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July is National Park and Recreation Month. This year’s theme, “We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation,” focuses on bringing awareness to how important it is to rise up and support our Parks, because every day, park and recreation professionals rise up for their communities in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. Parks are places for friends and family to gather, for kids to explore, and for all to connect to nature and community. National Parks are a great summer vacation destination. Yellowstone National Park, recognized around the world as a favorite destination, offers 2.2 million acres of nature to explore. Whether it’s a guys’ trip snowmobiling or a family vacation, it’s always advisable to plan a vacation visit as much as a year in advance
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Vacationers invest lots of time and money in planning a trip and getting excited about the activities, but what happens if something unexpected happens? On June 13th, 10,000 visitors were ordered out of Yellowstone after rivers across northern Wyoming and southern Montana surged over their banks and washed out park roads following unusually heavy rainfall that accelerated the spring snowmelt. While you can’t anticipate or prepare for every possibility, here are some tips to maximize fun and minimize stress:
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Manage Expectations - Instead of focusing on the destination and activities, reframe the vacation as an opportunity for quality time together. Building excitement around a specific activity can lead to added disappointment if plans are disrupted.
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Do Your Homework – Many businesses and attractions have closed or adjusted schedules due to staff shortages and supply chain issues, so it’s a good idea to confirm that the places and attractions you plan to visit will actually be open.
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Consider Trip Insurance - Trip insurance started out for people who bought prepaid, nonrefundable trips far from home but now many people have started to get trip insurance because of uncertainties like the pandemic and natural disasters. Trip insurance covers trip cancellation; trip interruption; emergency medical and dental care; emergency medical transportation; travel delay; baggage loss, delay, and damage; concierge; 24-hour assistance; rental car collision and damage.
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Pack Your Patience – Flight delays, traffic back-ups, lost luggage, and every other random disruption can stress you out and steal the joy from your vacation – if you let it. Expect the unexpected and relax a little.
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Family vacations can be exciting! Spending time together not only builds memories, it also models positive parenting. Here are some tips for traveling with children:
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Be Mindful of Age/Skill Levels. Planning a whitewater rafting excursion might seem like fun for the family. Quest Expeditions require children to be at least 12 years of age.
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Don’t Use Vacation Activities as A Reward. Suggesting if a child “behaves”, they will get to enjoy certain activities can backfire if the activity is unexpectedly unavailable.
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Don’t Rely on Electronics. Wi-Fi may be spotty or unavailable, chargers get lost, and batteries die. If you’re traveling with children, plan to pack a few coloring books, puzzles, or other games to entertain them, just in case.
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Protect Your Investment. Trip insurance companies like Allianz Trip Insurance offer single-trip plans that protect one trip or annual plans that protect your trips for an entire year
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We are available by phone.
If you need resources or support, give us a call on our
Parent Help Line at 1-877-4-DAD-411 (1-877-432-3411).
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Practitioners working with fathers play a key role in helping fathers and families access information and strengthen relationships. This month we’re highlighting National Park and Recreation Month. Many of our National Parks rely on tourist dollars to support programs. That said, many parks offer discounts or low entrance fees.
- Encourage Dads to spend time with their families at local parks. Pack a picnic and enjoy nature. More ambitious Dads may want to try stay-cation camping at a local park campground!
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Share resources like Find Your Park. It can help locate parks based on location, activity, or park name. You might be surprised to find out how many fun and exciting parks are near you!
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Disclaimer: Reference to specific products, services, or companies does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), or the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. ACF is not responsible for the contents of “off-site” web page references or for any private, third-party, pop-up, or browser-integrated software or applications. |
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relationships.
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Upcoming Events
NRFC is monitoring events and will update our website and in newsletters if events are canceled.
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Our Mission: The goals of the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse are to provide, facilitate, and disseminate current research and proven and innovative strategies that will encourage and strengthen fathers and families and providers of services.
Our Resources: Visit the NRFC website for fatherhood topics and tools, news, and new publications, which can be found through the NRFC online library search.
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