Did you realize that you only have 18 vacations to spend with your children before they are considered to be adults? Today, the last day of the Week of the Young Child, I am at Disney World at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, learning more about being a digital superstar. Because Disney values family, Ayva is here, too, and participating in fun family events with me.
I thought long and hard about bringing Ayva. In order for her to attend, I knew I’d need to bring someone to watch her while I was in sessions. Multiple plane tickets would need to be purchased, I’d have to figure out what they’d do when I was unavailable…there was just a lot of logistics to plan, and a lot of reasons to just leave her at home.
I’m really glad that I didn’t.
From the moment I told Ayva we were going, she was excited, telling everyone we came in contact about our trip. Wednesday evening, she was bouncing around the house like Tigger because she couldn’t contain her joy. When we arrived yesterday, she was completely over the moon. The Disney Social Media Moms group hosted a fun Swashbuckler’s Soiree for attendees and their families on the beach, and Ayva and I spent time building sandcastles together. Right before bedtime, we stood on the patio and watched the sky light up with fireworks. This morning, when she woke up, she went to the window right away, turned back to me with a big smile on her face and said, “Mommy, we’re still at Disney!”
Did I mention that I’m really glad I didn’t leave her at home?
Even though she’s young, and even though it’s a short, tight trip, I’m sure Ayva is being affected by this experience. A big part of it has to do with being at the most magical place on Earth. A bigger part of it is that her memory bank is being filled up. We are creating memories. As parents, that’s really our responsibility, right? It’s our job, our duty to fill their banks up with experiences that will influence who they will become. Whether it’s a fun picnic in your own backyard, or a luxury cruise vacation…do something! As Amy Foster, from Disney Parks Insights said to us today in a session, “Don’t let life become a forgettable blur.”
So, remember to celebrate your children, y’all. Love them, have fun with them, listen to them, take lots of pictures, give lots of kisses. Every year, your young child will get older. Let’s make these years count.
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