Is family vacation worth the effort?

Let's call a spade a spade here.

Family vacation is just your regular life in a different location.

That's all.

Family vacation gives you the opportunity to change diapers, break up fights, argue over restaurants, toys, activities, and movies outside of the comfort of your own home.

Or maybe your kids are better behaved than mine.

I just returned from a week long "vacation" with my family in San Diego.  Before we left I had visions of sitting on the beach, with the sun shining warmly on my skin, the breeze gently cooling me off, the palm trees ever so slightly blowing in the wind, while I read my book and watched my children play and laugh.  The weather was even better than I imagined. However the rest of my vision did not come to pass...

My dear children fought over everything from who got the purple sand shovel, to who got to go boogie boarding first, to what beach towel they wanted.  Every meal was wrought with "I don't like this restaurant" or my personal favorite "why can't we just stay at the hotel and go swimming??".  Um excuse me? We brought you all the way to San Diego and you want to spend your day at the hotel pool??

All of this quality family time forced me to ask myself this question: Is family vacation worth the effort? Now stay with me while I explain myself.  While I do feel that children need to see and experience different cultures, places and environments to help them be a more well rounded person, I also struggle with the reality of bringing them on "vacation". Children have schedules. They need naps. They get grumpy. If you have a baby/toddler you are dealing with diapers, strollers, bottles, sippy cups, and picky eaters. You can almost guarantee they will not sleep through the night in the pack n play. When the vacation is over you will most certainly need a vacation from your vacation, not to mention the mountain of stinky, sweaty, dirty laundry that awaits you in your luggage.

So why take on the challenge of bringing kids on vacation with you?

Why not just call your in-laws, drop the kids off to them, and go have a real vacation?

You know the kind where you sleep until noon, order room service, take naps in cabanas, and actually read your book.

Why bring your kids and ruin YOUR vacation?

Well because you don't get smiles like these staying home.

And for that reason and that reason only, I will subject myself to family torture...err vacation...again.