Want your kids to remember this vacation for all the right reasons?
Every father wants to provide his family with an unforgettable experience. You know, the kind of family vacation that leads to:
- Stronger family bonds
- Memories that last a lifetime
Here’s the problem:
Your phone rings as well. It demands your attention all day long.
A Pew Research study showed that 65% of parents admit they spend too much time on their smartphone. Then you don’t just shut it off when you get to the airport…
Your kids don’t need a perfect trip. They need you.
This guide unpacks easy strategies to put your phone down, pack light and truly be present for your family.
Ready? Jump in!
What’s inside this guide:
- Why Dads Find It So Hard To Unplug
- Family Vacation Essentials That Free Up Your Hands
- 5x Ways To Be A Present Dad On Vacation
- What Showing Up Really Looks Like
Why Dads Find It So Hard To Unplug
Be honest for a second…
Dads don’t expect to sit behind a screen all holiday. It just creeps up on them. One “quick” email turns into 10. One quick scroll turns into 30 mins on the sun lounger.
And work is the biggest culprit.
In a recent survey conducted, 62% of workers checked in with work emails, calls or texts while on their last vacation. Nearly 1 in 3 workers even admitted sneaking off to work without their travel companions knowing.
Think about that.
Your children are making sandcastles… and you’re responding to an email that could easily have waited until Monday.
Listen: Kids see. They see you pretending to listen but not hearing them. They see you lose to your phone.
Family Vacation Essentials That Free Up Your Hands.
Being present starts before you even leave home.
Trying to hold hands full of bags, car seats and snacks with kids in tow can be overwhelming. That’s why grabbing the phone can become such a relief. The proper family travel gear can help you eliminate stress and focus on enjoying time with your family. Heading to a theme park with toddlers? Booking an Orlando stroller rental prior to arrival means less bulky equipment through security and the airport and more free hands to hold your little ones.
Pretty simple, right?
Here are a few more family vacation essentials worth packing:
- A cheap digital camera (so the phone can stay in the bag)
- A small notebook for writing down funny moments
- Card games or travel-sized board games
- A paper map so the kids can “navigate”
Less gear = less stress. Less stress = less scrolling.
5x Ways To Be A Present Dad On Vacation
Now for the fun part. These are easy habits that any dad can begin on day one. Choose a few, practice them and observe how your children react.
Set A Phone “Curfew”
Establish times when the phone comes out. Such as 15 minutes in the morning with coffee and 15 minutes after kids go to bed.
Where does the rest of the day go? Hideaway safe or the bottom of the beach bag.
Sounds crazy doesn’t it? But after a day or two you begin to feel like a huge burden has been lifted from your back.
Let the kids know about the rule as well. Kids LOVE holding dad accountable. Assign them the responsibility of “phone police”. They will take that ROLE seriously!
Give Work A Hard Stop
Before you go, establish a clear and rock-hard out-of-office message. Designate who the team should call in case of emergency (and what qualifies as emergency).
Then delete the email app from your phone for the week.
Yes, really.
Afraid something bad will happen? Check email once per day at the same time for no more than 10 minutes. Done. If you take longer you aren’t on vacation.
You can wear it home. The inbox will be there… but your children will not stay this age forever.
Use The “Snap And Pocket” Rule
Photos matter. Nobody is saying you shouldn’t capture the moment.
But watching life through a lens is very different from watching life through a screen. There’s one rule and it’s pretty simple:
- Take the photo
- Put the phone back in your pocket
- Get back in the moment
Don’t edit. Don’t post. Don’t check your likes. Let that stuff wait until the kids are sound asleep.
Let The Kids Lead
Want to see your kids light up? Hand them the reins for a day.
Let them choose where to eat breakfast, which activity to do first or what to do in the afternoon. Kids listen better when they feel listened to. When they listen, you can have the meaningful conversations that are hard to come by at home when life is hectic.
Here’s a bonus tip: ask each family member one open-ended question each night at dinner. Something as simple as “What was the best part of your day?” Be amazed at what you learn.
This one is a total win-win.
Make The Phone Boring
Phones are designed to get your attention. Here’s how to make yours less enticing for a week:
- Turn off all non-urgent notifications
- Switch your screen to grayscale
- Move social media apps off your home screen
A boring phone is a phone you forget about. And if you forget your phone… you spend more time with who you love.
What Showing Up Really Looks Like
Being a present dad isn’t about being perfect.
The little things. Crawling around on the floor to play. Hearing the same story about a dolphin AGAIN. Finding humor in jokes that don’t make ANY sense.
That’s what your kids will remember.
Not the posh hotel. Not the fancy dinner. Just you…. Present. Invested. Invested in them.
Ask yourself this one question every night. Did your children receive more eye contact than screen time? If yes… congratulations, you’re killing it!
And here’s the kicker…
It benefits you as well. Vacations are supposed to help you relax and rejuvenate. You can’t relax if you are still thinking about work.
Time To Show Up
Over 9 out of 10 parents anticipate traveling with their children within the next year. That means tons of opportunities to do it right. But kids only seem young once. Don’t let a screen rob you of the memories.
To quickly recap:
- Pack the right family vacation essentials so you’re calm from the start
- Set a phone curfew and stick to it
- Give work a hard stop before you leave
- Snap the photo, then pocket the phone
- Let the kids lead the way
- Make your phone boring
Put the phone down. Look up. Show up.
Your family is waiting.
