Never taking your kids on vacation?

[Swan4Me]

My kids (now grown) went all kinds of places, the mountains in Ark and Tennessee, the lake every summer, theme parks, zoos, aquariums...and WDW about 10 times!!!
I was talking to my SIL, who has never gone anywhere with her kids-now in their 29's , about my upcoming vacation-and she seemed reallt perplxed why anyone takes a vacation!!!!


The trips to WDW were the best memories EVER!!!
My fave is our first trip down Splash Mountain and the pic we keep of both boys screaming

 

[AntePrincess]

Is it a budget thing? I haven't gone on a vacation for a few years between the budget and not liking to travel with a child in diapers. Your post has me spooked though... what if I never take the kids anywhere again?? I think I'm going to hurry up on one of my upcoming plans a little...

 

[tzolkin]

I think a huge chunk of the American population never takes their kids on vacation because they can't afford it.

Being on this Dis, it often seems that taking your children to Disney at least once is a given and that annual trips are commonplace. We have been very fortunate to be able to go to Disney the past several years, but this is definitely not the norm where we live. Most children here have never been on any vacation and likely never will.

Growing up, I had never been on a "vacation". My parents simply didn't have the money. We didn't even eat at McDonald's because it was too expensive. And there were also six of us. Having my own family of 5 I know that having more than 4 can dramatically increase the cost of any trip.


You didn't mention money with your SIL, but some people can't justify the cost of a vacation even if they don't seem to be struggling.

Also, sometimes I think if it's not the "norm" some people don't even think about vacations. Nearly all of DH's co-workers take their "vacation days" spread out throughout the year and just stay home. It honestly never enters their minds to go somewhere. And some simply assume vacations are too expensive. Everyone he works with is convinced that we're secretly wealthy because we go to Disney. They just assume vacationing is something that only "rich" people can do so they don't even look into it.

 

[Becc1]

I grew up with my grandparents and while we didn't start going to Disney until I was 10 we always went camping several times a summer and to the beach for a least a few days. DH never went to Disney as a child but they went on beach and ski trips every year. We both have great memories of our childhood vacations so for us it's important to create some for our kids. We can only afford Disney every other year so on our other years we like to do lots of mini vacays or play tourist in our own cities (we live 20 minutes from both Wash DC and Baltimore)

Now as to people that don't take their children on vacations, I know 2 families that can afford but choose not to. My neighbors go to Bermuda every year by themselves while their children go stay at the grandparents for the week (that is their vacation). My neighbor is always amazed that we go so many places with our kids. I know how much they spend on that vacation and they could easily take a Disney vacay or a week at the shore with their kids but they just like to vacation by themselves. Then there is my BFF, their vacations consist of visiting family members. Her DH goes a couple times a year for Vegas weekends with the guys but she stays home with the kids.

 

[cah5525]

My dh never went on vacations...his parents thought of them as frivolous and a waste of money. He grew up in OK and one time his father had a dr.'s appointment in OKC so they went to the Cowboy museum while they were there and that's it for vacations! I thought that was just sad!
Now, I wasn't privileged... some of our family trips were only road trips for the day, sometimes it was only a camping trip down state, or a trip to the ocean-camping, of course! But, OHHH the memories!
He now works hard to send us on vacations (sometimes telling me that's ALL he's working for) but, he wants those memories and experiences for his kids because he knows it's something he missed out on as a kid! He joined the military after high school and was able to get out of that square box and see how others live life...I don't think he's ever going back to OK or that way of living! It did leave a lasting impression. Not saying that's how everyone feels...just one person's story.

Oh, I have to add...we get SOO much criticism from his family for wasting our time and $ on vacations

 

[MSSANDRA]

I absolutely know there are millions of children that will never reap the benefits of travel. Sadly there are many family that can not even put food on the table much less eat at even a fast food restaurant and a hotel is not even a consideration. There are however many families that simply choose to set different goals. We travel a lot. At least four times a year we go away somewhere. We do NOT have more money that most of our group peers that travel less, we just set different priorities. We drive our cars FOREVER...we spend very little on clothes and other material items. It just works for us. I grew up with yearly one week vacations and DH can count on his hand the # of trips he went on before we were married. Our boys however have been so blessed to have had a huge variety of in state vacations and we hope to extend that to out of country travel very soon. I have no doubt these experiences have helped shape who they are becoming!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My parents didn't have alot of money when my 3 siblings and I were growing up, but my mom insisted on family vacations. They were budget vacations for sure, but super fun. Our first vacations were tent camping in the mountains and at the beach. My mom had 4 little kids at the time, 3 in diapers, can you imagine! She quickly got tired of the work tent camping required so she bought a tiny used Traveleze trailer. We moved from the west coast (LA County so DL was a day trip - yay!) to the east coast when I was in high school, so we saw a lot of the country in that thing, especially the National Parks. Here are just a few of the places we visited:

- Baja Mexico several times, favorite spot was San Felipe
- Lake Tahoe (one of the most beautiful places on earth!)
- Grand Canyon
- Orgeon and Washington State, Mt Hood, Crater Lake
- Beaches on both the east and west coast, stayed mostly at state parks, Campland in San Diego (a favorite), Indian River Inlet / Bethany Beach Delaware
- WDW right after Epcot opened, stayed at a KOA campground in Orlando b/c Ft. Wilderness was too expensive. We stayed 2 days, one park each day, and then went to the beach in St Augustine for the rest of the week.
- New York City for the Easter parade, Rockettes, Broadway play, stayed at a campground in New Jersey

Eventually, we got too big for the Traveleze so we upgraded to a brand new Prowler Bunkhouse. We thought we'd died and gone to heaven - it was awesome. Our vacations totally changed my freshman year in college when my parents bought a timeshare. They stopped using the trailer a few years later...it was the end of an era. My brothers, sister and I have so many fond memories of trailer camping that we've rented trailers a few times so our kids (who are pampered with resort style vacations) could have the RV experience we loved so much!

I guess my point is you can vacation with very little money, have an amazing time and create wonderful family memories. You just have to make it a priority in your life.

 

[MartyM]

Before Disney when I was 8 or 9, my only vacations consisted of Myrtle Beach (2012 MB is total yikes! now) and trips to our grandparents' trailer at Long Beach, NC (Now Oak Island).

Once I was older, we went to baseball games in ATL, Baltimore, and NY, NY. There was one Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas.

I appreciate those trips so much because they were where I learned about foods outside what we could get in little Troutman, NC, how to sit at a table and eat with manners, and that everyone was NOT like the people from our little town.

I got to try lox, blintzes, caviar, escargots--Shoot, bagels were exotic to me on my first trip to Baltimore. I also got to see a side of my parents that was hidden in Troutman; That my parents were really refined people, though they chose to lead a very simple life at home. I would not trade those trips for anything in the world.

 

[sk!mom]

Many people don't vacation. I really don't find it all that surprising or shocking. People value different things. Hang out around here and you would think "everyone" is traveling all the time.

 

[noahdove]

Growing up, vacations were never spoke of with us or my friends..funny, until you started this, I never gave it a thought. Yet, when my girls were little we did little short trips with the girls. My husband's family never went away either.I guess you don't miss it if you don't do it. I do agree tho, with parents taking a vacation without the children is sad..

 

[Nayan]

Many people don't vacation. I really don't find it all that surprising or shocking. People value different things. Hang out around here and you would think "everyone" is traveling all the time.

Very true. I have neighbors with kids who have never even been to any theme park (only 1 hour away) or any vacation. They think it's a waste of time and money. We however enjoy our little trips . Also I don't agree with the PP about not taking kids with you on trips. My DH and I go for mini weekends away and usually my son is the one who doesn't want to go, so we leave him home. Of course if it's Disney he's all over that!

 

[Elmck]

We don't vacation every year, but I do dream and plan for vacations. Last year we only went on a 2 day trip to Manteo (we live close) and had such a good time. With DD out of school for the summer my DH takes her somewhere for the day (museums, zoos, aquariums, etc in our area). She loves it!
It has taken me 2 years to be able to save for Disney this year but we are all super excited. Only 55 more days to go!!

 

[Karenj2]

I'd have to ask my parents, but I don't think our vacations were that expensive when we were kids - we camped every year for a week or two (visited every state east of the mississippi river), or visited family in "exotic" locations like Michigan or Pittsburgh.

I don't need to do an expensive trip every year - I'd be perfectly happy with some weekend camping mini trips! We've got campgrounds within an hour of here - that'll be like the other corner of the world for my 2yo DD.

 

[ccgirl]

My kids (now grown) went all kinds of places, the mountains in Ark and Tennessee, the lake every summer, theme parks, zoos, aquariums...and WDW about 10 times!!!
I was talking to my SIL, who has never gone anywhere with her kids-now in their 29's , about my upcoming vacation-and she seemed reallt perplxed why anyone takes a vacation!!!!


The trips to WDW were the best memories EVER!!!
My fave is our first trip down Splash Mountain and the pic we keep of both boys screaming

I know quite a few people that consider vacation a luxury and not a necessity. There are many people that would not consider spending 100+$ on the newest Coach purse (a luxury to many as well) and vacations are certainly more money than that. Personally, I see nothing wrong with it.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[lurkernj]

I'm not that surprised either by people not going on vacation. To some, it's a waste of money that could be used elsewhere.

To me, it's a priority. We are not wealthy, but our priority is the kids education, then vacation, in that order. I drive a 10 year old car and DH drives a 13 year old pickup, but we go on vacation every year, sometimes more than one big trip (even managed Hawaii twice). I have a friend who gets a new car every two years and is constantly pinching pennies in other areas, but to her that's important. We have other friends who have a big house, every new electronic gadget, new furniture,etc, but never vacation and no college fund for their 17yr old.

Each person has their different priorities, doesn't make them right or wrong.

 

[kamik86]

Besides camping (and within 1 hour of the house) and day trips I never went on vacations as a kid. I never went to an amusement park until I went with school either, just the local carnival with a few rides that came to town for a weekend each year.

I think my parents got burnt out of taking all of the kids places by the time I came along (I was number 4 and I'm much younger then my sisters) when my sisters were little they went places my parents took them to canada a few times I know and I heard a few other stories.

They finally took me to DC after talking about it for years when I was in college (but that was also camping) and they took me to Niagra falls once in college too (after I went on a school trip and mom decided it was cool)... actually the same happened with WDW, I went myself at 22 and then my whole family goes and I get to play tour guide.

My husband didn't really do vacations either but his mom really wouldn't have been able to afford it. I'm not sure if my parents could have or not.

 

[scrapquitler]

My kids (now grown) went all kinds of places, the mountains in Ark and Tennessee, the lake every summer, theme parks, zoos, aquariums...and WDW about 10 times!!!
I was talking to my SIL, who has never gone anywhere with her kids-now in their 29's , about my upcoming vacation-and she seemed reallt perplxed why anyone takes a vacation!!!!


The trips to WDW were the best memories EVER!!!
My fave is our first trip down Splash Mountain and the pic we keep of both boys screaming

I don't think it's that unusual for people to never take a vacation. When I was growing up we did a lot of 'staycations' where we did day trips to local-ish places like amusement parks, zoos, beaches, museums, etc. To me, those aren't a vacation per se. We also used to travel 4 or 5 hours and stay with relatives and do they day trippy kinds of things where those relatives lived. Again, it wasn't that much of a vacation, we were just visiting family. We went camping, but we did that on a friends land right in our own town where my parents had a pop up camper set up for the summer. Again, I don't count being a mile and half from home in camper to be vacation, either.

Honestly, I never EVER stayed in a hotel except for one or two times when my grandmother took me somewhere for a weekend. And I really don't think that we were unusual.

 

[Couchy]

I vacation at least once a year.
My brother who has two kids never ever vacations despite having 3x the income I have.
My parents took us on vacation every year even though it was a struggle saving sometimes . We went to WDW, the beach, camping every summer, etc. whatever they could afford that year we did.

I love travel my brother thinks its a hassle

 

[tinkerpea]

I consider myself and Dh quite a young couple we are 26 and 31 we have been taking our boys to Disney or a abroad holiday every yr for the last 7 years.
Most people I know cant afford the type of holidays we go on and always tell us how lucky we are that we go on holiday with the kids yet we are so young they say they dont know how we do it as we dont own credit cards etc.......
"we save what we can " and Dh has a decent job plus we live in forces accomadation so that works out cheaper to live on camp and rent out the house we own plus with it being so hard to get on the property ladder these days people have other prioritys then a holiday!!
I have come to realise a holiday is a luxery and one that quite a few just cant afford! even more so in the jobs crisis we have right now and with simple things like petrol being through the roof so not so much a surprise as a disapointment for the people who cant do what we can!

As a child i was very lucky it was the norm for me to go on holiday at least every yr for 2/3wks Its something i wanted to make sure i could do with my boys.

 

[kj2mom]

Everyone has different priorities and abilities. I have not taken a week off in almost 6 years because of my work/child care schedule. I have to take every Tuesday off during the summer because I have no child care for my children. As a result, I use my two weeks of vacation one day at a time. Tough to go on vacation that way but we do day trips and activities the children will enjoy. I took my two to Disney in 2006. I researched absolutely everything I could in order to make what I was calling their once in a lifetime trip fabulous. It was and so far it is appearing it may be just that, once in their lifetime but we enjoyed every second of it!