It’s the end of summer, and maybe you’re debating whether to squeeze in one last trip. Part of you wants the memories, but another part of you is thinking, “Do I really have the energy for this?”

Vacations with kids can be a lot. You pack the bags, wrangle everyone into the car or onto a plane, and by the end of the first day you’re already tired. At some point you might even wonder: Wouldn’t it just be easier to stay home?

I used to ask myself the same thing. After all, home can feel like a little resort of its own. We have our routines, our comforts, maybe even some luxuries. So why do we crave getting away—why is “vacation” still such a pull?

And then I realized something.

Vacation isn’t really about the pool or the hotel breakfast or even the change of scenery. It’s about escaping your daily routine.

At home, no matter how beautiful or comfortable it is, your brain is still wired to notice the laundry pile, the dishes in the sink, the endless list of “shoulds.” Even if you had all the resort amenities right in your house, you’d still feel tied to your regular loop.

But on vacation? Your mind is free.

Free from the familiar reminders of responsibility. Free to notice the moments—the giggles in the hotel bed, the kids splashing in the pool, the way you feel when you’re not tethered to the same four walls. Even if you’re still parenting (and still exhausted), you’re doing it on a different rhythm.

That’s why vacation matters. It’s not because it’s restful (let’s be real—it usually isn’t with kids!). It’s because it’s different. It breaks the pattern. And in that break, memories are made—the kind that live in your kids’ stories and in your own heart long after you’re home again.

So if you’re on the fence about that end-of-summer trip, let this be your sign: go. It won’t be perfect, but once you shift your mindset—seeing it less as a relaxing getaway and more as a chance to step outside your routine—it’ll be worth it. The memories will outlast the exhaustion.