The family that plays together, stays together.

Ahhh… family vacations… we hadn’t taken one since the start of the pandemic. February 2020, to be exact. Although we’ve spent (almost) all of our time together in these past 18+ months—and much of that time has been relatively isolated—a family vacation was the perfect reset.

Last week, we had the opportunity to explore the Okanagan Valley in BC. We intentionally planned this time away to connect through play and escape the seriousness of what it felt like our lives had become. It was a chance to reflect and reprioritize, which we desperately needed.

Our daughter is only three, so COVID protocols aren’t the “new normal” but a normal part of life. And because she’s not in childcare, we are her entire world—her parents and her playmates. We make time every day to get down on our hands and knees to play toys or imagination games. But there’s a difference between fully engaging in her play and just playing the part.

We all operate on autopilot at times, whether at work, at home, or in our relationships with our spouses and kids. Being together 24/7 for months has triggered survival mode in many of us, and autopilot is an easy default.

I don’t know if absence makes the heart grow fonder, but independence is essential for growth, and growth allows us to thrive. Our family has been so focused on surviving this past year that we’ve lost track of where we could be thriving individually.

Escaping from our daily routine allowed us to reconnect and fully engage with each other again. Honestly, it’s something we should’ve been able to do at home—to make time for each other and engage through play—but this time, it took a complete reset to realize that we haven’t been living to our fullest potential.

Lately, a lot of attention has been directed toward habits. Habits can be either good or bad. Of course, routines create stability through predictability, which is excellent for brain development in young children and is something that adults find comfort in. However, spontaneity and adventure are also crucial for learning and growth. Struggle makes us resilient, and facing challenges makes us stronger.

Our family vacation challenged our routine and offered us adventure and a reset. While some games and activities were still met with resistance, we all experienced growth, individually and as a family.