Three Things I Learned From My 5-Year-Old On Vacation
On a recent family adventure out West, I became aware of something significant: every family trip needs a 5-year old boy along for the ride!
There we were, crammed into our vehicle together for 21-hours of driving west. Our swagger-wagon packed full of camping gear, food, digital devices, bathroom supplies, and our family. Each of us surrounded by things like pillows, sleeping bags, coolers, and other life-essentials for the tent-living we would do for the next three weeks. It made for anything but a comfortable ride. But, our family did well at coping with the uncomfortable travel situation as we looked forward to the adventure that awaited us at the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and the Black Hills. Our youngest, a boy, is about to turn five. I’ll admit that I worried about how the length of the trip and the crammed quarters inside our minivan would affect his demeanor as we drove. It turned out his presence on the trip was a huge blessing. I now know that any family trip with a five-year old boy along can be a lot of fun. God used our son to teach me some important things as we experienced a new part of His beautiful creation.
Here are three things I learned from my five-year-old on our family vacation:
1.) For a five year old, everything is exciting.
I can’t tell you how many times, our son was amazed by things I would have overlooked: “Hey, a boulder!” “Cows!” “An airplane!” “Worms!” He loved throwing pinecones into the river beside our campsite and watching how quickly the water wisked it down stream. Roasting marshmallows over the fire was the best thing ever (each time we did it)! This reminded me of how great everything really is. It is so easy to miss the beauty of ordinary things like worms and rocks and toasted marshmallows. But, my five-year old wouldn’t let me forget. His excitement reminded me that life really is a blessing. His excitement reminded me that there are so many simple things in life that are really great, if understood correctly.
2.) For a five year old, emotions are unfiltered and real.
There is something wonderful and pure about someone who just says what they really feel. This is especially true when it is a five year old for whom everything is exciting. (This can be a bit less true for grumpy adolescents, or cynical adults, but that’s different.) So many times we would see something neat and Carver would say what we were thinking. Or, he would say what we should be thinking, just in case we were missing it. “That’s amazing!” “Aww, look at that baby Bison!” “That chipmunk is so cute!” “I don’t like the cold rain.” These unfiltered utterances from our son put smiles on our faces throughout the whole trip.
Of course, the thoughts weren’t always so welcome, like when we drove over the Beartooth highway with it’s intense switchbacks and steep mountain drop-offs. Carver observed, “Who would rescue us if our car fell off the cliff?” “If we fall down on those rocks, our heads would crack open!” My wife, who is not exactly a fan of heights (to put it mildly), did not find these unfiltered thoughts very helpful to her frazzled nerves. I assured her that if we drove off the road that the rocks would catch us. This was also not helpful to her fragile state. Perhaps Carver is a chip off the old block.
3.) Five year olds live in the moment.
Several times on our trip, we would talk about what we are going to do later, or tomorrow. Carver often asked, “When is tomorrow?” Or, “What does later mean?”
In his developing brain, the concept of time didn’t really compute. What counts is what is happening now. This has its drawbacks, but it also has its benefits, especially on vacation. Being fully present is incredibly difficult for distracted Americans. But, being out West, having no cell-phone reception or internet access limited our distractions, enabling us to be more present to one another and the moments we had together.
For Carver, every place we found ourselves presented the opportunity to explore. There were rocks to climb, animals to observe (and try to communicate to), plants to touch, and stuff to whack with sticks. There were also stones to throw into lakes, hands to hold, emotions to feel, and things to express. And Carver’s ability to do these things often pulled me out of whatever I was thinking about and into the moment at hand.
Each of my family members is a blessing. This proved to be the case on the trip as I had the opportunity to connect with each person during special moments along the way. We all benefitted by each another’s presence as we explored geysers, rock formations, waterfalls, and the animals of the Wild West. But there was something unique and special about having our five year old along. His ability to recognize the significance of every moment throughout our vacation seemed to draw us together around what was happening. It gave us an appreciation for the beauty that surrounded us. And it kept us from missing so many of the blessings God was bestowing upon us as a family in those moments.
I love watching each of my kids grow up and look forward to seeing how God will shape Carver as he matures. But I sure am glad that he was at this stage while we went on our adventure.
That seals it, everyone needs a 5 year old along for family vacation!
