Divorced Dad Diary: Making Memories Matters Most

I think one of the most crucial things I've learned in the last few years, is the importance of spending deliberate time with my son.  More than things, I want to make memories. 

My kiddo and I both enjoy traveling and it's become one of the best ways to spend time together, and more importantly, forge those lasting memories through shared experiences.

That doesn't always mean it has to be a "big trip."  Sometimes it's rafting the Boise River, or heading up to Bogus, ice skating at the Village at Meridian, or even working together on Christmas lights, but a couple times a year I have really come to love doing a getaway.

Thanks to technology, I'm even able to do my shows from the road which has opened up a few more opportunities.

We're wrapping up three days at Disneyland with the kiddo and my parents. It started some years back (Disney three years ago) before my divorce, but the tradition, for me, actually stretches back to my childhood.

My parents always tried to schedule a family winter vacation following Christmas, and I've enjoyed carrying on the tradition with my son. From Panama City Beach and a town called Gatlinburg when we lived in Tennessee, to Disney when we got here to Idaho, I've found it's a favorite time for both Colton and me.

It ends up being an amazing experience.  It's also something that provides a special bond between my parents, me, and my kiddo and continues a very valuable element of my own childhood.

I put a little money away throughout the year (when the paycheck allows) to make it possible, and my parents joining me help to make it happen too.

I realize that some times I wont be able, either due to finances or when it's not my year in the custody arrangement, but when it is possible, we will do it. At least until the interest isn't there any longer.

More than an expense, it's a down-payment on memories that set a great a tone for the coming year, and will be locked in for a lifetime. So, no matter if it's just spending time around the Treasure Valley or our getaways, I'm committed to continuing what I like to call our Connell Boy Adventures.