08/26/2025
“You can’t afford to go.”
I’ve heard that more times than I can count.
But my answer has always been the same:
“I can’t afford not to go.”
Growing up, we didn’t take big vacations.
No beach trips.
No all-inclusives.
Nothing that looked like what the other kids talked about when school started back up.
And I get it - money was tight.
My parents did the best they could.
But back then, a beach vacation felt like something only other families did.
So when I became a dad, I made a different decision.
From the moment my firstborn arrived, I’ve been judged for how I work, how I rest, how I parent, and how I show up.
But the thing I’ve caught the most flack for?
Our vacations.
“You should save.”
“You should wait.”
“You can’t afford that.”
But the truth?
We aren’t promised next summer. We aren’t even promised tomorrow.
I could’ve waited.
Waited for things to feel more stable.
Waited until the business was booming and everything was perfectly dialed in.
But I would’ve missed it.
Missed the laughs on roller coasters. The sunburns and ice cream runs. The last-minute flights just to make a memory. Yeah, it’s not always convenient.
And it’s definitely not always cheap. But time is a gift. And guilt is a thief.
They say you get 18 summers with your kids…
We’re inching close to that.
Maybe the trips won’t stop.
But they’ll change.
And so will we.
So if you’re looking for permission?
Take the trip.
Make the memory.
Spend the time.
Because the price of the vacation?
That’s nothing compared to the cost of regret.
