It’s that time of year again.
Spring Break!
And although your Spring Break vacations might be different now that you’re a parent, you still want them to be great. Knowing that, we put together five quick tips to make sure you have an awesome one.
1. Don’t compare.
Some family in your town is going to Switzerland or Hawaii or Mars with Elon Musk. That’s great for them, but make sure your family doesn’t get stuck in the downward spiral of comparison. Enjoy what you’re doing, whether that’s a trip to a local beach or a staycation. It’s not a contest and nothing ruins Spring Break like a bit of jealousy.
2. Quit bragging.
The flipside of comparison is bragging. It’s all too easy to exaggerate how great your vacation is, especially online. If you find yourself or your kids using the hashtag, “#YachtingLife” it’s probably time to put the phone down. Have big, loud, neon fun, but never feel like you have to brag about it to your friends in order to make sure it counts. If a Spring Break falls in the forest and no one hears it, it still happened. (That was like seven sayings jammed into one.)
3. Don’t post bathing suit photos.
I’ve said this before and I will say it again. Your teens don’t need to post bathing suit photos on Instagram. They might not know it yet, but not everyone online is a nice person. There are a handful of creeps and jerks. (Shocking!) Create a simple rule that if you end up at the beach, bathing suit photos don’t end up online.
4. Be all there.
Speaking of photos and phones, put yours down as a parent. It’s so tempting to try to sneak some work into your vacation. To the best of your abilities, avoid this temptation. Put the phone down. Close the laptop. Enjoy a few days with your family.
5. Come home a day early.
This one might just be personal preference or it might be that I am really, really, really smart. I think you should always have a buffer day between Spring Break and the start of school. I have friends that roll in at midnight on Sunday night before school begins. That’s torture for kids. Come home on Saturday. Give yourself a break. It’s like eating ginger between bites of sushi, it clears the palette and gets you ready for what’s next.
I hope you have an amazing week of fun with your kids.
I hope you get sun and laughter and snow and whatever weather system makes your destination awesome.
You only get a few of these and as we like to say at Parent Cue, “Don’t Miss It.”
Topics: Celebrations, Create A Rhythm
Jon Acuff
Contributor
Jon Acuff is the New York Times Bestselling author of seven books, including his new one, Soundtracks, The Surprising Solution to Overthinking. When he’s not writing, he’s speaking to companies like Comedy Central, Microsoft, Walmart, FedEx, and Nissan. He’s worked for Orange for seven years and swears his love language is LEGO. Read more from him at www.acuff.me.
