Aug 10
18
We just got back from our vacation to visit family in the UK. Before going for a holiday I always have ambitious plans to relax with a list of books to read or things I would like to do as a way to catch up with myself. But these things never get done, because as anyone with kids would know, when you are on a family vacation you are really NOT on holiday! 
But somehow I keep forgetting this fact. So over the last two weeks, I was reminded again.
Our daughter celebrated her 5th birthday with her grandparents, uncles and aunties whom we do not see often and she was clearly delighted. Then one thing led to another for the birthday girl, from a trip over the kitchen door (toe nail broke) to a wasp sting (non-poisonous) leading to an hour of non-stop dramatic crying, to two days later coming down with a viral flu infection in her throat. This meant she was out of action for about 5 days. She could not eat and was floppy most of the time, she was tired as she hardly slept due to coughing leading to vomiting. This also meant that mummy and daddy did not sleep either, though daddy got a better deal as kids in general are more clingy to mums when they are ill. So 5 nights without sleep and then we hopped on the plane to come home. No easy ride — 13 hours on the plane with a grumpy and coughing child!
So my new resolution is to REMEMBER that a family vacation is not a holiday. It is just a break away from our usual routine. Just something different to do for two weeks.
In all of these, I focused on how all that was happening would make a great story to tell one day 
and I continued to BREATHE! (see previous article on breathing). Challenging and rough as they were there were many funny moments too that only laughing would make things better. I read somewhere that laughing yoga is really catching on and I think they have got a good thing going. Laughter does make a big difference and is a real antidote for de-stressing especially when the mind is foggy from tiredness.
So to all you mums and dads out there, go for your family vacation and spend time together and have a wonderful holiday laughing and breathing
© 2010 Shamala Tan
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Shamala Tan, expert Holistic Life Coach is the founder of Think Right Feel Good™ Program, the step by step system that shows you how to live a better and stress free life. The system teaches you how to manage your stress levels through Right Thinking. Hundreds have benefited from this system and many are praising the system of how they are living more fulfilling lives and experiencing new levels of freedom within themselves. Get your FREE weekly tips and articles on how to further and dramatically change your life for the better, visit www.thinkrightfeelgood.com
