Wholehearted Summer || Making the Most of Summer Vacations with Your Family with Janay Lanier, Sarah Cronin, & Deanna Sudom
Jul 03, 2023
Show Notes
Well, hey there, my fellow traveler. Isn't it so great that we get to travel as we please this year? Well, at least as far as the budget will allow, right? I know, at least for me, vacations and the freedom to travel has grown in value, especially since 2020. Now whether you have tiny tots or teenagers, family vacations can be more than just a break from the ordinary.
They really can be an essential ingredient in the recipe for family bonding and creating lasting connections. So today, I'm going to explore with some of my collective friends how when you step away from the routine and immerse your soul in the adventures of shared experience, that it will return an exponential blessing and benefit.
Now on the flip side of these wonderful family vacations, let's be honest. Planning and executing a family trip as a busy mom can be a challenge worthy of its own rollercoaster ride. From juggling schedules to finding the perfect destination, we have all faced those moments of frustration and overwhelm. But fear not, dear friend, my friends here from The Collective are here to guide you through it all, even if you're inviting your adult children to vacation with you. Today's conversation is not only with fellow moms, but also with Wholehearted Coaches who will help identify and normalize some of your unique struggles that you may have experienced on family vacations, because as you may have learned by now, a family vacation isn't really vacation, right? In fact, it might be harder work than your normal day-to-day because of those long car rides, terrible sleeping arrangements, too much sun, and not enough naps. But a family trip can ultimately be incredibly rewarding as the memories and the pictures are recounted and treasured for years to come.
Also, I hope you listen all the way to the end because I am gonna share a little bit more about tackling the art of finding that quiet place for yourself. Because soul care is crucial even in the midst of family vacations, and should I say, especially in the midst of family vacations. Today, you're gonna learn how to carve out more moments of tranquility and creating space for you to recharge, rejuvenate, and rediscover your own sense of adventure.
So grab your travel journal dust off that bucket list and prepared to embark on a journey that will ignite your wanderlust and warm your heart. And together with Sarah, Janay, and Deanna, we're gonna explore the joys, the challenges, and the incredible rewards of taking family vacations no matter the age of your kids.
[3:20] Sarah, Janay, and Deanna introduce themselves and the unique perspectives each of them can bring when talking about family vacations, which I think we can all agree is not an actual vacation sometimes.
[5:14] Different Enneagram types handle stress and breaking routine. The types that enjoy routine and hold are 1, 5, 6, and 9. Types that are excited for that new adventure, family time, and memories are 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8. They also discuss the importance of choosing a destination that suits your family's needs and interests (space, activities, finances, etc.)
[9:24] Utilizing ChatGPT can be a great tool during the planning phases of your vacation. We live in a world today where there are so many places to go, and it can kind of be overwhelming to decide. You can go into ChatGPT and type in something like "I have a family of five. We have three kids (add the ages of your children and the season that you're going on vacation). It'll immediately come up with tons of different ideas.
[10:51] Asking your friends, Facebook polls, and Google searches are also helpful tools when trying to decide where to go on vacation.
[13:01] When planning your vacation, it's crucial to go the extra mile to plan ways for your family to rest and relax. If you're going to be at the beach, what are your plans for shade? Where will the kids nap? Where will you be able to get snacks and bring what you need along with you?
[19:38] Deanna shares her insight about vacationing with her three adult children and their kids. Having space where each family can just close the door and have space for themselves is crucial!
[21:22] Expectations are everything. Having conversations beforehand like who's taking care of meals, who's providing childcare, how to split expenses, etc. can also be a huge benefit to your family and the expectations for family vacations.
[26:14] How you set work boundaries is important too and prepping to be gone from work sets the tone for being fully present while on vacation.
[31:26] The Collective talks about the Enneagram Stances while on vacation.
Friend, are you ready to create memories that will last a lifetime and build bonds that withstand the test of time? Well, I do hope that you feel encouraged to embrace the adventure of a family vacation. Remember, it's about creating an experience, not truly have a vacation, but I do highly recommend to strategically plan time to recharge before and after, or maybe while you're scheduling the family trip.
Plan a little vacation for you and your spouse. I do love Deanna's take on vacations with grown kids, as I think toward the future for my own life, and imagine what that season is going to look like, and I have one last tip for you. My morning coffee with Jesus is truly an anchoring rhythm that I cannot live without.
I have learned as soon as we check in to wherever or get to that destination, even if it's for one night, I try to find that space and set things up so that way. I can sneak away before everyone wakes up. Now, depending on the ages of your kids and how well they sleep, I totally get that. This is very challenging, and I could spend an hour talking about the challenges of that, but what I have learned is to be super strategic and mindful of how I could slip away in the morning.
To just have a little bit of time to myself, to recharge, to get in the word of God, to have a little bit of time, a prayer or journaling or whatever time would allow. A key to this is communicating with your spouse. It will really help if you let you spouse know that they, you need this time to be with Jesus, and they might ask for it as well, so work together.
Do your best to make it happen. Take those turns. Now, sometimes the location has not been very convenient at all, and I had to be a little bit uncomfortable. It wasn't like my cozy corner that I have at home with my blanket and the hot steamy mug of coffee, right? But that is wonderful and comforting and beautiful, but it's really about having that time with the Lord and the Word.
That is the thing that refuels me. And then, you know, the coffee and the cozy corner is extra. So I've been uncomfortable a few times, but it's been so worth it. And even if the kids kind of murmur and wake up, they might just go back to sleep once you slip out there. Of course, with a few prayers on your way out right now.
I would love to hear your unique tips and experiences for making the most of family vacations. We certainly have not covered them all. You can connect with any of us, either on the website or on Instagram, and we've put all those links in the Show Notes. I am so thrilled to beginning to do this special summer series with you and the fact that you are listening.
Be sure to share these with your friends as we want as many fellow wholehearted mamas to link arms during these days. Whether we can plan a vacation or we're dealing with shark week, or what we're gonna be talking about next time is taking care of our soul. We're gonna dive in deep into that topic, and you know already that I am passionate about it, but just wait till you hear all the tidbits from Sarah and Janay.
It's so good. So until next time, friend, continue to pursue God's perspective, purpose, and plans for your simply wholehearted life.
The best is yet to come,
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