Not Enjoying A Family Vacation By Focusing Too Hard On Money

Focusing Too Hard On Money

This is a problem that my spouse used to have.  When on vacation, instead of admiring the beauty of the surroundings around him, he would stay in the hotel and do his work while watching CNBC or whatever sports programs that he likes to watch.  I don’t really have a problem with that, but I think that he misses all of the primary reasons to go on vacation in the first place.  So he’s working hard to paying for the vacation, but not reaping the benefits of the visual aesthetics of the location that we are at, not to mention playing with the kids!  Luckily, we stay with relatives and they often pick up his slack.

After a few years of this happening, I decided to talking to him about this great deficiency in that way he misses out on vacation.  I know to tread carefully about money with him, so I approached it in as non-aggressive manner as possible… as a question.  My question was “Do you enjoy our family vacations?”, it was simple enough, but a good topic ice-breaker.  Next I mentioned how I enjoy the aesthetics of the surrounds and simple walks on the beach.

Learning to Enjoy a Family Vacation

The question and conversation wasn’t enough to make a change, but at least the seed was planted.  I got him to go our on some twilight walks as the sun set over the gulf of Mexico, that was when the day takes a very beautiful, almost magical quality as the sun dips into the ocean.  That beauty was so incredible and breath-taking that every day of that vacation, he walked with me along that beach.  It was a great vacation that year!

Slowly in following years, he learned to be more open to the kid’s requests too, and as they played in the sand and ocean I would lead him by pointing out endearing qualities that the kids were performing without him realizing it.  Like when our daughter was going somersaults along the shoreline as the sun set.  With the waves turning a golden color and the beauty of the sun’s rays shining though our daughter’s hair again created a everlasting memory, or at least it did for me!

Life is short, and kids are only a child for a short moment in time.  The following years would show a different child than the one we saw that year.  An older, less childlike daughter took her place, but at least we had that moment!

So take you time and enjoy your vacations, try not to worry or focus too hard on money!