Family Vacation Anticipation: Goggles vs. Underwear

Seven adults and eight children, all under one roof.

That’s what’s in store as we head to Truro for our annual Cape vacation on Saturday. We’ll spend a week with my two sisters, their husbands and children, and my mom. Can you say PAR-TAY?

It’s easy to tell by the numerous lists, the suitcases down from the attic and the heavily packed beach bags that the Shummys have got vacation anticipation!

While the grownups are busy alerting the alarm company, finding matching flip-flops and making sure the cat will be fed, the kids are handling things much differently.

The innocence of a child is prominently displayed when preparing for a family vacation. Our kids are looking forward to swimming, time with the cousins, staying up late – and oh yeah, more swimming. They aren’t focused on what is left behind as we pull out of the driveway and whether or not that carton of unfinished milk will go bad in the fridge. Quite frankly, they aren’t even checking the weather to see how warm it will be at the beach. Their main goal – and it’s paramount to them – is that they remember their goggles.

Ah, vacation through the eyes of a child. I don’t know at what age things change and they drop that “let’s play!” attitude and focus on real responsibilities. Goggles notwithstanding, I’m actually OK with the kids leaving the packing and planning to us, because this time in their life is so short.

For now, at least, I’m happy to handle “the boring stuff.” Truth be told, I actually enjoy it. The lists of what to bring (which are organized into sub-lists of things we own and things we need to buy) are ready to be checked against items packed.

The menu for Thursday night – when the Shumways cook dinner for all 15 vacationing family members – has been locked down and a food shopping list ready to roll. Beach toys, sunscreen, bathing suits and towels are by the back door and easy to grab.

Yes, folks: I’m proud to let my nerd flag fly. I’ll admit it, without a good list, I’m lost.

And it’s because of these lists that Ben and Georgia (and someday Quinn) will be allowed to focus on the important parts of the vacation (swimming) and leave the “unimportant” ones (packing seven pairs of clean underwear) to the grownups.

They’ll play games and swim and eat more hot dogs in a week than they will all summer. They’ll horse around with their aunts and uncles, pick blueberries with their grandmother and whisper in bed with their cousins long after the light is turned off. Vacation, for a kid, should be all about that – and nothing else.

As long as they remember their goggles.