Road Trip? Family Vacation?

I am off in the land of no Internet myself, visiting family. I am visiting old friends, eating salmon, and helping elderly parents. I try to convince my elderly father that he can go to Jack-in-the-Box without a coupon. I travel back-and-forth from Tacoma to Seattle in gruesome traffic. I buy books.  If you are ever in Tacoma, the Tacoma Book Center down by the Tacoma Dome is one of the best used bookstores anywhere in my view.

Thought for today: if you are taking a road trip, maybe you want to work in a university or two,  depending on the age of your kids. I did the junior-year college driving tour around the East Coast, but it occurs to me that junior year may be late for that effort. We want our kids to visualize themselves on campus. We want them to have some idea of what sort of campus would feel most comfortable. Late elementary school is not too early to start. I am not talking an extensive campaign, and I’d keep any lectures or explanations very short. But campuses often have fun little museums and college towns can provide the best barbecue or ethnic food anywhere. I would reminisce and let the questions come naturally.

The problem with that big tour is sometimes at the end it can be like, “now, was that one Middlebury or Williams?” Too much comes too fast. It’s overwhelming.

Why not spark the middle-school imagination while cruising some back roads in enforced family time?