The funny (not funny at all) thing about vacationing with kids is that it’s just about the furthest thing from an actual vacation.

An aspirational definition of vacation is: freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.

This really seals the deal on a vacation with kids not really being a vacation at all, because there is truly no extended release from duty in your role as a parent.

So is it possible to actually get some rest on vacation!?​

I believe it is, but it looks different than you might think. And forget all of those grid-worthy pics that involve you, a beach, and an uninterrupted book while children play peacefully in the foreground. Spoiler alert: it’s just not going to happen with young kids.  

Getting rest on vacation with kids is accessible when you manage your expectations, and surrender… deeply.

Expectations vs Reality

In terms of managing expectations, I choose NOT to see vacation as a “freedom or release from duty,” but rather as a change of scenery and regularly scheduled routine (on some level). Lord help you if you throw ALL routines out the window with young children!

Instead, look at vacation as a break from the monotony of living with kids in your house day in and day out.

It’s a release from the busyness of ‘home’, which conjures up visions of endless piles of laundry and sticky counters that you seriously just cleaned 3 seconds ago.

It’s a way for kids to explore something new and learn to be more mentally flexible and open to new experiences. Win! This is a valuable life skill that will serve any human well. 

The more you can surrender to vacation being an unpredictable, potentially chaotic series of events, the more you can actually enjoy it.

Surrender to what is

The act of surrendering is actually restful on some level. Here’s how….

I surrender to: 

• Not stressing about meals and bedtimes looking a certain way—look at all that time and energy saved! 

• Letting go of my agenda of what we should see/do/pack in each day—what if vacation was just SLOW? How lovely!

• People’s moods and needs being, shall we say; variable—no longer fighting this uphill battle!  

• The reality that this ‘vacation’ could be a home run, a complete shit show, or something in between—there’s that mental flexibility we discussed earlier! 😉

So whether you’re on ‘vacation’ with kids or not, I encourage you to:

• Get clear on your expectations and make sure they are realistic (lower is better here!)
• Surrender to the plans of the ‘vacation gods’ who are the ones who are actually in control, not you.

Your vacation will include moments of joy, frustration, and everything in between. And all of it is welcome here.