Are Vacations Good For Your Children?

While we all know that adults benefit greatly from vacations, partly due to the stress of work, household chores and other duties, have you ever wondered if the same holds true for kids?

Well, it does. It doesn’t really matter what they do during their holiday time, be it travelling to another country, visiting grandparents or simply enjoying family time at home, but children benefit greatly in many ways from the leisure time spent with their family during holidays and vacations.

The definition of a family holiday

The main requirement of a family holiday is that the family spends time together away from life’s regular routine. The activities, duration and destination varies from family to family according to preference, budget, available time, etc. As such, a family holiday could entail a few weeks overseas, or a few days at a beach resort, or even a weekend at a camping site and so on and so forth. It could even be just spending time at a relative’s place, such as a grandparent’s house.

The precious time spent together as a family away from the normal daily routine brings value to a child’s life while building cherished memories with loved ones.

A sense of contentment

Children who hardly get to spend much time with their busy parents are found to benefit greatly from family holidays. Parents may not realise it but kids’ senses of security and contentment are reestablished when they see their parents together, having fun, laughing, playing and being silly with each other. Regardless of the type of vacation or where, as long as they’re all together and enjoying themselves, they experience a high level of comfort. This comfort informs them that all’s right with their world, boosts their wellbeing and helps them cope better.

Cultivating the love of wholesome enjoyment

Adults are not the only ones who fall into the humdrum of monotony with tight schedules and work. Children too can get accustomed to the norms of a tightly scheduled life, leaving little room for relaxation and for enjoying even some of the simple pleasures of life.

Holidays and family vacations let children see another aspect of life where they learn that adults can and do allow time for unadulterated fun. Holidaying with their family teaches children that, although work and school are important aspects of life, enjoying life holds importance too for individuals and families. Parents can help their kids let loose by demonstrating how much they’re enjoying themselves and encouraging their kids to follow suit. Holidays can and should give children the opportunity to play and interact with their family.

New, exciting experiences

Family holidays present children with the opportunity to explore and encounter foods, places and activities that are not the norm for them. They may also look forward to it if the destination is one they have been to before. A heightened sense of adventure is felt when a family holiday or vacation is approaching, and in this receptive frame of mind, children are more than willing to delve into new experiences and try new things.

It can be even more exciting if a child has read about a place beforehand after which he or she gets to experience all that has been read, for real! Children thrive on the feelings of excitement and contentment that accompany incredible new experiences.

Stress Break

Stress accompanies the modern kid no matter how we’d like to deny it. Kids today are all too anxious to perform well in school, please their parents, get around peer pressure and participate in music or sports outside of school. Life can get pretty tied up for them these days. While the stress of everyday routine is real for them, it can dissipate and disappear with the fun and frivolity of a family vacation.

Escaping with their families allows kids to rest, relax and alleviate daily stress. Their bodies and souls get a much needed break, which rejuvenates them inside and out!

Strengthens Family Bonds

During holidays and vacations, each family member gets to see the others in a new light, away from the norms of everyday life. They get to enjoy and appreciate each other’s company for once, away from the hassle of everyday life. This helps children to let their guard down and re-connect back to family members, indirectly helping to strengthen a family’s bond.

Better Productivity

Just like adults, children provided with ample opportunity to frolic, relax and renew themselves during a pleasurable family holiday demonstrate better productivity when they return to educational pursuits. Once they are refreshed, they return to school ready to take on the world, rejuvenated and refreshed!