Do We Dump Dear Old Dad At Home While We Go Cruising? |
Q: We’re planning our annual vacation, and have a problem with Dad. He was always the one to honcho it, as well as pay for everything for all his kids and grandkids. Our annual gathering was usually a group of eight to 16 people. Over the past 20 years, we’ve all gone together with Dad to such great destinations as Disneyland, England, Italy, Branson, France, Ireland, Hawaii and Mexico. Our first reaction was to recommend chaining you to your beds for the summer, but that may seem a bit harsh. On second thought, we can settle the matter with a simple suggestion. Book a cruise for the whole gang. Depending on Dad’s financial and health situation, arrange for a sailing schedule of from just a couple of nights to a week or so. First of all, if Dad is well enough to board the cruise ship, that would be all he really must do, a great feature of cruises. Get him a cabin or suite with an outside balcony, so he can have privacy for sunning and watching the sea and port visits. You could assign a teenager or unmarried relative to share the suite, so that Dad can be monitored at all times for health, necessary medications and just loving companionship. Meanwhile, everyone else can take advantage of all the fun activities, dining, swimming, dancing, entertainment, shore excursions and other goodies cruises offer. Assign shifts of a monitor to be with Dad during the day, giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the cruise. Of course, if Dad is capable of some activities, there are many aboard he can enjoy, including swimming, hot whirlpool spa, miniature golf, evening entertainment, casino, bingo and others. Additionally, dining these days on cruises doesn’t necessarily have to be at specific times for sit-down meals. Dad can enjoy some eats with the entire gang, as well as smaller gatherings for buffets, dining on deck, catered meals to his cabin and all kinds of snacks. As for more strenuous cruise activities, such as excursions into port cities, if Dad isn’t up to it, assign a family member to stay aboard with him while others go ashore. If there are dances, entertainment, vigorous games and midnight parties Dad can’t handle, use the same buddy system, giving each relative a fair amount of Dad duty along with lots of other times for fun. The bottom line is that Dad deserves to enjoy this summer’s family vacation as much as, if not much more than, anyone else. Take this opportunity to give him back some of the consideration, gifts, love and dedication he’s given you guys through all the years.
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