It’s spring time, the kids are out of school and it won’t be long before many Facebook friends start posting family vacation pictures with Mickey and Minnie. While they’re paying $12 for a processed cheeseburger, standing in lines, and navigating through crowds of strollers, runny nose kids, and indecisive ride gowers, I’ll be somewhere else. Anywhere else. I get it though, I understand their kiddos want to see Mickey. My kids were young once too. However, aside from the obligatory trip to Disneyland, it was my goal to introduce them to new experiences.
As a single mother and raising my kids on a single income, there wasn’t a lot of money for lavish vacations. Instead, I planned road trips or local excursions for us. Back then, it took a big imagination, a trip to AAA for paper maps, and sometimes word of mouth. Now it’s easy. I can google “less traveled vacation spots near me” and get a list of vacation choices.
I wanted my kids to experience adventures that would open their horizons to new ideas. Mickey is fun, but I had to think bigger than buying into an adventure that’s already mapped out, and at a price.
I promised myself I’d plan a vacation once a year, even if it was just a weekend at the beach. I’ve stuck to that promise, and now my kids are grown, so I can afford more than one trip per year. If I’m lucky, I might go on several trips.
One year, money was really tight, so I found coupons and organized a staycation. I drove the kids 30 minutes to the beach and we rented a three person kayak. Unfortuneatley, the water was rough that day and I quickly learned I needed to add teamwork to my parental focus to do list. In light of rough seas and a capsized kayak, the kids an I experienced something new that day. Afterwords, we grabbed lunch at a local resturaunt. Now fastfoward that experience to current day, I can remember more about that day than I can recite what happened the last time I look the kids to an amuzement park.
Looking back at the day in the kayak, I can pinpoint when my need for unique adventure started. I get a sense of pride knowing that I did something not everyone else has done. Our footprints in the sand were new and although they probably didn’t last long, they were just ours for a moment.
Both of my children are well on their way to be experienced travelers. I’m so proud of them for stepping outside of their comfort zone and I hope that when I’m gone, they will carry on my tradition and explore the world. After all, I greatly prefer for them to use their entertainment budget on precious adventures than mouse ear hats and plastic bendy straws.
Melinda Lyon Photography 