We are huge proponents of taking the kids along on vacations. I believe it’s a great bonding opportunity for the family, very educational for the kids, and it’s also fair when parents take the kids along on their travels. Based on my own childhood experiences, when parents vacation without kids or only with one of the siblings and not the other, that makes the child left behind feel like they are missing out and being deprived. I don’t want my kids to feel that, so we always take our kids on our vacations, as well as events and activities where we feel they would get a great experience. But recently we were on vacation in Miami, and there was one time when our values were put to a test.
As an amateur Flamenco dancer and the wife of a guitarist who plays a lot of Spanish music, I have always wanted to see high-end ballet Flamenco on stage with live music. So while we were in Miami, a last-minute opportunity came up to see an exclusive symphony orchestra performance of ballet music by the greatest Spanish composer of the 20th century, Manuel de Falla, joined by phenomenal ballet flamenco dancers and vocalists visiting from Spain, with costume and set design by none other than the famous artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso, who produced the stylized cubist backdrop of a Spanish village.
At first, we didn’t want to take the kids with us. It would have been easier and A LOT cheaper if only Kon and I went. Paying three-digit prices for tickets feels better when you only pay for two people, not six. So we were really tempted to leave the kids home. But that didn’t feel right. We thought, what’s the point of going on vacation with kids if we don’t share our best experiences with them? Besides, when I was a child, my parents took me to the ballet, symphony, and theater, so I grew to appreciate refined performing arts. I want to teach that appreciation to my kids as well.
So we brought the kids along and were happy that we did. They behaved perfectly and really enjoyed the performance. My youngest was even blowing kisses at the dancers during the applause. We got it all – amazing music, sophisticated dancing, the castanets, beautiful singing narrated in English, Picasso’s set design, gorgeous visual effects, and the uplifting atmosphere. I am very happy that I saw a unique, real ballet Flamenco performance with live orchestra music by the great Manuel de Falla, and happy that we took our kids with us to see it together as a family.