For adults, a holiday is often a much-needed getaway and a break from the norm; an escape to recharge the batteries. For kids, vacations are not simply a treat and can also turn out to be a life-affirming experience and a mind-opening educational stay that sparks the imagination and keeps young minds engaged.
Luxury vacations can transpire to be the perfect setting to take a journey of self-discovery and self-development for youngsters, with the right approach of course.
1. Kids need to relax and reenergize too: Whilst childhood may be regarded as halcyon days, through the rose-tinted glasses of adults, being a kid these days means navigating a multitude of stresses and tricky challenges. Yes, children are resilient and full of energy, but they too need a good holiday and a break from routine. A vacation stay with an in-villa cinema or a games room and an infinity pool promise fun, entertainment, and enjoyment.
2. Connects families away from the digital world: High-end vacation rentals are often super-connected with surround sound systems and even wall-size screens. However, holidays are a perfect time for the whole family to switch off and connect with each other. This means kids putting down their phones and socializing the old-fashioned way through face-to-face interactions and talking.
3. Positively affects emotional stability and reduces anxiety: Being in a different setting, away from any worries at school, kids can often feel better able to work out and to express their feelings. Being able to experience an idyllic childhood holiday is a perfect way for youngsters to gain a sense of inner balance as they adjust to a different perspective and open up.
4. Sparks interest in people, activities, and the world: All lifelong interests begin with a seed of an idea or experience that grows and flourishes. A holiday introduces young people to a whole new world of wonder and possibility, one in which they can discover new hobbies. That way, they can truly broaden their horizons to develop and take advantage of new possibilities for the future.
5. Activities boost fitness, confidence, and self-esteem levels: With obesity rates at a frightening high amongst many children, any holiday that get youngsters moving is truly worthwhile. The global obesity problem is not confined to the West either, with some 27% of under 15s in China classified as obese. A holiday of swimming, action-packed adventures, and watersports can improve the health of young people and inspire healthy lifestyle habits that last beyond the end of the vacation and become a way of life.
Discovering new activities can also lead to new skill sets which in turn helps develop and boost character and personality. Youngsters who get involved with an activity and learn from it find that their confidence soars, and this in turn affects their own self-worth.
6. Improves social skills: Visiting a new place, perhaps a destination abroad, and meeting different people can give young people a greater ability to communicate; a wonderful life skill that can never be underestimated and one that is always a benefit in any career path as an adult.
7. Informs cultural tolerance and promotes greater empathy: With ever-increasing globalization, an understanding, appreciation, and open attitude towards the world is a vital ingredient for life as a successful adult. Kids soak up new experiences and the sights and sounds around them. It is these early impressions that, in part at least, mold who they are and how they develop as personalities.
Far from being simply an indulgence away from the classroom, an incredible vacation could lead the youth of today toward a rewarding future brimming with prospects and possibilities.