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Show Souvenir Edition The Kanab Area Vacation Guide 5 Traveling with kids... or the "Are we there yet blues?" By Dixie Brunner We all want it Its part of the American Dream. You work real hard all year, so youll be able to afford to take a vacation with the Tam. But to be perfectly honest, family vacations are a mixed blessing. Vacation time is meant to be and relaxing. Anyone who spends seven days, k with the kids... or their spouse for that matter, knows low-stre- ss round-the-cloc- theres little relaxation involved. Mom, are we there yet? whines child, in a fingemails-on-the-chalkboa- rd voice. No honey. How much farther? One mile less than the last time you asked. What time will we get there? Not soon enough, mutters mom under breath. When you analyze the family vacation, youll discover there are a number of factors flying in the face of its enjoyment. Basically, youre spending time shut in a small metal cyclinder with three or four people that you normally dont spend much time with. Youre strangers so to speak, and the first couple of days can be an awkward, getting acquainted period. So Bryan, says dad to son in back seat, how do you like being in middle school? What dad? I cant hear you, responds kid with headphones. Im listening to Sound Garden. I said, dad shouts, how do you like middle school? It was fine, dad. But Im a sophomore now. Theres another problem which seems to be exclusive to younger children. Their plumbing works overtime. Its akin to the Pavlovs dogs theory. Kids are placed in a car, and instead of salivating, they have to use the restroom. The keys turning in the ignition provides some kind of weird bladder trigger. Ive gotta go to the bathroom. You just went five miles ago. But I really have to go. You cant possibly need to go again. You can hold it. Im going to have a accident if car-traveli- ng you dont stop. Show me a parent that can call their bluff, and Ill show you one with more fortitude than I possess. Lets face it, when youre trav- eling with your family, youre dealing with a number of different likes, dislikes and interests. Trying to keep everybody happy is challenging. Hey kids, says dad with enthusiasm, only 20 more miles until we get to the largest ball of twine in the northern hemisphere! Imagine that, says teenage daughter sarcastically. Dad, why cant we go to the Forum and see the Pearl Jam concert? Yeah, like mom and dad rqally want to do the family vacation bonding thing at a heavy metal concert, retorts puberty boy. Why dont we go watch a baseball game? 1 want to go to the mall, adds mom. My husband and I have a longstanding feud when traveling over who gets to drive, and who has to be car sheriff. The challenge of negotiating rough mountain terrain and hairpin curves is nothing compared to keeping law and order in the family vacation vehicle. Space is a key in maintaining travel tranquility. You always have more stuff than you have room for. Honey, I think youre going to have to leave the clubs behind, I say watching dubiously, as he packs, crams and shoves an inordinate amount of things into our small traveling space. No way, he says with determination. Gina, how would you like to ride up on the luggage rack? Youd be able to see a lot. But most of us will defend the family vacation to the end. They provide a special time to be with the people you love the most. You can enjoy good conversation and activities, that you wouldnt normally get the opportunity to have together. Its a time to make each family member feel loved and needed. Mom, we forgot Joe back at that last gas station, announces brother. We could just leave him, he was acting like a real jerk. After all, family vacations are what memories are made of. Read Dixie Brunners award winning column Domestic Blitz every week in the Southern Utah News. " . Discover tine Power off 1 111 1952 was the first year that we began serving the real estate needs of Kanab. Today, with the largest dedicated sales force in Kanab, CENTURY 21 Frontier Realty serves more people annually than any other real estate office in the area. With over 100 years of combined real estate experience on , staff, and hundreds of satisfied ... customers, CENTURY 21 Frontier Realty is qualified and ready to help you with any of your real estate needs. is&flUy When your plans call for the experience of a real estate professional, call CENTURY 21 Frontier Realty and Discover the Power ofl, CENTURY 21. (801) 644-210- 0 CENTURY 21 Frontier Realty 7 West Center P.O. Box 299 Kanab, Utah 84741 |