Balancing Kids' Summer Plans with Your Work Life

Like most of us, you must be wondering where the time has gone. Didn't it seems like only yesterday you were buying backpacks and lunch boxes in preparation for the school year?

For families, June is a busy month with graduation parties, little league finals and music recitals. And right around the corner is summer vacation - lazy days for kids but stressful for working parents. If you haven't made your plans yet, here are some ideas to help you create a work/family balance:

Photo courtesy of Photostock


Stay flexible. To minimize your anxiety and maximize time with your kids, try to negotiate a flexible work schedule. Even if you only take the odd morning off or leave early once in a while, find someone to cover for you. Downtime to rejuvenate is important for you and for the wellbeing of your family.

Arrange creative child care. There must be plenty of responsible teenagers in your neighborhood who are looking for a part-time summer job. Or why not organize a co-op or a weekly swap with friends? Don't forget your kids' grandparents or other family members who always say they want to see them more often.

Plan a staycation. Arrange a family meeting and encourage a discussion about what activities they would like. With a democratic process and everyone having a voice, you'll ensure cooperation. Think about visiting a local museum, playing beach volleyball, attending an outdoor concert. If money is an issue, several day trips or weekend camping trips can make the whole family feel recharged and reconnected.

Embrace boredom. Encourage your kids to use their imagination and discover their own ways to keep busy - a lemonade stand on the corner, watching home movies, planting a small garden, walking the dog, swimming in the community pool. It could be fun to play board games, ride bikes or shoot hoops with friends on the block.

We want to hear from you - click on "Comments" at the bottom of this post and share your ideas about how to keep your kids engaged during summer vacation. And log on Wednesday for more practical tips about reducing your summer stress.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Looking for a unique family vacation this summer? With gasoline over $4.00 a gallon, many Sandwiched Boomers are opting to travel close to home. If home for you is the Midwest, we've got more jewels for you today. Since this year marks the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois is an especially meaningful choice for a day- or a weekend trip.



The Presidential Museum is filled with entertaining and educational exhibits appealing to both adults and children. Making use of 21st century technology, Disney magic and historical accuracy, the museum vividly transports you back to Abraham Lincoln's world. Many are inspiring, all are informative and well worth the trip as you step back in time.

While you're in Springfield, be sure to save time to see Lincoln's family home, his law office, his final resting place and the Old State Capitol where he gave his famous speech before the start of the Civil War, cautioning that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Being immersed in all the artifacts in Springfield really brings history to life.


Looking for more off the beaten path treasures for your family daytrips during your staycation this summer? Just being on historic Route 66 and Highway 40 brings back to life the excitement of discovery and travel during the simpler times of childhood for most Baby Boomers. You never know what you will discover when you wander onto the back roads.

Just north of Lafayette, Indiana, we came across a sign for the Tippecanoe Battlefield Museum. We stopped because we knew that it involved the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler - but nothing more. Once inside we spent several hours there learning about the battle and terrible forced march and dislocation of the vanquished Native Americans. Our history isn't always what we wish, but it's up to us to know about it.

As they say, "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been." And where I've been is to my 50th high school reunion! In addition to seeing old friends, I got the chance to revisit the iconic Gateway Arch, the beautiful design by Eero Saarinen, honoring St. Louis as the gateway to the West. If you're in the Midwest, plan to visit it and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in which it sits, along the mighty Mississippi River. While the levee in St. Louis is holding up well, our hearts and prayers go out to those families who are suffering from flooding downstream along the Mississippi.

Secret Midwest Staycation Jewel

In this season of graduations, I just enjoyed a wonderful high school reunion weekend in the Midwest. Even with fears of flooding from the Big Muddy, the people here are optimistic, enthusiastic and friendly. They invite you to come and spend time here. So this week, we've got some interesting, off the beaten path, Midwest sites to show you just in time for your family summer vacation planning.

Within a few hours drive from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and other Midwest cities lies an interesting town, Columbus, Indiana, full of significant modern architecture. If you're planning a staycation close to home, you may want to include this as a family day- or weekend trip.

One of our friends discovered it on a trip back from visiting their daughter at Indiana University in Bloomington. A city of less than 40,000 residents, it boasts a collection of beautiful public architecture - a library designed by I.M. Pei, a bank by Eero Saarinen (who also designed the St. Louis Arch,) Richard Meier, among many others. In the 1950's the townspeople had made a decision to live in attractive environment so they contracted with famous as well as up-and-coming architects to create an atmosphere of beauty. They even placed a stunning Rodin sculpture in front of the library.

Finding that their new schools, churches, corporate offices and other buildings would be enhanced by elegant landscaping, they also created lovely gardens and green areas around them. We were struck by the commitment of the townspeople to actively pursue a serene yet rewarding atmosphere for their daily lives.


If you take the kids with you and want to give them a real treat, you can stop for a sundae in a restored early 20th century ice cream parlor, filled with one hundred year old counters, syrup and ice cream machinery, and musical instruments. The vanilla malted milk was delicious!

As we drove out of town, over an impressive, architectural bridge, we thought about how we too could work to add beauty and grace to our daily lives. It may be a slow process but we can build on a strong foundation from the ground up and leave a legacy with our families to make everyone proud.

If you've discovered other secret vacation spots, perfect for family staycations, give us a shout out and share them here. With limited budgets and gasoline at over $4.00 a gallon, we need all the help we can get planning special times for our families this summer.

Strategies from Stepping Stones

Through the years, Stepping Stones has always tried to help our readers cope with what is going on in their world. As one newsletter put it:

This newsletter is in response to the stress and anxiety that many of our readers have been feeling in this time of uncertainty. We are inundated with threats about war and terrorism. We are impacted by the declining economy as we watch the price of gasoline go up, the price of stocks go down and the continued loss of jobs in our society. Americans are feeling a sense of isolation. Many of us are confused and ambivalent about on-going events in the world. In short, we are on overload, getting constant media reports without any clear resolution at this time.

We've given you ideas about how to save money and enjoy staycations with your family.

With the high price of gasoline, are you thinking of canceling your vacation trip? This summer more and more Sandwiched Boomers are reducing their carbon footprint by taking "staycations" with their families. Why drive to a resort when there are community swimming pools around the corner? Why plan a remote getaway when you can relax in the beauty and serenity near you? You don't need to travel to the city for excitement when you can create your own at home. But how to make it a real vacation and not one long list of chores and obligations? When you follow these tips, you'll return from your staycation refreshed, recharged and reconnected to your family.

In some newsletters, we give tips for getting along with your life partner during these difficult times:

A perfect marriage would be free of financial controversy. But during this economic crisis, the reality is that couples need to learn new money management skills and face tough financial decisions – while at the same time making their relationship work. Not an easy task.

These are tough times but you can draw on the strength of your relationships to get through. As banks are having a difficult time lending money, this is your chance to make an investment in your marriage - it can turn into a welcome source of security and comfort. And can you think of a better time than now?

At the start of the New Year, Stepping Stones helped you start on a new plan for honoring and improving your health and welfare:

Now that you have made your own personal resolutions - still an honored ritual at this time of year - how do you avoid another universal tradition - breaking them? We all know that it's easier to say you are going to give up a bad habit than to actually stick to your new plan. You may have resolved to finally lose the ten pounds that have been plaguing you for years, to start an exercise program you can stick with, to let go of your self-destructive smoking, drinking or over-spending habit. Or, perhaps you're one of the 50% of Americans who vow to spend more time with family and friends this year. So where do you begin? And how do you increase the odds that you will continue? With the New Year, you have a clean slate, ready to take your dictation. Here are 8 tips to help you fulfill your resolutions.

In another issue, we talked about the technique of journaling, especially for Sandwiched Boomers:

We have found that, for many women, keeping a journal is a valuable tool for self- awareness. It can be a freeing experience as there is no one right way to journal. You are in charge and you should do what works for you. Either establish a regular pattern by journaling daily or write when you feel stuck.

In this way, you can sort out any of your jumbled internal thoughts and also have a catharsis or emotional release. If you are still caring for your family at home, it is likely you often do not have a chance to focus primarily on yourself. Now is the time to give thought to what you need and want.

Caring for aging parents isn't easy, but there are rewards to be gained for many generations - yours, your children's and even your grandchildren's:

As a Baby Boomer member of the Sandwich Generation, perhaps you have already had talks with your aging parents about their wills, beneficiaries, and advanced medical directives for hospital care. But have you discussed an ethical will or the legacy of meaning they wish to leave behind? As parents grow older, it becomes more important to them to be remembered for the life lessons they taught than for the material gifts they leave behind. Spend quality time talking with your parents about the values that are important to them. Ask them specific questions about what ethics have guided them through the years. You probably know some of these answers from having observed them and their role modeling, but the conversations can be further enlightening.

Visit our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com, to read more archived articles and newsletters. Sign up there to receive your own monthly copy of Stepping Stones or subscribe through the link below and to the left, "FREE Newsletter. Enjoy reading the next issue, our 75th!

Staycation Moonsets

Ever since we bought our first grandson the classic children's book, Guess How Much I Love You, a week after he was born, the moon has been a symbol unifying our three young grandsons, who live two thousand miles away, and us. We used to read to them, tucked snugly on our laps, about how the mother hare loved her baby, "all the way to the moon and back," and spread our arms as wide as we could showing how much we loved them.



As they grew older, we would excitedly spot the moon together on our trips to their home and theirs to ours. We talked about how we were all seeing the same moon, even when we were thousands of miles apart. I began shooting photos of the moon, especially moonsets over the Pacific. I liked the way the moon would light up one section of the ocean at night.



Sometimes one of the boys would call us and declare, "I saw our friend the moon tonight!" The feeling of togetherness would envelope us as our smiles stretched across our faces as it did across the country. In the "wee small hours of the morning" I would get up and take pictures that I could send them, along with a poem I wrote about our unbreakable connection to them.



I think my favorite pictures of the moonset are the ones I took in the west as the sun was rising in the east. They remind me of the timeless link between night and day, the circle of life, the eternal bonds between us and our loved ones. And, of course, our three young grandsons.



To read more posts about connecting with your grandchildren, click on the title above. It will take you to a group of posts here at NourishingRelationships about our Virtual Book Tour with Sally Wendkos Olds and her book, Super Granny.

Midwest Staycation

We have learned that within a few hours drive from Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and other Midwest cities lies an interesting town, full of significant modern architecture. Here's a taste to share with you:

"Driving up to visit our grandkids for a long weekend, we stopped for a few hours to learn more about Columbus, Indiana. One of our friends had told us about all of the beautiful public architecture there - a library designed by I.M. Pei, a bank by Eero Sarinen, among many others - and we wanted to see them for ourselves. In the 1950's the townspeople had made a decision to live in attractive environment so they contracted with famous as well as up-and-coming architects to create an atmosphere of beauty. They even placed a stunning Rodin sculpture in front of the library.


Finding that their new schools, churches, corporate offices and other buildings would be enhanced by landscaping, they also created lovely gardens and green areas around them. We were struck by the commitment of the townspeople to actively pursue a serene yet rewarding atmosphere for their daily lives.

We found that even the smallest detail had been addressed. When we wanted to stop for an afternoon refreshment, we were directed to a restored ice cream parlor, filled with one hundred year old counters, syrup and ice cream machinery, and musical instruments. And the vanilla malted milk was delicious!


As we drove out of town, over an impressive bridge, we thought about how we too could work to add beauty and grace to our daily lives. It may be a slow process but we can build on a strong foundation from the ground up and leave a legacy that we will be proud of."

Let us hear from you Sandwiched Boomers about your thoughts - about this post, your own staycations or your plans to improve the quality of your own lives. And for tips about how to become more joyful and positive, click on the post title above. It will take you to our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com and our article 5 Steps to Gratitude Despite a Tough Economy.

Staycation to Honor Aging Parents

Today we have some staycation pictures and a story from an ex-Sandwiched Boomer:

"I had taken care of my aging parents, moving them into our home for the last several years of their lives. But I must admit that most of my energies were focused on raising the children so our vacations revolved around them.

For years, I had heard from my parents about how they had eloped during the years of the Great Depression and been secretly married for four years. It all sounded so romantic and I tried to imagine my parents, so frail in their 80's, in their prime. But in all those years, none of us had ever been to the courthouse, in a county seat in a neighboring state, where they went to be married.

So one weekend this summer, my husband and I decided to take a staycation and make the three-hour drive. We wanted to see if we could find the record of their marriage certificate from that day over 70 years ago. After some investigation, we were excited to find the exact page with their information and original signatures.

We imagined them making their plans, driving with anticipation and maybe even some apprehension, giggling as they filled out their forms, and finally, looking up at the intricately beautiful ceiling, ready to embark on their new life together.


We left that day feeling close to my parents and understanding more about who they had been in their youth. Even though they are gone, these pictures of their wedding site gave me insight into them in a way I had never experienced before. I have shared this with my children and believe that they, too, now have a better understanding of their grandparents as real people with full lives."

Today we heard about how one woman's staycation enriched her understanding of her parents. If you are thinking about a travel experience far from home, click on the post title above. It takes you to a past issue of our Stepping Stones newsletter with information about moving away from your backyard and beyond your safety net. Let us know about your own vacation and staycation experiences.

Staycations Going Green

Today we have another set of pictures highlighting things to do on a family staycation. Here a grandmother talks about why these pictures are important to her:

"Although I'm not a golfer myself, recently I got to "caddy" for my young grandson when he and my son played golf on a par three course. It was great getting to see the two of them interact away from the rest of the family. I can see that sometimes it is hard for my son to give each of his children the special individual time that he would like. Everyone in the family is so busy - with work, chores around the house, homework, personal needs, family togetherness - that there's not much time and energy left for personal attention. So I took pleasure being the fly on the wall - or, I guess the fly in the air since we were outside - while they enjoyed the day and each other.

Of course a second benefit for me was that the scenery was gorgeous. It was a wonderful and peaceful way to spend the day outside in the fresh air - and better exercise than walking on the treadmill!"

To learn more about how to take a meaningful staycation with your family, click on the post title above. It takes you to our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com and an article in our Nourishing Relationships Library, 6 Tips for Sandwiched Boomers Planning Summer Staycations.

Staycation Photos

This week and next, we will be highlighting photographs that have been taken on family staycations. In our monthly newsletter, Stepping Stones, we had asked readers to submit staycation photos with a note about them and why the pictures were significant. Here are two photos with descriptions about their meaning:


"We went to a local farmers' market to get some fresh produce. I always enjoy seeing the beautiful fruits and vegetables displayed. This time they were especially nice and I had my camera with me so I snapped away. I like my children to know that food doesn't just come from the grocery store!"


"Over the weekend, my husband and I went to a lake a few hours away to relax. The scenery was serene - green trees, blue sky, rich brown earth, gentle water - and we felt so peaceful. As I was taking pictures of the quiet lake, two men floated by, paddling a surfboard. They just struck me as a great combination of strength, agility, determination and tranquility."

If you, too, have staycation photos you want to share, send them to us at: mentors@hermentorcenter.com. To read more of our Nourishing Relationships blogs on Staycations for Sandwiched Boomers, click on the post title above. And to begin receiving your own copy of our free monthly newsletter, Stepping Stones, click on the side link to Free Newsletter and sign up - it's as simple as that.

Staycations Our Readers Have Enjoyed

Some great Staycation ideas have been shared with us this week by readers across the Untied States. You are welcome to try some of them out yourselves this summer.

A reader from Los Angeles had a unique Staycation activity. "We took a tour of the subway system in Los Angeles. We got off on each stop and looked at the art work in the station. It was really fun for all of us - the kids thought it was a blast!"

We heard from a Chicago reader who plans to repeat one of her favorite activities from last summer. "My husband and I are planning to take the train downtown for a free concert at Millennium Park. We really enjoyed it last summer."

One reader from St. Louis says, "We like to sit in the "cheap seats" at the back of the Muny Opera. It's a great way to enjoy a summer evening - sitting outside, listening to pretty music, and watching the stars."

Another tip for low cost performances comes from a reader in New York. "In Times Square you can line up to get tickets to Broadway shows at half price for performances that day. It takes time, but it's well worth it to save that much money on the tickets."

A mother writes in about last year's Staycation with her kids. "Last summer we did a staycation for the first time. We had a great time doing all sorts of things. But the best was getting a new family pet for the kids. They wanted a dog but my husband is allergic so we compromised on a fish. We all went to the library and then to the pet store to decide on which one to get. The kids learned how to clean the fish bowl, how often to feed the fish, who they named "Swimmy," and even about the life cycle of fish. It's been a year now and Swimmy is still a part of our family. The kids enjoy him (?) every day. We are planning another staycation for this summer. Thanks for some new ideas."


Sally Wendkos Olds, author of "Super Granny" had visited our blog for a Virtual Book Tour on April 30. Now she has added a Comment about some vacation plans she has with her family next month. "I enjoyed reading your post and also your article about family "staycations." In about 4 weeks we'll be taking daughters and granddaughters for a week's vacation on the New Jersey shore. We'll be going to the same community we've been going to for the past ten years, where we've built memories, created crafts items that we all still use, and given the sisters and the cousins a chance to spend time with each other in a setting where people can pretty much come and go as they please since we're close enough for everyone to walk alone to the beach. Every time we talk about doing something else for the week, we can never come up with anything we like as well."

Now that you have heard lots of good ideas for low cost vacations and Staycations, plan to get out there this summer and enjoy yourselves!

Staycations and Vacations

All week we have been focusing on how Sandwiched Boomers and others can keep down the costs of a summer vacation by taking a home-centered "Staycation." With the funds you save by not taking a full-blown family vacation, you can add in some more expensive side trips. You can visit a theme park, if there is one near you. Pack in as much as you can for a fun filled time - rides, shows, food, shopping.

Or visit a zoo, aquarium or water park that offers shows for the kids. They'll learn first hand about the habitats and lifestyles of many species.


You can drive to a lake or the ocean and can spend a day or two with the family enjoying the vastness of the waterscape, the warmth of the sand, the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of sunscreen, the open blue sky.


Or drive to the hills or mountains for full days of hiking and camping in the simple beauty of nature. Park Rangers may be available to give you all informative talks about the flora and fauna you are seeing.

Put yourself in the picture. To read more about how Sandwiched Boomers can plan special vacations with all three generations, click on the title above to take you to our website, HerMentorCenter.com and our article, "Creating Special Family Vacations for the Sandwich Generation."

Staycations Tips for Grown-Ups

Yesterday we looked at staycation ideas you can enjoy with the whole family. Most of them work just as well for you alone - visiting museums, libraries, community events or enjoying the great outdoors. Here are some additional ideas, just for grown-ups.



See a local theater production. Community playhouses often have revivals of classics, musicals or innovative avant guard shows. You can explore small theaters in your city or line up for rush, discounted tickets at the more well-established ones.

Create a summer book club. Talk with some friends who also love to read about setting up your own book club. You can pick "beach books" for the summer, decide to re-read some classics, choose best-selling non-fiction, select beautifully written novels or settle on award-winning titles. The choice is up to you. Your weekly or monthly discussion groups will be interesting and fun for everyone.

Schedule potluck evenings with your friends. Everyone can pitch in with the food preparation to keep down the costs and create a diverse menu. Bring the recipes to share and you've each got new dinner ideas to use during the coming year. Capping off your dinner parties with group games will keep your friends in a good mood.

Look for public tours of civic buildings and corporate businesses. Educational tours of government offices and companies are sometimes available in the summer. You can view beautiful art work and even learn about what goes on behind usually-closed doors.

Start a new hobby. Summer might be just the right time to finally get going on that new interest that has been percolating on the back burner. Have you wanted to start a family tree? Now, take the time to get on the Internet and start researching. Organize your snapshots? Get out those photos and arrange them in an attractive scrapbook or e-book. Learn about the universe and star gazing? Visit a planetarium or observatory - or the library.

Book a romantic getaway. Schedule a joint massage for you and your partner at a local spa. Take a day cruise or a short train ride - just you two. Splurge and stay at a nearby bed and breakfast. You'll find that the time alone refreshes your relationship as well as yourselves.

Visit us at HerMentorCenter.com and check in tomorrow here at NourishingRelationships.blogspot.com for more special staycation tips.

Summer Family Staycations

With the effects of the recession hitting government agencies as well as individual families, are you wondering where to turn for help entertaining your kids this summer? In California, the situation is especially difficult. Summer school has been cancelled throughout most of the state and various state parks are also closing. City and county governments are cutting down on the hours certain services are provided, as are municipal governments. So if you need to engage your children this summer, here are some tips for you:

Make good use of your local library. The hours may be cut somewhat but the library is still a good source for hours of fun for the kids. With a library card, you can check out not only books but also DVD's and CDs, rather than buying them. In addition, many libraries are still sponsoring programs that are both informative and interesting for the whole family.

Check out all of the museums in your area. Many of them will likely have admission-free days, particularly for local residents. Plan you schedule around these days so that you can introduce your children to art, history, nature, music and crafts. The bonus is that you will learn something too from these visits and enjoy the time you spend there.

Go outside with the kids. You can get maps of your community and hike in the hills or walk in areas you haven't explored before or bike in the flats around a lake. A trip to the community swimming pool is fun for everyone. Plan to picnic on the grass at home or have an overnight camp out in your own backyard.


Keep your eye out for free concerts in the park and community festivals. Check the local papers for notices about events near you. You and the kids can informally experience all kinds of happenings and ethnic celebrations, maybe for the first time.

Have family game nights. Charades are fun for everyone but you can also pick games based on your children's ages. Younger children will enjoy team games like Jr. Pictionary and On Stage while older ones may prefer Scrabble or Monopoly. If you prefer one-on-one games like chess, you can set up family tournaments.

Do some cooking or baking together. It's always fun to hang out in the kitchen together, even in the summer. Make some tried and true favorites like chocolate chip cookies or teach the kids some of your old family recipes. Instead you all might enjoy finding a new recipe that sounds interesting and trying it together for the first time.

You probably have your own great ideas to add to these suggestions. Let us hear from you about your staycation plans for this summer, Sandwiched Boomer or not, and we'll share them with our readers. Click on the Comment link below. And to read more about Staycations, clink on the Title above.

Taking Staycations in this Economic Environment

With the summer solstice arriving this past weekend, we can now officially be in summer vacation mode. With the most time between sunrise and sunset, we have more daylight hours to spend with our families. But with the unemployment rate above 11% in California and many other states and the recession not showing signs of an early end, everyone feels the need to cut back on expenses. The Auto Club estimates that the traditional vacation in the U.S. costs an average of $244 per day for two people just for lodging and meals. With plane fare, the kids' expenses and other costs thrown in, the price of a weeklong family vacation could reach $10,000.

So how do you enjoy the summer months without draining your funds? This week we will focus on tips to help you take advantage of free and low-cost alternatives to expensive summer activities - the emerging trend of "staycations." Planning and taking a real staycation gets you out of your everyday rut and creates memories for your family in flux to share through the year.

For some great tips on how to plan a "staycation" for your family this summer, read our article entitled "6 Tips for Sandwiched Boomers Planning Summer Staycations." When you click on the title above, you will be directly linked to it on our website, HerMentorCenter.com. Remember to tune in tomorrow for specific activities for the kids, and on Wednesday for more adult-rated themes. We'll round out the week with feedback from you about the best staycations you have taken. So share your stories here through our "Comment" link.

All week we have looked at how to make your staycation just as unique for your family as past vacations away from home. And each of you will find different ways to enjoy that special time together. Yesterday two readers talked about activities close to home that were meaningful to them. Rhea was looking forward to an ethnic festival in her hometown and another woman was planning a trip to her local art museum. What can you discover in your community?

The decision to spend your vacation at home this summer can deepen the bonds and transform your family. Without either the tension that travel creates or the stress of considerable expenditures in this uncertain economy, you will find that the time socializing with family this year is more relaxing than ever. And as a Sandwiched Boomer with so many responsibilities as you care for your growing children and aging parents, you deserve this rest and respite. Your staycation can help carry you through the year ahead with your enriched family relationships. So instead of "bon voyage," it's "bonnes vacances a la maison!"

Two readers used the comment section yesterday to tell us about their family staycations. Elaine talked about how she and her kids would go to their favorite creek watering hole, called "Flat Rocks" and just hang out for the afternoon - swimming, lazing in the sun, splashing while she read a good book. "Family time was what it's all about," she said. Another comment was about how their family enjoyed making videos, pretending they were television shows - everyone, including the children, got to participate. Both of these women were creating memories to last through the years.

Here are some more ideas to help you choose activities for your staycation. Sandwiched Boomers, caring for growing children and aging parents, often put themselves last in the process. This time, do some things to enrich yourself too.

Explore your immediate surroundings and discover something new. Take a city bus tour and see the sights that you've never noticed before. Expand your horizons and those of your family members. Visit a museum near you - often they offer entrance fee free days or discounts for local patrons. Participate together in a creative activity like ceramic painting or a mini-course in photography at the community center. Visit the campus of a local college and wander through the library. You may uncover an interest you never realized you had.

Remember to include the universal vacation ritual - take lots of photos and videos to share with your friends. Looking at the pictures of your family's smiling faces will enhance your memories of the special times you spent together. Continue the feelings of togetherness by creating an album commemorating your first family staycation.

So how do you, as a Sandwiched Boomer, really get to enjoy your staycation when you are still on familiar ground? Do things differently!

Act as you would on your typical vacation away from home. Go to bed and get up when you want - don't set your alarm clock. Let the kids stay up past their bedtime if you are doing something out of the ordinary. Enjoy a special breakfast out one day. Relax in the sun and read a page-turner or amusing beach book. Exercise in ways that aren't easy while you are working - a morning tennis or golf game, a midday horseback ride through the countryside, a leisurely hike at sunset. Splurge on a night out at a fancy restaurant or for tickets to an entertaining event.

Consider this time as a week of weekends. Have fun with your family - play board games together, make popcorn and rent classic movies, go to the park for a pick-up basketball game, take in a concert under the stars, get bleacher tickets for a baseball game, go for family bike rides or long walks in the neighborhood, splash each other in the community pool. Have a barbeque and let each family member cook or prepare a different part of the menu. Plan your own Olympics competition with events appropriate for your children's ages.

Write in a let us all know what kinds of things you have enjoyed doing with the family on your staycation. And log on tomorrow for some more tips.

As you begin to think about taking your vacation close to home this year, here are some tips to help you:

As a Sandwiched Boomer, make planning for your staycation a part of the process of reconnection that usually comes about on vacation. Set aside time to have a family meeting and encourage everyone to talk about what activities they want to include. This preparation will give you all a better understanding and appreciation of each other. And you can reduce the tension and arguments that might ensue later about what you were going to do together.

When your staycation begins, take a complete break from all work. Don't check your job-related emails or call in for updates about projects. This is your free time so resist home-related chores as well. Leave the beds unmade or arrange for someone to come in and clean so that you won't be temped to work around the house. Do set aside time for any home activities you enjoy for relaxation - gardening or scrap booking, for example.

As you get some relief from your daily responsibilities of caring for growing children and aging parents, log in tomorrow to get some more tips for easing into your summer staycation.