Organizing a Day Off

Sometimes there just isn't money for a family vacation. Why not take a couple of days off from work and plan a short vacation at home? If you plan properly, these can be real days off, with no household chores for the entire family. Does a few days off, doing nothing, sound impossible? It really isn't; it just takes a little planning, and here is how to do it.

Gather the family around and explain what you are proposing to do. With input from the family, set aside a day or two in the near future where everyone in the family will have the day off.

Find out what everyone would like to do with their day off. This is also the time for compromising. Let's say dad wants to spend the day reading and mom wants to spend time doing crafts (by herself) and the kids want to go to the mall. Then maybe dad can take the kids to the mall and mom will pick them up. Then everyone goes out together for a late lunch, and then later a family activity that everyone can get involved in.

Whatever ideas you come up with, remember to plan everything out. This way you don't spend the entire day trying to entertain or referee bored kids, and then end up regretting the decision to have the family take the day off.

With the family, decide on what chores need to be done ahead of time and what needs to be done that day. If it's really important to you that all the beds are made before the day off actually begins, then put that down as one of the rules. Will meals be eaten at home? Then plan on making some food ahead of time so that it just needs to be heated. Better yet, if you can afford it all meals are eaten at a restaurant and all snacks are to be eaten on paper plates.

Divide the chores up so that everyone has time to finish before the day-off deadline. Be sure to plan out the chores that will be nagging at you if they don't get done ahead of time. Does the garden need to be weeded or the laundry finished? Remember this is your time off from work around the house.

When you plan for it, and involve the family, it will happen. Don't forget to plan in some fun for everyone.