Renowned Family Therapist Suggests Families Escape Together for
Mini-Vacations
DALLAS, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- During old-school family road trips it
was Dad's job to say, "I can turn this car around right now!" But today's
families need a new kind of getaway to reverse the alarming decline of
families spending quality time with one another. With hectic work
schedules, overscheduled kids and a profusion of digital distractions for
all, families are spending less "together time" than ever, often to the
detriment of children and the family as a whole.
Nationally renowned family therapist Carleton Kendrick suggests
families use the "Immediate Family Reunion," as a solution to reconnect.
This means taking multiple short vacations throughout the year as a fun
alternative to the traditional long spring or summer vacation.
"Families often come to me looking for a simple solution to their
over-scheduling. They are hungry for easy ways to find quality time with
one another," said Kendrick. "These 'immediate family reunions' close to
home are perfect for families needing to step away from the frenetic,
isolating pace of daily life, without the stress of booking those
ever-elusive end-all, be-all yearly vacations."
In the past 20 years, there has been a 33 percent decline in the number
of families who eat dinner together regularly, according to research by the
University of Minnesota. Despite this, experts are virtually unanimous on
the importance of family time and family ties.
Given the rising cost of gas, up 25 cents per gallon from 2005 as
reported by the U.S. Department of Energy, and the continuing trend of
underutilized vacation time, Carleton suggests these "mini vacations" can
be a regular and cost effective way to reunite and renew connections. Those
looking to travel can utilize the Gas Rebate promotion currently available
on the hotels.com Web site (http://www.hotels.com/promotion.jsp?id=1706) --
offering a $30 mail-in-rebate for families who book two nights on
hotels.com from now until May 29 for stays through July 10, 2006 -- to help
reduce the cost of their "mini vacation."
Often-overlooked amenities such as hotel restaurants, room service,
spas, pools and proximity to popular attractions provide families with a
stress-free environment that encourages talking, playing or simply eating
together. These activities offer a welcome opportunity for families to
actually talk to each other. While the average household's TV was on for
more than eight hours a day from Oct. 2004 to Oct. 2005, reports Nielsen
Media Research, a recent survey by Cynthia Langham at the University of
Detroit revealed that parent/children communication racked up a paltry 14.5
minutes a day. Nick Stennet and John DeFrain, researchers and authors of
"Secrets of Strong Families" discovered school-age kids list "doing things
together" as a key ingredient in family happiness.
"The desire of time-crunched families to spend time together is rising
just as fast as the price of gas. We offer a variety of cost-effective
options for that quick weekend getaway that offers the most togetherness
for the least stress," said Nicole Hockin, leisure travel expert,
hotels.com. "Our services allow families to sit down together to choose
hotels with the perfect amenities for them."
To assist families in planning their next Immediate Family Reunion,
hotels.com offers true hotel expertise backed by a suite of sophisticated
online tools including side-by-side hotel comparisons, full lists of hotel
amenities, guest reviews, access to deals and promotions and information on
popular activities surrounding desired hotel locations.
hotels.com Tips for an Immediate Family Reunion
-- Plan multiple mini-vacations throughout the year. This reduces the
stress level of planning the be-all end-all trip.
-- No need to look beyond the city limits. Planning a vacation close to
home is a great way to save money and get away from it all, without
getting very far away at all.
-- Involve your kids in your planning. Consider what special family things
they would like to do together, or where they'd like to explore during
the family retreat.
-- Making memories. Find out what family members want to remember and
experience the most from the family weekend.
-- "No Batteries Required" While no one likes rules, facilitate
togetherness by making plans for group activities -- swimming,
biking, painting, and massages. And dedicate to the activities 100
percent -- no TV, cell phones or e-mail!
-- Making Plans. Ease the search for finding the right hotel for your
family needs -- pet friendly, onsite restaurants, gym,
spa/salon -- using the helpful search and comparison tools of
hotels.com.
-- Scheduling personal time. While it's a family weekend, spending
24-hours a day with the family can be daunting, so make sure to
schedule time for individuals.
About Carleton Kendrick
Carleton Kendrick Ed.M., LCSW is a nationally renowned family
therapist, speaker and media commentator. Author of "Take Out Your Nose
Ring, Honey, We're Going to Grandma's: Hanging In, Holding On and Letting
Go of Your Teen," Kendrick offers uncommon techniques for solving everyday
family dilemmas and crises. Kendrick's commentaries and advice for families
have been featured in major media outlets, including ABC's Good Morning
America, PBS, New York Times and Newsweek. For Kendrick's commentaries and
his Q&A from parents and kids, visit the Expert Advice section at
http://www.Familyeducation.com.
About hotels.com
hotels.com(R) is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering
reservation services through its own web sites (including
http://www.hotels.com and others), its interactive affiliate network
(http://www.IAN.com), and its toll-free call centers (1-800-2-HOTELS).
hotels.com gives travelers one of the widest selections of lodging
accommodations from traditional hotels to vacation rentals at more than
25,000 properties worldwide. hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia,
Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).
For more information, press only: Erin Krause at hotels.com:
425-679-4317 or press@expedia.com
SOURCE hotels.com
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Related links:
http://www.hotels.com
http://www.Familyeducation.com/
CONTACT:
Erin Krause of hotels.com, +1-425-679-4317,
or press@expedia.com
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