Life is busy. Busier now than it was 20… 30… 50 years ago.
Life can be stressful too, and not just on adults, but on
children as well. Our kids are exposed to more academic and social stresses
than ever before. Not to mention the fact that they pick up on the pressure
their parents are feeling from work, deadlines, expectations, bills, and
countless other sources.
It’s easy to see family vacations as a luxury of sorts…
something you’ll do if you have the time and budget for it, but there is an
overwhelming amount of actual scientific proof and measurable data that shows
that vacations are essential to the mental, physical, and emotional well-being
of our families.
Research shows that
family time has a significant and powerful effect on our health.
Research conducted by The National Institute of Health shows
that children and teens who spend more time together with their families demonstrate
better psychological adjustment and are less likely to engage in “risky
behaviors.” They also saw a positive influence on academic performance and
learning. Creating a family bond through shared experiences and connections is
critical to the well-being of our kids. That time with family can be something
as simple as shared meals, but the extended family time you have while on
vacation is invaluable!
Experiential gifts,
such as vacations, create stronger emotional bonds.
The Journal of Consumer Research in Oxford conducted four
separate studies on gift-giving. Their findings show that experiential gifts
such as vacations or events, create stronger connections and “produce greater
improvements in relationship strength than material gifts.”
That emotional
connection happens both at the time the gift is received, and at the time it is
experienced.
The co-author of the study, Cindy Chan says, “An
experiential gift elicits a strong emotional response when a recipient consumes
it — like the fear and awe of a safari adventure, the excitement of a rock
concert or the calmness of a spa — and is more intensely emotional than a
material possession.” This is true for both adults and children.
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| photo ©Emmanuel Keller |
Experiencing
different cultures gives our kids an edge in the future job market.
Natalie Turner, the author of The Educational Tourist, says
that “Being able to thrive in the midst of a variety of cultures is crucial to
a happy and productive life in our generation and future generations.” She
believes that traveling with your children and exposing them to different
cultural experiences helps them to develop “increased cultural intelligence”
through empathy and open-mindedness… traits that she states are likely to give
them an edge in the global opportunities the future job markets will offer.
Vacations promote
“active learning.”
The consulting firm Earlyarts specializes in combining the
arts with neuroscience to promote more effective learning environments and
enhance education has found that children learn best by “doing;” through
hands-on, engaging experiences that allow them to explore with all of their
senses. That should come as no surprise to parents!
Taking your kids out of their normal, everyday routine and
environment combining that with the increased family time and attention that a
vacation provides is the ultimate opportunity for this kind of “holistic”
learning!
In an article called The Science Behind How Holidays Make
Your Child Happier – and Smarter, British child psychotherapist Dr. Margot
Sunderland says that family vacations provide kids with the kind of rich
learning environment and enhanced experiences that encourage brain development
and improve concentration. She was quoted in the London Telegraph as saying,
“The enriched [vacation] environment triggers the brain fertilizers which are
associated with higher IQ in kids, and exploring a new place together helps in
making your child smarter.”
Families who vacation
together are happier overall.
The Family Holiday Association, a charitable organization
dedicated to providing short vacations to families experiencing some of life’s
most difficult challenges such as domestic abuse or terminal illness, completed
a study on the importance of time away with family.
They reported that 49% they
interviewed said that their happiest memories were from a family vacation.
Furthermore, more than 33% of adults reported that memories of their family
travels are more clear and vivid than “everyday memories.”
They also found that
both adults and children will recall these happy memories to help them get
through difficult situations. The organization’s director, John McDonald says,
“using these memories as an anchor to take us back to more cheerful moments,
we're often able to approach problems with a fresh sense of perspective."
These are just a few examples of the research that shows how
important and beneficial family vacations are for the health and well-being of
our kids… and for us as parents. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get
started planning your next trip!
The perfect vacation begins with scheduling your
complimentary consultation. Click here to request a time for us to chat . We’ll
discuss the details and what your vacation priorities. I’ll give you my
suggestions and explain how we can best work together to plan the vacation of
your dreams.
