Family Focus

"A Mom's Dream Vacation"

by Grace Fox
B.C. Christian News' Island Insight, May 2007

A recent survey conducted by yours truly asked the question, "What does a mother's dream vacation look like?" The answer came back, "Anything that keeps the kids entertained and doesn't involve cooking." Granted, I surveyed only one woman - yours truly - but I suspect that many members of motherhood worldwide would give the same answer.

So what options meet those criteria? Those who like luxury might sign up for a cruise to Alaska or through the Caribbean. While the kids romp in programs designed especially for their age level, moms can suntan on the deck or read a book blissfully undisturbed. As for cooking on a cruise - that's the chef's job, and Mom is oh-so-grateful to be on the receiving end of his culinary skills. Sounds like a great option, at least for those whose bank accounts can support such a vacation. But what about the rest of us?

Most moms would agree that luxury isn't necessary for a dream vacation. We simply want a break from everyday responsibilities without breaking our budget. That's where family camp enters the picture. Luxurious, it's not. But refreshing, fulfilling, and affordable, it is.

Attending family camp for six days each summer was our favorite tradition when the kids were young. From my perspective as a mother of three busy kids, getting up at 4 a.m. and driving all day to reach our destination was a small sacrifice to pay in exchange for the respite waiting at the journey's end. Minus my daily household chores and other responsibilities, I could simply relax and have fun with my kids.

Sometimes that meant painting plaster mottoes together in the craft shop. Sometimes we piled into a canoe and paddled to a wee island in the camp's harbour. We filled our afternoons with horseback riding on trails through the woods, shooting arrows in the archery range, and pinging pop cans with pellet guns. Each day ended with our favorite part - a fireside filled with silly skits and camp songs.

Daily activities entertained my children, and I enjoyed the break from cooking three meals a day. As far as I was concerned, the criteria for a mother's dream vacation had been met. But there was an added bonus: spiritual input.

Every morning, the family campers met for chapel with a guest speaker. We sang a chorus or two and heard a children's story before splitting into age-appropriate groups. Our kids listened as college students told Bible stories and applied the lessons to real life. The truths my husband and I were trying to teach at home assumed new value when reinforced by these passionate college kids considered "cool" by the younger set. And the new choruses became favorites that we later sang for relatives at family reunions and for friends at Sunday school picnics.

Yes, family camp was a dream vacation for me, the mom. Judging by the smiles on the faces of countless other mothers, it held the same esteem for them, too - especially for those who were single. Where else could they escape kitchen duty for a week, ensure safe and fun activities for each child, absorb Biblical teaching, and relax over a cup of coffee while visiting with other women?

Our kids are grown and gone now, and attending family camp is only a treasured memory - one I hope to resurrect when the grandkids come along. But for families with kids still living at home, it could be the answer to your vacation dreams... or at least to Mom's.

Visit www.christiancamps.ca for more information.

Grace Fox is a popular international speaker living in B.C. Her latest devotional book, 10-Minute Time Outs for You and Your Kids is available at bookstores nationwide.