We had a staycation with our adult children and their families. It was so much fun, we want to do it annually.

• One of our sons asked if he could camp in our yard during his kids’ swimming lessons.
• He was hesitant to ask since we already had a temporary houseful.
• Turns out that hosting everyone at our place allowed for more flexibility.

I used to think the term staycation was overused and overrated since the pandemic. I was wrong.

In June, my son and daughter-in-law asked us if they could park a camper in our yard during their sons’ swimming lessons. They were hesitant to ask, as we had been temporarily housing our other son and his family for almost a year. They were afraid it would be too much for us, but we immediately accepted since we had no plans of our own anyway.

We hoped it would give the family time to reconnect as a whole and give the kids a chance to have fun with their cousins all week. We were right on both counts.

A yearly family get-together had been in discussion for years

I had always hoped to start an annual family getaway. We discussed it many times, thinking it should be easy enough to organize since we live within an hour’s distance of each other. However, our four households’ conflicting schedules mean that we can rarely be together at the same time. The pandemic, weddings, pregnancies, and babies created obstacles to commitment. So we kept putting it off, year after year, hoping a better time would come. When our daughter-in-law pitched the staycation idea, we jumped at the chance.

They had the best of both worlds, enjoying the camper experience while having access to the house for meals and showering. The fact that the kids entertained each other and were still young enough to take naps gave the adults some respite. Some weren’t able to get time off work, but we still had plenty of time to connect at various times during the week. In fact, everyone kept up with their own activities and commitments.

Planning started with food

We started strong by kicking it off with a steak supper celebrating our camping son’s 33rd birthday. Birthday suppers in our family mean including that person’s favorite foods. Everyone contributed to a simple meal plan for the week, which maximized on taste with minimal prep. We feasted on mains like ham, perogy casserole, smokies, and hot dogs, sided by quick, tasty salads, culminating with homemade pizza on Friday night. An assortment of homemade grab-and-go snacks, as well as special treats, eliminated the ‘hangries’. Having more adults around meant more hands in the kitchen and more eyes to look after the kids. The effort felt supportive rather than overwhelming.

Breakfasts were more relaxed, with people getting up at different times and making their own, but we did manage to host a pancake breakfast and serve bacon and eggs a few times. We gorged on field-picked strawberries at every meal. When the heat was bearable, we dined on our deck overlooking a lush valley, a quiet little creek, and friendly birds.

Boredom-fighting activities for the kids are a must

Day two was Canada Day, so our third son had the day off and joined us with his 1-year-old. The all-boys crew of five proudly wore matching red T-shirts printed with a white maple leaf. The weather was sweltering, so we set up a 30-foot inflatable slip ‘n slide that we had gotten for the occasion. Needless to say, it was a hit. The kids also blasted each other with refillable silicone water balloons while the adults and babies chilled and chatted in the breezy shade.

We left simple outdoor games and toys ready and waiting for the kids. This gave them options to change activities on a whim without getting bored. We had kites, bubbles, lawn darts (the safe ones!), soccer balls, Frisbee, and an assortment of outdoor toys. We also took bike rides and walks, discovering a trail with a covered bridge we had not yet explored, searching for frogs and snakes.

The night of our first campfire, we had the good luck of having a thunderstorm blow through. Safely sheltered in the garage, we were awed by an amazing sound and light show. The kids squealed at each streak of lightning and boom of thunder as the rain pelted down. After the danger had passed, the kids ran in and out of the rain as it petered out. Then, in sudden calm appeared a movie-magic sparkling rainbow. In less than half an hour, we were sitting around the fire, relaxing and making s’mores, still dazed by the spectacle. The following evenings, we switched it up with campfires, took the kids to the pool, to the park, or just played in the yard. Exhausted at the end of the week, we cuddled on the couch watching Bluey before bedtime.

On the last day, we turned the frowns upside down by heading off to the pool together, cheering on as the little ones earned their swimming badges. On Saturday morning, tired and deflated, with a feeling that it was already over, they pulled out the camper just after lunch. But not before vowing to do it all over again annually. By next year, our eldest son’s family will have moved into their new home. Since they’ll only be 10 minutes away, we’ll be able to spend plenty of time together and have sleepovers with the kids. The three-bedroom basement will be free for the other two sons and their families if they wish to stay inside rather than borrow a camper.

Since their workplaces are within commuting distance, they can also choose to take time off work or just join us afterward. Either way, we will have plenty of time to enjoy together.

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