Family Time Archives - Kids Ain't Cheap

4 Cheap Recreational Activities for the Whole Family

March 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment

Keeping your family happy and healthy involves more than simply ensuring that they’re well-fed and are current with their vaccinations. You should also try and make sure that they have access to fun recreational activities that can be done by everyone together. According to StudyFinds, seven out of 10 Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. It’s important to note that having fun doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of ways to have fun experiences that are affordable. Read on to see four of these activities outlined below. This way you can have some ideas at your fingertips the next time you want to have fun.

1. Volunteering Together

One of the best activities to do as a family is to volunteer together. Doing this is an amazing activity since you’ll spend time together doing something meaningful and passing a great message to your children. This will be the message that it’s good to give back to the community as it’s gratifying to do so. You could start by gathering some clothes and other items that your children have outgrown and donate these to a nearby home or other places. Helping out at your local soup kitchen is something else that you could do to help improve someone’s life. This shows that if you look around, there’s a lot that you can do that’s meaningful.

2. Having a Movie Night

Another fun and affordable recreational activity you could do as a family is to have a movie night. This is simply going to call for you to find a good movie and some snacks. You can make it a bit more fun by having a drive-in movie night, which is going to add an edge to the normal movie experience. Since this is going to take some preparation to do, you can start early and make sure that everyone has a role to play. In the end, you’ll enjoy yourselves a lot and you can be sure that it will be something that young kids will talk about for a long time to come, possibly asking for a repeat!

Over 87 million U.S. adults participate in recreational boating. If your family has a boat of their own, you can take this activity up a notch. Think about spending a night on the lake with a projector if you have the space.

3. Going for a Walk with the Family Dog

While this may sound like a regular activity, you can add a fun spin to it by doing it as a family. Find a nice route to take that will allow you to enjoy yourselves while strolling at a pace that’s comfortable for everyone. You can make this activity more fun by visiting your local park or another place where you can have a small picnic. Take turns playing games with the dog and all the children are sure to have a blast.

4. Making a Meal Together

Last but not least, you can set aside time and room to make a meal together as a family. From deciding which meal to make to gathering the ingredients and actually preparing the meal, you can be sure that there will be something for everyone to do. You may enjoy this so much that you make it a frequent activity or even the regular way to cook. It’s no secret that you can bond a lot better when you cook together and eat as a family regularly. You could add a spin to it and have a cookoff, making adjustments to make sure that even younger children can participate in the event safely. Hold an awards ceremony afterward and crown the winner. Make sure that everyone will be encouraged to put their best foot forward the next time.

According to Legal Jobs, 97% of bankruptcies are filed by individuals. In order to avoid bankruptcy, you must budget in every area of your life. These recreational activities are affordable enough for the whole family and they promise hours of fun and enjoyment. Just make good plans for them so that they can be enjoyed to the fullest. You can be sure that future activities will be even better.

Fun Ways to Keep Your Family Active!

March 6, 2023 | Leave a Comment

Participating in physical activity is extremely important. Engaging in physical activity every week promotes a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps you’re a parent searching for ways to motivate your family to stay active. Here is a look at some great ways to help keep you and your family active! Be sure to set up key time slots during the week when your family can join you in physical activity. Establishing a set routine helps ensure that you will always get a workout in even during busy weeks.

Take a Walk

Walking every day is a great way to promote an active lifestyle. Consider walking through the neighborhood with your family or walking around a local park.

Go Dancing

Recent studies show that one of out every eleven adults is dealing with severe obesity. One way to avoid obesity is to keep your body moving regularly throughout the day. Consider the benefits of dancing. Dancing is a fun way to stay in shape. Turn on some music and start a dance party with your family. It’s also a great way to spend time with your loved ones.

Consider Planting

Consider creating a garden if you have enough backyard space. Planting a garden helps your family learn about the outdoors and natural food sources. Exposure to plant-based fruits and vegetables could stimulate healthier eating habits.

Embrace The Outdoors

Consider scheduling some fun outdoor activities with your family. Riding bikes through different trails is a fun way to stay in shape. There are over 3,000 potential allergens, so it’s important to stay safe while having fun outdoors. Be sure to wear bug spray and take allergy medication beforehand.

Complete Family Chores

While your children may not enjoy this idea, completing chores together is a great way to stay active and spend family time together. Shoveling snow, raking leaves, washing dishes, and doing other chores will help your family stay active and healthy.

Use a Tracking Device

Setting daily and weekly fitness goals will improve your short-term and long-term health. Taking a proactive approach regarding your health could help you live longer, so you can spend more time with your family. More than 50% of Americans believe that it is important to have a will or living trust. By embracing a healthy lifestyle, you can promote the benefits and encourage your family to carry on your legacy.

Eliminate Electronics

The current age of technology makes it difficult to live an active lifestyle. Consider doing your part by reducing the amount of electronic usage on a daily basis. Try to set guidelines that watching television, playing video games, and using the computer are only permitted for a couple of hours every day. A healthy alternative to electronics is playing an active game that keeps the whole family involved.

Start a New Activity

Learning new activities is a great way to enjoy mental and physical exercise. Practicing a new skill, sport, or hobby keeps things interesting and helps you burn calories.

Set Up a Scavenger Hunt

This is a fun activity to consider if you have small children. Keep them engaged by creating an inventory of some items and placing them in different areas. Your children will be immersed in a new World as they attempt to find all the items. Placing the items in different spots around the neighborhood is a great way to get some exercise in.

Try Indoor Activities

Perhaps the weather has damaged some of your plans for the future. You can avoid this situation by performing weather natural activities. Consider taking your family to the mall and walking around or visiting an indoor skating rink.

There are seemingly endless benefits to enjoying an active lifestyle with your family. Use these tips to enjoy some family fun while staying fit!

The Benefits of 1000 Hours Outside

January 19, 2023 | Leave a Comment

I have heard of the 1000 Hours Outside movement for the last few years, but I never tried it because we lived in Arizona, where it was too hot most of the year to spend much time outdoors. Now, we’ve moved to a more temperate climate, so in 2023, we’re joining the movement. There are many benefits of the 1000 hours outside challenge that I’ve already seen for our family and expect to increase as we get further into the year.

The Benefits of 1000 Hours Outside

These are some of the benefits I’ve seen so far:

More Family Time

My husband works a lot, but he enjoys spending time outdoors. So, he joins us whenever we head out for an outdoor adventure. Likewise, the girls are teens and don’t like to do as much together, but they, too, join in for outdoor activities.

More Frugal Entertainment

We’ve found immersing ourselves in nature is a frugal endeavor. Recently, we took a road trip to a location 70 miles from our home. First, we walked around some college campuses that our kids wanted to see. Then, we went to a nearby cemetery where we found the graves of Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony. We spent several hours outdoors exploring; the only cost was the gas to get to the city.

Better Physical Fitness

Since we started this challenge, we’ve been more active. The girls will take two-mile walks with me to rack up more outdoor time. In addition, we’ve resumed hiking as a family, something we haven’t done for years.

Better Behavior

When our kids were younger, I noticed a direct correlation between their time on devices and challenging behavior. They were grumpier and more aggressive as they spent more time on electronics. They’re older now, so the behavior challenges are more nuanced. However, I notice that they seem more peaceful and relaxed when they spend time outdoors.

Less Reliance on Technology

When kids get bored, they turn to electronics. If they’re outdoors doing activities, they don’t have electronics to turn to. Most kids today (and adults!) rely too heavily on electronics. Stopping this behavior cold turkey is difficult, if not impossible in our society. However, you can diminish the time you and your kids spend on electronics by replacing that time with something better, like time outdoors.

I wish we had started the 1000 Hours Outside challenge when my kids were toddlers. They would have grown up knowing so much more about nature. They would have found being outdoors a natural way to live. However, it’s never too late, which is why we’re embarking on the challenge now, while we still have time.

Final Thoughts

The earlier you start immersing your kids in the outdoors, the better. However, your kids are never too old to reap the benefits of 1000 Hours Outside challenge. Our kids are 12 and 14, and they’re still benefiting. So, what are you waiting for? Put on your jacket or sunscreen, depending on the weather, and enjoy the great outdoors.

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Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

How to Prepare for a Long Drive With Children

November 7, 2022 | Leave a Comment

If you’re thinking of going on a long drive with children, you may be wondering whether there’s a way to make the inevitably hard trip a bit better for everyone. The good news is that there is, and with a few tips, you can get the best outcome and arrive safe and happy at your destination. Here’s how you should prepare for a long drive with children and you’ll find family trips get a lot more doable.

Don’t Drink Before You Drive

While you may say to yourself that having a drink will help you to calm your nerves and make it easier for you to survive the drive, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Use a combination of the rest of the tips below with soberness and you may be surprised at how easy it gets to take long drives as a family. Do this with the fact in mind that a report shared by the Colorado Department of Transportation stated that drunk drivers were involved in 30% of all the fatalities that took place across the state in 2019. This should show you just how risky it is for you to drink and drive, and also motivate you to avoid doing it.

Pack Snacks and Water

In order to avoid the grumpiness of hungry children on a long drive, pack enough snacks and water with you. These should be healthy options because, at some point, your passengers may want to eat simply because they’re bored, so prepare for this adequately. Getting filling snacks is also going to cut out the need for having to buy additional food while you’re on your trip. These may be overpriced and you may not have as many options while on the road as you’ll have if you shop early and from your favorite store.

Service Your Car Before You Leave

Next, remember that it’s important for you to service your car before you set out. Doing this is going to help you get an amazing time on the road since your car will operate a lot more efficiently when it’s in a good state. When making repairs or replacements, remember that you should also look at the quality of what you’re getting so you can make sure you have the best and most durable option. For the windshield and other glass, for example, note that laminated tempered glass is four to five times harder to fracture than normal glass. Work with a professional auto mechanic to be sure that you get the best advice and service.

Carry Games and Activities

You’re probably hoping to minimize the occurrence of the dreaded question, are we there yet? To do this, you should pack enough games and activities to keep your children busy throughout. Let the children pick the games that they love the most and they’ll have entertainment while on the road, on top of a sense of responsibility. These should be light and handy so they don’t take up too much space, yet they’ll only be used while on the road and not necessarily when you arrive at your destination.

Plan Your Route Well

Last but not least, plan your route out in advance so that you can have a good idea of what to expect on your drive. This should have enough rest stops along the way for your family to stretch and use the washroom if they need to. Remember that people who log the most physical activity may have a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease by an impressive 60%. That said, try to balance out the time that your family spends sitting down with ample time to move around.

Keep these tips in mind when planning to go on a long drive with children. You may just be surprised that it’s actually possible to keep your children in control while in the car. They’ll be happy with the experience as well, so everyone wins.

How to Travel with a Kid Who Isn’t a Great Traveler

October 20, 2022 | Leave a Comment

My husband and I love to travel. Neither of us traveled much during childhood, so we want to share the world with our kids. However, we’ve had to figure out how to travel with a kid who isn’t a great traveler because one of our children dislikes traveling. This child has always struggled with travel, and while we respect that, we don’t want to stop traveling because we feel it’s an integral part of the life experience we want to cultivate for our kids.

How to Travel with a Kid Who Isn’t a Great Traveler

Our child, who I will identify in this post as “Blair,” has struggled with traveling since the toddler years, so this isn’t a new phenomenon. However, we’ve learned these tricks to make travel better.

For Younger Kids

Take Breaks

When we traveled when Blair was younger, we scheduled plenty of breaks. While driving, we’d stop every hour or two, ideally at a rest area or restaurant with a playground.

When we were at our destination, we planned one event per day. The rest of the day was downtime. For instance, we went to Boston when Blair was a preschooler. There was so much I wanted to see and do, but we just did one activity per day. We went to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum and then returned to the hotel so Blair could watch some favorite kids’ shows and relax. Even though we didn’t get to go to as many destinations as I would have liked, Blair still remembers throwing the crates of tea off the ship.

Bring Travel Diversions

We usually travel by car, so I started packing travel diversions when the kids were little. Before the trip, I would buy small activities and trinkets like a water coloring book or a fidget spinner. Then, I would wrap the item, and the kids could open it once we reached a predetermined destination. So, the package would have a label, “Effingham, Illinois,” and the kids could open the package when we drove through Effingham. This gave them something to look forward to, and then the activity occupied them for some of the ride.

See Child-Friendly Sites

When you’re traveling with the preschool set, you won’t be able to see all of the destinations you’d prefer as an adult. Instead, know that you’ll have to include many child-friendly sites and activities. For our Boston trip, Blair remembers throwing the boxes of tea off the ship and the costumed interpreters throughout the city.

Remember, your kids are only little once. As they get older, you can visit attractions designed for tweens, teens, and adults.

Bring Lots of Snacks

Two things make kids this age cranky—lack of sleep and lack of food. We always bring abundant snacks to combat the latter. We have car snacks, which is especially important if you’re traveling in a deserted area without many food options. When we’re at our destinations and seeing sites, I always put snacks and bottled water in my backpack because a child will get hungry, even if we’re only out for two or three hours. My kids are all teens now, and we still carry ample snacks when traveling

For Older Kids

Once our kids got older, they needed fewer breaks on the road trip, so we were able to travel faster. However, I continued to bring travel diversions for them. We also used these techniques.

Create a Travel Map

Using Google Maps, I printed out our entire route for each trip. I put the maps in a transparent cover and give the kids dry-erase markers. They can mark our route as we go and see exactly where we are and when they get to open their road trip surprise (yes, I pack surprises for the kids to open at specific destinations even into their teens!).

Give Them a Say in the Trip

I would be happy visiting museums, historic houses, and living history museums everywhere we go. Some of my kids, not so much. Instead, now that they’re older, we let them each determine at least one activity we’ll do during the trip.

For instance, we recently went to Philadelphia, and one of our kids wanted to go mini-golfing. Since we could have gone mini-golfing anywhere, that wouldn’t have been my choice in a vacation destination. But we did it, and this child had a great time. Mini-golfing was one of the highlights of the trip for her. My other daughter picked visiting The Franklin Institute, which, again, I would not have chosen, but we had a good time, and that destination was another highlight of our trip.

Give Them a Digital Camera

If you have the means, give each child a digital camera. They can take pictures of the sites you’re seeing and make albums of the trip. They can also have fun taking silly pictures of themselves or one another.

Spring for Extra Space

If you travel with a kid who isn’t a good traveler, is that child an introvert? My guess is yes. Blair is an introvert and, like most introverts, needs time to unwind and recharge alone. Unfortunately, that can be tough to do when sharing a hotel room.

If you can, consider paying for extra space. For instance, instead of booking a hotel room, book a vacation rental by owner. If each child can get their own room, the reluctant traveler can have time to recharge and unwind alone. For Blair, part of the travel struggle is spending all day, every day of the vacation with family with no personal space. Larger accommodations can solve this problem.

Final Thoughts

You may consider abandoning travel with a kid who isn’t a great traveler, but remember all of the benefits that come from traveling—seeing new locations, how other people live, and learning living history. Rather than abandon traveling until your child grows up, try some of these techniques to make your next trip smoother.

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Melissa Batai

Simple Ways to Create Memories with Your Kids

September 22, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Sometimes when your kids are little, every day might seem so LONG. The kids have endless needs you have to meet, and they might fuss, cry, or have tantrums. However, smiling older women look at you in the store and compliment your beautiful family and reminisce about their now-grown children. People tell you, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Yet, while you try to enjoy the days, sometimes you struggle. As your kids grow older (and it happens so quickly!), you realize that the time you have with them is fleeting, and you want to create memories with them. Here are some suggestions to do just that.

Simple Ways to Create Memories with Your Kids

Creating memories with your kids doesn’t have to be expensive. You simply need to spend your undivided time with them.

Actively Watch Their Sports

How often have you gone to kids’ sporting events and seen parents not watching the game but instead giving all of their attention to their smartphones? Put the phone aside and watch your kids. They notice, and they’ll appreciate that you spend time on them, not on the internet.

Have a Dedicated Movie Night

One fun family tradition is to have a dedicated movie time. In our family, we watch a movie on Sunday afternoon. This activity may not seem like much, but your kids will likely enjoy this tradition and remember it fondly when looking back on their childhoods.

Play Board Games

Likewise, you can have a family game night. Or, if you can’t play board games with the family that often, make a habit of playing a board game with your child at least once every two weeks. Your kids will enjoy playing the game and the time you gave them.

Read Aloud to Them

This family tradition is best started when your kids are young, though you can begin any time they’re in elementary school. When my kids were babies, I started reading aloud to them, and we never stopped. My younger kids are now 13 and 12, and I still read aloud to them every day. I’m sure this is one activity they’ll cherish and hopefully repeat with their children.

Have a Yes Day

Too often, we parents say no because it’s more convenient than saying yes. Challenge yourself to say yes one day and see how different the day will be. “Mom, can we go to the park?” Yes. “Can I bake a cake?” Yes. If the activity the children propose isn’t dangerous or out of your budget, try saying yes and see what happens.

Take Them on Vacation

Finally, if you have the means, take your children on vacation. Getting out of your element and exploring new places leads to family bonding, especially when you reminisce about your adventures years later.

Final Thoughts

Kids grow up too quickly. The older women in the stores are right—the days are long, but the years are short. Cherish the time you have by utilizing simple ways to create memories with your kids. You’ll be glad you did.

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Melissa Batai

How Video Games Can Actually Help Your Child’s Social Skills

August 25, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Video games have a bad reputation in society. People tend to associate players with lazy nerds who haven’t showered in days. Video games get blamed for the violence. Adults are seen as losers for enjoying their hobbies. Everyone is always trashing video games just because. However, video games can actually benefit the players in the long run. Did you know that a family can become closer when they play together? Believe it or not, video games can actually help a young player with building their social skills.

Child Players Can Find Common Interests

Not every child is a social butterfly. Some children are shy and would rather keep to themselves. It is not a good idea to force them to be social against their will. That can be really hard, especially when they are going through puberty. In the eyes of Texas law, a minor is aged from 10 years old to 17. One way you can help your kids make friends is to let them play video games. The easiest way to connect with people is to have common interests. Hobbies are the quickest way to do that. If your child plays games like Zelda or Donkey Kong, they will more than likely come across another kid who plays those games as well. From there, the children will have something to talk about. Maybe then, a relationship of some sort can be formed.

Child Players Can Build a Community

Video games have countless fanbases. It is not hard to find more than two people who are die-hard fans of a game. Even the Minecraft population keeps smashing new records every year. A new report shows that 400 million of the 600 million active players come from China alone. As stated before, your child will connect with others on and offline with other players. Some games have to be played with others. In these types of games, players have to learn how to work with others and practice teamwork. Children can even form another family in the game and in real life. Especially in the pandemic, children and adults found solace in their video game communities. A child needs a tribe to grow and develop. Video games are a modern way to do that.

Child Players Can Develop Problem-Solving Skills

Video games actually do have value in the real world.

Recent studies on screen time and child development have shown that children engaged in screen time are actually more likely to have better levels of social and emotional well-being than non-users.

They can help a child develop problem-solving skills. Not every video game has to be about shooting and killing things. Puzzles in video games are a good way to help a child use their brain to help them think about how to solve the game. Now, puzzles can be frustrating depending on the difficulty level. Some kids might give up when they find it too hard, while others will learn to keep trying until they solve it. Their skills in solving puzzles in games will transfer well to solving problems in the real world.

Another example of video games helping with problem-solving is real-life simulations. Games like The Sims and Animal Crossing put the player in a world where they have to create a family, get jobs, build relationships, etc. You are put in the position of making choices for your characters. Speaking of which, there are some games where the child’s choices will affect the outcome of the story and gameplay. They are going to have to learn how to make the right choices in their games.

People are not meant to be alone. Up to 63% of the human race have moved to a new community at least once or twice in their lives. Meanwhile, the remaining 37% will never leave their hometowns. That alone is enough to drive anyone crazy. Video games can help a child try and be a little bit more social. They can become a family activity. Video games don’t have to be a bad thing. They can actually do good for the world.

5 Ways We Inspire a Love of Reading in Our Kids

August 14, 2022 | Leave a Comment

As a child, one of my favorite activities was reading. This love of reading and later, writing, helped lead me to major in English in college, become a college English instructor, and learn more about the world than I ever could have without books. Because books enriched my life so heavily, when I had kids, I wanted them to love reading as much as I did. Luckily, most of them do. We inspire a love of reading in our kids using the following methods.

How We Inspire a Love of Reading in Our Kids

To help your kids fall in love with books and reading, you need to immerse them in the reading world.

Read Aloud to Them

From the time our kids were born, we read aloud to them. At first, we started with short board books like Goodnight Moon and The Going to Bed Book. (At this stage, don’t be surprised or annoyed if your child asks you to read the same book over, and over, and over again!) Then we expanded into longer stories until we were reading our kids chapter books when they were in preschool. I continued reading to them all through middle school.

Have a Home Library

To foster a love of reading, surround your kids with books. We always had bookshelves filled with books the kids could look through when they were little and read when they started school.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this. For example, we picked up most of our kids’ books at garage sales for 10 cents or less.

Take Them to Library Activities

The public library is a wonderful resource that we utilize frequently. We started by bringing our kids to the library to pick out their books and to join in on story hour. Because of these early experiences, our kids always associated the library with fun.

Participate in Reading Rewards Programs

In the summer, sign your kids up for reading rewards programs. For example, Pizza Hut has the Book It program. Your public library likely has a reading program, too. Our son was one of the top readers one summer in elementary school, so he got to join the other top readers for a bowling and pizza excursion compliments of the library. He still talks about how much fun that was.

Let Them See You Read

Kids learn best by watching your actions. You can tell them that reading is fun, but if they don’t ever see you reading, you’re not reinforcing that lesson. My kids see me read books and hear me listen to audiobooks in the car. I love to read, and they see me regularly taking time to do so.

Final Thoughts

We inspire a love of reading in our kids, which was one of the best things we could do. Today, they still read for fun and recreation, enjoy learning, and have an exceptional vocabulary.

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Melissa Batai

Should Your Family Invest in a Vacation Property?

July 13, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Planning for a vacation can be a hectic process. Besides finding a destination, you need an accommodation facility that will give you a pleasant experience. The availability of vacation properties creates an avenue to meet your needs. You can rent the property for the few days or weeks you are on vacation, but the costs can increase. So, why not invest in and own vacation property? This guide explains why your family should invest in a vacation property.

Your Getaway

For starters, you want to invest in a vacation property for your interests. You find it easy to go on vacation without worrying about accommodation. Finding and using the right place to stay with your loved ones throughout the vacation can be hectic. The case differs for investing in a vacation property. You get your getaway without thinking about the related costs. You can conveniently use the place for special events, including parties, get-togethers, and birthdays. You can also consider timeshares with other investors and make the place more lively and productive. Did you know that the number of families that own timeshares across the country is more than 9.9 million? Investing in a vacation property and including timeshares helps meet your expectations faster.

Income Generation

Understand that going on vacation means getting ready to spend considerably in the process. But why spend more on accommodation when you can generate income instead? Investing in a vacation property is an avenue to generate income as a family. Whenever you are not using the property, you can lease or rent it to other people on vacation. They pay the accommodation fees and use the facility for their needs. You become an Airbnb host and multiply your family’s income. The more guests you have on your vacation property, the higher the income. Ensure you market and advertise your place properly to attract more guests.

A Reliable Retirement Plan

Besides the fun that comes with vacation properties, you get a reliable retirement plan as the owner. Investing in business ensures your family’s financial future, proper healthcare, and a platform to handle emergencies. Like other investment opportunities, you get a sustainable financial shot from which your future generation will benefit. As time passes, converting the property into a retirement home is also an option. You only need to handle the repair and maintenance needs and convert the place to suit your needs. Air leaks, roof damage, and plumbing issues are among the repair needs you must handle. According to the United States Department of Energy, allowing air leaks around your windows and doors can add 10% onto your energy bill. Seek professional guidance and services to create a suitable retirement home.

Builds Equity and Wealth

At first, you will only have a vacation property for your guests and family’s needs, but you build equity and wealth in the long run. The more you buy and invest in a vacation property, the easier it is to build wealth. You join a network of investors and get a platform that helps you know the value of real estate holdings. The vacation property you invest in becomes a legacy that you and your loved ones will benefit from and cherish. The income you generate also allows you to consider other investment opportunities in the market besides vacation properties. When you build equity and wealth, other investors and potential shareholders find you attractive.

Tax Advantages

By investing in a vacation property, you essentially buy a small business. While, at some point, you and your loved ones will stay and operate in it, it is still a business. You reap from your investment because you run it as a business. Tax deductions are among the benefits that come with vacation property investment. Apart from the structure that makes the vacation property, you enjoy a tax advantage on other things, including the vehicles you operate. You enjoy a suitable tax advantage for every mile you travel using vehicles for your business. Collectively in America, vehicles travel trillions of miles every month. This tax advantage, therefore, is beneficial to your business.

The decision to invest in a vacation property as a family comes with several benefits. Learning ways to make your business a success and enjoying the related benefits is crucial. Reading more and seeking guidance, as explained above, is therefore helpful.

4 Road Trip Tips When Traveling with Tweens

June 23, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Eight years ago, we moved from Chicago, Illinois to Tucson, Arizona. We still had family in Michigan, so we have made the road trip across 1,900 miles one way to visit family six times now. When we made the first trip, our kids were 10, 5, and 4. Our most recent trip was just a few weeks ago, and the kids are 18, 13, and 12. Traveling with them now is much easier, but regardless, the trip is a long one. We’ve learned many road trip tips when traveling with tweens. If you’re traveling with kids in the eight to 12-year-old age range, these tips may help your family survive a long road trip.

Road Trip Tips When Traveling with Tweens

Tweens are easier to travel with than younger kids, but they still can get bored quickly. Try these tips to make the trip go faster.

Make Maps for Them

I mapped out our route on Google Maps, magnified it, and printed it out. Then, I made binders for each kid with the seven pages showing the route. I put the pages in plastic page protectors and gave the kids dry erase markers. They marked on the pages as we passed areas, so they could see how much progress we had made and how much more we had to go. I also marked where we were stopping each night to make the three-day trip seem less daunting.

Have Them Pick a Fun Activity

Before we left, each child researched the route and found one fun thing they wanted to do. Our favorite activity that a child picked was Cadillac Ranch in Texas. We brought along some spray paint and joined others in spray painting the upside-down cars planted in the ground. When we have driven by later, other times we are making the trip, the kids still talk about the fun they had and how weird the attraction is.

Pack Food. . .and More Food

Tweens are hungry most of the time, especially on a road trip. We pack sandwiches and chips for lunch, but we also pack A LOT of snacks. Popular snacks include beef jerky, pretzels, granola bars, squeezable apple sauce, squeezable pudding, and fruit. Make sure the kids can easily access the snacks.

Limit Stops

Our drive is so long that it takes us 10 to 12 hours of driving each day to get to Michigan in three days. Add in a fun stop, and there’s not much time for anything else.

When we stop for gas, we also use the restrooms and get out our sandwiches, if it’s lunchtime. When we combine all of our stops in one, we only stop for 10 or 15 minutes before we’re on the road again for another three to four hours. We have found Love’s Travel Centers have the cleanest restrooms.

Final Thoughts

Traveling with tweens is less stressful than traveling with younger kids, but they can still get bored and antsy on long road trips. Use these road trip tips when traveling with tweens for a smoother, more entertaining drive.

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