Happy Spring Break!

I post this every year and here we are again. Get out there and please those kids!

I had never known it to be something to look forward to until I was in college. Until then, it meant staying home while our parents worked all day. Sometimes we were able to convince them to buy extra Twinkies and Doritos as a Spring Break treat. MTV had just come out and I loved getting to watch it for hours. I wasn’t aware that most of our friends were in the Bahamas or Aspen!

Some would show up to school the next week with tan lines to die for and others looked like raccoons from their ski goggle wind burn. I know I didn’t want to look like a raccoon and since I tanned easily (with the help of baby oil) I’d be sporting the same tan lines after one weekend of laying out on the roof. My freshman year in college the discussion of what to do for Spring Break began right after we returned from Winter Break. I usually stayed in Austin during that time to work as well. Cabo, Aspen and Telluride were a few of the top contenders.

Since I hadn’t been to any of these places, I watched and listened to what everyone else thought we should do. I needed to know two things:

1. How much money did I need to make before the trip?

2. How many days off work did I need to request?

I also learned the beauty of a tax refund. If I filed at the beginning of the year, I’d usually get a check for a few hundred bucks in time for Spring Break. I learned to love and look forward to Spring Break just like my friends always had done.

Fast forward to parenthood….

A trip for the whole family meant “Spring Broke.” Are you kidding me? Want to ski? That will be a minimum of $10,000.00. Does the beach sound better? That will be around the same amount. It could be a little less since beach clothing is less expensive than ski gear. Are you dreaming of a beautiful cocktail by the pool or after skiing? Those will run you about $25.00 each!

The other thing it isn’t for parents with kids under the age of 15 is a “break.” Let’s face it. It’s work. Not your usual desk job, but something like a travel agent, professional luggage packing expert, concierge, sun screen application police and tour guide all wrapped into one person.

Somehow, even though it is more like Spring Broke and Spring Work Your As* off, I think it is worth it. Time together as a family and the memories made can’t be beat.

So, save up, rest up and go get ‘em!

P.S. You probably need to look good in a swimsuit while you’re at it!

XX,

MG