Ask the Experts

HOW TO GET YOUR KIDS EXCITED ABOUT A FAMILY TRIP
By Prospero

Every parent knows the sound of a whiny kid on the morning of a family vacation.

My daughter was a complete pain in the ass when we left for a last-minute boat ride after I was exiled from my kingdom. I explained to her that we had no choice in the matter and might as well make the best of it. But was she flexible? No. She just cried about missing her regular afternoon playdate and the trip to Build-a-Bear I had promised.

So there we were, on the damn boat, me thinking “What a selfish daughter I have!” Then I had an idea.

Remember that adorable movie Life is Beautiful? Well, I said to myself, why shouldn’t we turn the experience of persecution into a fun little game?

I told my daughter that we were on a cruise to a mysterious island. Later, I convinced her that we were living in a video game and the person who destroyed the most stuff was the biggest winner. The best, though, was the story about how we were the “bosses” of all the stupid “employees” on the island, and it was our job to teach them how to behave.

Do you see what I mean? Sometimes all you need to be a good parent is a great imagination.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!