remains of some of the largest dinosaurs on record are housed in this museum, as well as famous items your kids may have read about such as the Hope Diamond.  Plus, new exhibits come through on a regular basis, ranging from those pertaining to the ocean, soil, plant and animal life.  Check the website (http://www.mnh.si.edu/) to see what will be on display during your visit.

If your kids are in middle school, chances are they have, or will soon, study the U.S. Constitution, and if that’s the case, taking them to the Museum of American History (http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/) will give them the opportunity to see that and more of our country’s founding documents.  You also get to gaze upon the original “Old Glory” American Flag that Frances Scott Key wrote about in our national anthem (it’s bigger than you think and still has all the original tears and burn holes from battle).  With exhibits that chronicle both the Revolutionary and Civil wars, your kids can get a better understanding of the ideals on which our country was founded.  And for smaller kids who are into Thomas the Tank Engine, the history of the locomotive exhibit hall will give these little enthusiasts more trains than they know what to do with.

And of course, no trip to the Smithsonian would be complete without a visit to the Air and Space Museum (http://www.nasm.si.edu/), where kids get to see the 1903 Wright Flyer (which is the airplane that the Wright Brothers used for the first), NASA’s Apollo space mission flight modules, the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (the fasted jet-propelled aircraft), the Mar Exploration Rover, and much more.  There are also ongoing universe-related lectures geared toward students, so if you have a space enthusiast child, be sure to check these out.

If you want to get outside, nothing beats taking the kids to the National Zoological Park (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/), which is also part of the Smithsonian. Popular exhibits include gorillas, giant pandas, tigers, Asian elephants, a reptile/amphibian house, and an Amazon River environment, where your kids can watch animals on a river cam.  There’s also a Kids’ Farm in which children gain knowledge about domestic animals (alpacas, cows, horses, etc.) and learn how the ingredients on a pizza originate from a garden.

But if you really want the reality of present day economics to sink in, take your kids to the U.S. Treasury for a free tour, where they’ll learn how money is printed (and what determines its value).  It’s a sobering lesson that will make your older kids better understand fiscal responsibility, especially when they walk away with a million dollars in shredded money as a souvenir, which is only worth about 14 cents.  Maybe then they’ll understand why a family vacation is worth even more now than it was a year ago (in more ways than one).
 

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: