Adventures Ahead

I still remember counting down the number of “sleeps” until vacation as a kid – whether it was vacation from school or a planned family trip – the anticipation of something new and different was always exciting for me.

I was the oldest of 5 kids. There was not a ton of discretionary money left over for things like trips involving airfare or long hotel stays but my parents valued getting away as a family. They sometimes had to get creative but they always found a way to give us (and them) a special experience. Whether it was a week at the beach, a road trip to check out random land marks or taking advantage of the adventures in our greater backyard (the DC Metro area), they made the preparation for the trip an adventure. Everything from coming up with ideas for what to do on vacation to playing the License Plate Game on these epics road trips became part of the experience we looked forward to. Not everything was perfect. There were melt downs. There were hotel rooms a little too small for all of us. There were disappointments that we could not do everything that we wanted. There were however so many laughs, so many bonding moments, so many experiences. We had fun. We were challenged. We learned how to adapt. We saw places that we learned about in our textbooks. We discovered new interests. We saw people and things that were different than our normal day to day life. We worked together.

As an adult and as a parent now, my world is bigger and more accessible because of what my parents did for me. Today, global travel and local adventures are a big part of my family’s life. Every trip is different. With three little kids, we have had to get creative with how to make our adventures work logistically and financially. Sometimes tough decisions have to be made.

Whatever you decide to do this year, make it your own experience but also make it a family experience. Center it on what matters most to you and have fun!

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor.  Fixed insurance products and services offered by Concentric Private Wealth®.

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Advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Registered Investment Advisor.