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Family Vacations. Are they worth the effort?

© Cindy Ovard

"How much longer?"
"When will we be there?"
"I have to go to the bathroom"
"When can we eat?"
"I'm bored"
"Tommy is hitting me."
"Suzy is sitting too close to me."
"Johnny is touching me."

Do any of these sound familiar to you? They are the dreaded words parents hear the second the car pulls out of the driveway headed for the annual summer vacation spot. I hate these words. I usually turn around from my front seat and give the "mom" glare. The kids know that glare means be quiet or else. Or else what? Or else I'll turn the car around and waste my deposit at the beach rental that's been reserved for a whole year? I don't think so. So why would I say such a thing? I want to scare them into thinking we won't go, but they are just as smart as I am and know that I won't do it. So on we must go and just tolerate each other. I don't want to just tolerate each other on this trip. I want to have fun. I want to enjoy being with my family on summer vacation and come home with memories and my suitcase loaded with exposed film of our fun times!

I've learned to just ignore half of the whining and arguing. It's going to happen anywhere we go. Kids are kids and they will have that sibling rivalry going a bit. It's OK, though, it just seems to be worse now because we are all seated within three feet of each other and I can hear it more loudly! I can tune it out most of the time, but only when we've been on the road for three hours, I can't take it any longer. We all need a major break from these confining walls where the argument in the back seat is getting louder and louder and my three-year-old decides it time to pull big sister's hair. I realize we need drastic measures! I don't care what is at the next exit, but we must get off this road and breathe some fresh air. I kindly instruct my husband to pull off at the next exit so we can get out and have a break. And what a break it is. We have come to the exit of NOTHING! One tiny store with one pump gas station. We are in the desert and it's 110 degrees outside. I don't care anymore. I jump out of the car and open the doors. The blast of heat hits us all in the face and we can barely breath without frying our nose hairs.