Among the top reasons Americans don't take family vacations (besides not having time off from work) is a lack of funds available.

But here's the thing. I've said it before and I will say it again - if you make something a priority, it will happen. If it's important to you, it will happen. If you stop making excuses, it will happen.

And you need a family vacation to happen. You cannot wait until the money magically appears or the time feels right. By that time, it's too late. The time is now. Memories are waiting to be made. Your family is waiting for a chance to bond, and life is waiting to be enjoyed.

Don't put it off. The most damaging thing you can do is say, "We'll go next year." The same reasons you are putting it off now will likely still exist in a year. And then you will keep putting it off, instead spending money on new furniture or working extra hours at your job to climb the ladder. The next thing you know, you'll be dropping your youngest child off at college and wondering where the time went. Choose to invest in your family now - not when it's convenient.

Once you've begun, repeat often. Don't make your family vacation a check mark on your to-do list and wipe your hands clean. The more often vacations are repeated, the better your family relationships and well-being will be. Siblings who barely give each other the time of day will soon be best friends.

Go somewhere remote and force teens to turn off their cell phones. Go abroad, giving your children a rich cultural experience (your kids won't be texting at all thanks to your ridiculously expensive, long distance data plan). The more often a family vacations together, the better the effects on the family. Utilize your family's interests and take trips that will draw your family closer together.

Yes, money and time constraints are real problems as to why people don't take vacations as a family. Be creative. Your vacation doesn't have to be an extravagant excursion to Hawaii. Gather the family, pick a destination and set up a coin jar to collect spare change. Do odd jobs together to earn money. Meanwhile, take weekend trips to local national parks, go camping, or enjoy a cheaper but still exciting trip across states.

Family vacations don't need to break the bank. I remember a certain Aruba trip that was paid for entirely with frequent flyer points. With a suitcase full of food, we enjoyed a few days on the beach, ate Cup Noodles in our hotel room and had the time of our lives. It was cheap but exotic, and we will forever remember that time together.

Learn, grow and create memories that help ensure a family bond for life. Making the time and sacrificing the money is an investment in your family relationships. Years from now, your family will still enjoy talking about your experiences. Very rarely does my family sit around and talk about all the times we sat at home and did nothing. My husband's family often brings up adventures from their past - the van breaking down, how funny it was when so-and-so got sunburned and then chased down by a seagull at the beach.

While it's not impossible to have a good bond with your family if you don't take vacations together, the vacation memories your family makes together will deeply strengthen your bond. Day-to-day life is busy - soccer games, dance class, music lessons and different schools all pull family members apart, but a week at the lake or in the mountains will pull your family together. Any sacrifices you make are worth the lifelong rewards.

If it's been a while since you gathered your family together and enjoyed some serious fun, I beg you to fix it - immediately!

The post Why you can’t afford NOT to take a family vacation appeared first on FamilyToday.

I'm a little over 6 months away from turning the big 3-0, and I've taken a lot of time to ponder on these last 10 years and what lessons I've learned, trials I've overcome and how I have changed overall as a person. A lot of big things happened in these past ten years, getting married, having three children, graduating college, starting a career, becoming a stay-at-home mom, leaving it all to pursue our dreams, moving cross country and shifting our focus. Through all of this I've learned a little about life and a lot about myself and my family including these 5 surprising lessons I've learned in my twenties.

People can and do change... for the better

We have always heard that old mantra - people don't change. Well, it's simply not true. We are constantly moving, changing and going in different directions. I think that it all depends on what is going on in your life at the time and the mindset. But let me tell you from where I am now (29) and where I was at 20 are completely different places. I know who I am now, what I stand for and feel confident in myself and my abilities. I've also seen friends and family members I know who had really hard times and lost themselves and their focus and then completely changed and remolded themselves into great parents and functioning members of society. So if you feel lost in your early twenties know that this is not the end, you can still become who you want to be. Change for the better starts with one step forward.

Miracles do exist

I guess, I always believed that miracles existed and probably had witnessed them from afar, but it really was ages 25-29 that made me open my eyes to the very real possibilities of them, acknowledge and recognize them in my own life and the life of others, including family. Because of that, I have developed a closer relationship to my Heavenly Father.

You don't know a person's heart by looking at them

I struggled with snap judgements of people and quickly categorized them before I barely knew them. I wouldn't say I did this out of a mean girl nature, more out of human nature. I met you and quickly analyzed you and where you would fall on my spectrum and how we would communicate and associate in the future. This was helpful a lot of times. But the problem was that quite a few people that I thought I wouldn't get along with, or we had too many differences to be friends, became some of my best friends and confidences. Which made me realize that until you take a good long look at someone and find out where their heart is you will never understand them. And even after doing so you still may never know their heart so it's best to not judge overall.

Slowing down and focusing on dreams is a good thing

In a world where societal pressures tell us we need new cars, nice clothes and fancy houses before 30, it was hard to understand this. It's also really really hard and takes a lot of faith, patience and failing. Along with this I've learned failing isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you are open to it, it will lead you into paths that you may have not otherwise taken. Right now in our lives we gave up a steady job, steady income and just about all our security (and some dignity) to pursue our family dreams. It hasn't paid off yet but we are happier and optimistic about our future.

Happiness cannot be bought

This is probably the hardest lesson I've had to learn. By going bare bones in our finances to make our dreams come true I've truly come to find joy and peace in even the most simplest blessings. By having less and doing less, I've learned to enjoy life more. I've learned even more what is the most important part of our existence, and I'm truly grateful for this. It's an understanding I will treasure for the rest of my life. I can be happy even if I have nothing, even when my trials outweigh my triumphs. As long as I'm turned toward God and Christ there will be sunshine in my life and my family's lives.

The post 5 surprising lessons I’ve learned in my late 20s appeared first on FamilyToday.