Making a family-friendly trip happen last minute
Jenny and I first met through friends when we were both fresh out of college, pre-marriage, and pre-children, and our friendship has evolved beautifully over the years. When I freaked out about a surprise-pregnancy-turned-third-child, Jenny was there to listen and reassure me it was doable. She took a family portrait for us one year. She also provided next-level care for our family when she represented us as our realtor in the sale and purchase of our home during the pandemic, during which time my children fell in love with her too. They sure took it hard when they realized, after our closings, that Jenny had to move on to help other families. Dinners and game nights are now the next best thing. :)
So when a dear friend like this reaches out to you for support in planning a trip, you get excited to make magic happen for them and their family. Within the past year or so, Jenny and her love, Kerry, got engaged and married, sold a home, bought a home, and blended families with three busy kids. If that isn’t vacation-worthy, I don’t know what is.
Take a deep breath. We’ve got you covered.
Via text, when they had time, the busy newlywed parents provided answers to my questions such as:
Potential dates, based on baseball tournaments and when the kids would be with them
Budget and travel preferences
Types of activities the kids enjoy and - equally as important - activities they would hate (they wanted something other than the beach)
And we whipped up a lil’ something special for them that fit the bill.
Five days at Adventures on the Gorge in Lansing, West Virginia
AirBnB accommodations that gave them a place to unwind, connect, and sleep comfortably
Recommended activities for kids aged 10-15 that would keep their interest and allow them to make new memories and beat the summer heat
Screen-free activities and young adult book recommendations for the drive and down time at the house
Here’s a peek at some of the texts I received while they were exploring Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. I don’t usually use phrases like “Skibidi toilet,” but the thought of their teens having fun made me bust out in ridiculousness.
Here’s what Jenny said about working with Laura Kassner Consulting:
“Laura helped my wife and I pull off a vacation with our kids this summer. I can dream the dream and have the desires but I struggle with pulling the trigger, often due to decision fatigue, fear of the what-ifs, time to actually plan a trip that would fit the ages and loves of all 3 kids, the list goes on. Laura learned our schedules, more about our kids, and our budget and within 48 hours we had a spreadsheet of AirBnBs that were available the week we wanted to go, their pros and cons, price, and a link to book. Another tab had all the activities available at the place we were looking, costs, age or weight restrictions, availability, and links to book. This is the hand holding we needed. I can’t even tell you the stress this took off our plate and can promise you it was the catalyst to making our summer vacation “hopes” into a reality. Everything on the vacation was perfect. We sang Laura’s praises everyday of the trip! Since then we have also had Laura review some plans with us on a house renovation we are starting. Her insights are so incredibly helpful and she thinks through options we hadn’t considered. She is practical, she is hilarious, wise, caring and will tailor her approach to your specific needs. If you’re on the fence pull the trigger and have a consult with her - I can nearly guarantee you will hang up with a warmth and trust that you weren’t expecting.”
Friends, honored you trusted me with this challenge and so thrilled that you were freed up to pursue joy - together on a raft in West Virginia!
We can help with travel planning - and so much more!
At Laura Kassner Consulting, our suite of Life Wife services includes travel planning and preparation - among other things. Our mission is to reduce your mental load so you can pursue things that bring you joy. From devising systems to make your home function smoothly to research and planning skills to make memories or navigate big life decisions, we are here to support you. Book a free 15 minute consultation and let’s discuss what is weighing on your mind.
