Most people are thankful for family at certain times of the year. For some, this is during holidays or family vacations. For others, it is during times of crisis. No matter when or how thankful you are for family and friends, it is important to consider how you will integrate your retirement lifestyle with being with loved ones and friends.
Since September of 2007, my husband and I have been going to Tampa, Florida for the last 10 days of each month. During the first holiday season of 2007, we spent the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years in Florida. We were so excited to have our condo in Tampa that we wanted to spend every minute of those 10 days in Tampa. It was the first time in our lives that my husband and I were not with family during the holidays. However, we quickly realized that even the excitement of having our second home in a beautiful area did not compensate for missing the traditions of the holidays and being with our families and friends.
In the fall of 2008, we decided to adjust our travel schedule to be in Virginia with our families for the Thanksgiving holiday. We honored that “new tradition” and were grateful that one change kept all of us feeling more connected and it made our families happy too.
As my dad neared his 94th birthday, we decided to stay home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas so we could spend more time with him. We waited until after Christmas and went to Florida for the New Year. As you can tell, family is number one on my value list.
We are thankful for family and for the flexibility we have created in our retirement lifestyle to demonstrate that thankfulness. Here are some questions to get you started thinking about when and how to adjust your retirement lifestyle to spend more time with the family and friends that you love.
• Do I feel I need to stay close for an elderly relative?
• Do I need to be present for the birth of a grandchild?
• How involved do I want to be in the life of ____ ?
• If I want to be present and can adjust my schedule, are the individuals concerned thankful for family involvement?
• Are you responsible for an elderly parent or other relative? Check out “The challenges of being a caregiver” and “Caregiver resources for those caring for elderly parents or relatives”
These are the kinds of decisions that we all need to consider as we plan our retirement years. Being thankful for family and friends is not enough. Planning and action are also required.