Guest post: Grandtravel
Bubby and Megan arrived last night so I sincerely thank Mary at HappyHealth.net for the following guest post submission which allowed me to enjoy my visitors from the get-go instead of fretting about a Friday post. Plus, it's perfect timing for grandparents considering their summer travel plans. Enjoy! ~ Lisa
Grandtravel provides opportunities for quality time
On HappyHealth.net, we recently did a post about the perks of grandtravel, a new type of traveling that anyone can enjoy during their retirement. What is this mysterious grandtravel, you might ask? Let me explain it to you because it can be really amazing. Quite simply put, this is the practice of taking vacations with your grandchildren. There are certainly many benefits to be had from this type of travel, most namely that you can spoil the grandchildren to your heart's content without their pesky parents stepping in and telling them (or you) "no" about anything.
I've always loved to travel, which is what I've been doing with most of my retirement. I've taken a few trips with my own grandchildren, and let me tell you it definitely creates a time to remember. When kids get older, they tend to have less in common with us boring grandparents, so taking advantage of these opportunities while they are young will give the both of you memories to cherish for a lifetime.
I remember one trip where I took my 6-year-old granddaughter with me to visit Florida. She, of course, loved the beaches and the shopping and all the money that Grandma spent on her. I loved having the company, and especially having the livelihood of a young one around because it made the trip all the more fun and exciting than if I had went alone.
I do love my relaxing getaways, so don't get me wrong. However, I've realized that in my retirement I can have all the relaxation and privacy that I want at home. Why not enjoy my time traveling with the people that I love the most? Plus, by taking my granddaughter without her parents, we had more fun and I was able to spoil her to my wit's end, which is just what I love to do.
If you want to spend more time with the grandkids, take them on vacation. Just remember, it'll be more fun if you leave Mom and Dad at home.
• Contributed by Mary Albert, a blogger for HappyHealth.net, a senior lifestyle and senior health web site that provides advice for the 55+ age group as well as medical alert reviews.
Photo courtesy HappyHealth.net.
Today's question:
What are your summer travel plans ... so far?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Reader Comments (6)
Mary, great post! And wonderful advice for all the grandparents whose grandchildren are young enough to go on trips together. My twenty grandchildren are all adults or close to it now but I wish I'd done that while I was still able. Enjoy, I think you're a Dear Grandma.
If we can get away to the mall we'll be lucky this summer. On the other hand rural NH is vacation land. :0)
I can't wait til Shylee is old enough to do this! Great post!
What a great idea! I can't wait to take a vacation with Our Little Princess. This summer, we're traveling to the Charlotte, NC area for a family wedding. So we'll be combining that trip with our vacation.
Perfect post for me right now as we are taking our 9 yr old granddaughter to IL to visit my husband's family the end of June....without mom and dad. She will be able to visit with her great-grandma and great-grandpa and all her cousins and second cousing that she has not seen since she was a baby. I agree with Mary.....I am retired and can relax anytime I want so taking this trip with my MK will be a blast!
Lisa: have a great time with Bubby!
Right now we are planning a trip to Colorado with one of my daughters and her family. We haven't decided if we are going to camp or cabin camp, but we definitely want to be in the great outdoors. Great hints from Mary! I have more travel advice on my website, plus some of our favorite destinations.