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Can't Afford a Family Vacation?
Think Again!
By Catherine K. Enders Carlton
Guttman's group of moms balanced activities and cooking responsibilities as well. "We'd rotate the meals," she says. "One day I'd be in charge of the food, and we'd make meals for everyone."
An important part of vacationing is balancing everyone's interests and making it a vacation for everyone. "We get to golf, and the kids enjoy playing in the pool," Winn says of her family trips to Palm Springs. "Sometimes we do activities together as a family. Other times one parent will go spend time on their own." Traveling with other friends or family adds to that flexibility, says Winn. "They really like it when Grandma and Grandpa are on vacation with us because they can go spend time away from us!" she says.
Carole Terwilliger Meyers, author of Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games & Activities (Carousel Press, 1992) and other travel books, suggests scheduling a family meeting to plan a trip. "Make sure each family member has a fair proportion of things they enjoy planned into the trip," she says. "I don't think a trip to Disneyland should be only that, unless the parents truly are thrilled to be going and want nothing more. Why not work in a few days at the beach?"