I have just finished the best spring break our family has ever experienced, and probably the cheapest one as well. Spring break here on our little island ended up being a full 17 days (yikes) and with two entrepreneur parents our first thought was to figure out HOW we could schedule work into these weeks.
We sat with the kids one evening with spring break camps and great ideas to “keep them busy”, hoping to inspire them to adventure.
Ii’m not sure if they had all met and discussed before we sat down, but the unanimously agreed that they just wanted to hang at home. They wanted playdates and sleepovers and fun with mom and dad.
THE PRESSURE.
So, the Hubby and I worked it out that we would just focus on the family. We had 11 days together, playing with the kids, enjoying the amazing Salt Spring weather (can you say Bikini in March?). We had late nights, long days and just rolled on our own schedule. We did bike rides, planted fruit trees and hauled MASSES of rock out of our garden.
The kids brushed goats, chased chickens, and enjoyed lazy days reading in the hammocks.
Our work projects were made fun for the whole family. Picnics at the beach, scrubbing down the sailboat and re-building goat fencing (do you know how HARD it is to build with a goat as your helper?)
We laughed. A lot. We slept late, and we all recovered from a first quarter of busy businesses, and heavy school work. We had moments where we all just stopped. Hours where we lay in our meadow, just enjoying this first blast of sunshine and warmth. We ended each day exhausted, and woke each morning with aching muscles.
It was the best break with my kids I have ever had, and we didn’t plan anything, or go anywhere. We took each day as it came and appreciated how it rolled out.
Last night I asked the kids what their favourite part of the break was and their answer? They loved that we were all together. Mom AND Dad. All the kids. It made me appreciate our family unit so much more, knowing that my KIDS appreciate it as well.
This morning it was back to “real life”, but we were all ready for it. We had had our time to turn off, and find a new balance point. We had cleared some projects that seemed overwhelming. We had inspired a taste of summer in each of us, something to look forward to.