Paying It Forward While On Vacation

My family are among the blessed who are able to pack our bags and enjoy a tropical vacation at least once year.  I know we’re not alone.  We sit under palm trees, sipping frozen drinks, basking in the sunshine and have those “pinch me” kind of moments that leave us feeling all kinds of warm and fuzzy.  Every moment catered to while on that vacation.  We know we’ve worked hard to get where we are, but we also know there’s a little bit of luck to be enjoying these special kind of experiences.  When our family travels we try not to take any of it for granted, and do our best to pay it forward whenever and however we can.  One of the ways this can be done is via an incredible program run through the Sandals Foundation’s Reading Road trip.

This year, I attended the Social Media on the Sand Conference at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa in Jamaica and had the incredible opportunity to participate in a Reading Road Trip Experience with my children in tow.  The Reading Road Trip is available to any guest staying at a Beaches Resort or Sandals property and is easily booked through Island Routes Adventure Tours.  Insider Tip:  It’s a popular excursion and best to book in advance. There is a small of $25 fee which covers the cost of transportation to one of the adopted schools and includes a donation to the Sandals Foundation.

Essentially the Reading Road trip allows you to give back to a local school while on vacation.  You can pack a bag of much needed school supplies to donate, and then have the opportunity to read to and work with school age children at a designated school near your resort.  It’s a chance to spend one on one time with some of the little people on the island you are fortunate enough to be visiting.  It’s a chance to pay it forward in a little way, but an important one.  It’s giving of your time and if you have tweens or teens, I can gurantee it’s an experience they will never forget.

Tour Highlights:

• Engage with Caribbean children at a local school
• Read a story to a small group ages 3-7 years old
• Help improve their listening and comprehension skills
• Feel free to donate a new or gently-used book to the school’s library

My daughters and I had the opportunity to visit Cove Primary School outside of Negril in Jamaica.

When we arrived we were greeted by a group of excited students and staff, including this little fella who was all too happy to pose for a picture for me.  That grin!

We were placed at a table with just two students who wanted very much to read along with my teen girls.  Before long 2 children grew to 3, then 4,5, then finally 6 children listening to my daughters read “Dora The Explorer”, “Dick and Jane” and “Dr.Seuss”.  Like sponges the children of Cove Primary were attentive and eager to hear more, learn more.

My girls were more than happy to oblige.

We were then offered work sheets to complete with our mini class and this may have been my favourite part of the day.  We learned all about the students favourite foods, (jerk chicken and rice across the board!), colours and what each child wanted to be when they grow up.  We did some spelling and colouring.  We even snuck in a few selfies.  Because apparently selfies on my iPhone are AMAZING.

Then our little group led us outside by the hand for a quick snack and to kick around the soccer ball.  Funny thing though, the girls in our group were’t so much interested in the soccer, as just chatting and playing with my youngest daughters hair.  Then finding other friends and sisters to introduce to the two sisters they had spent their morning with.  It was all kinds of magical.  For once, instead of me being the “Mom”, the “leader”, I sat back, took pictures and watched my girls lead the group, read, smile, enjoy and blossom before my very eyes.  I could not have been more proud.

I was proud of these girls who know we are blessed.  Proud of my daughters who wanted nothing more than to sit on tiny chairs and read with tiny people.  Proud of these girls who are wondering how they can do that again, keep paying it forward, keep supporting the students we met at Cove Primary School that day.

Thank you to Social Media On The Sand and The Sandals Foundation for giving my family a gift we won’t soon forget.  It was a joy to spend time at Mount Hope, to pay it forward in this small way, and to have my girls once again realize it is so much better to give than to receive.

**Would you like the chance to help children like these that were tragically affected by Hurricane Matthew?   Then please consider donating.  Every single dollar makes a difference. Plus, when you contribute, School Specialty will provide a dollar-for-dollar in-kind product match* of materials and supplies to help support educational rebuilding efforts across The Bahamas.  Simply click here to donate and please note my name (Stephanie) as well as Life In The Suburbs in the “Comment” section . https://www.gofundme.com/beachesmoms

Thank you!