RECONNECTED

One of our favorite things to do as a family is to spend some good ol’ fashioned quality time together. Some of the best memories are made when we disconnect from our phones, iPads, and television to really be all there with each other. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day chaos with the boys, and so often, more than I’d like to admit, it’s more convenient to throw on a cartoon or give them their iPads so I can get something done, like dinner. Working from home also makes it hard for me to put the phone down and be present in the moment. This day and age, I know I can’t be the only one. Having the quality to multi-task has become a proud trait to carry, but it’s also caused us all to be more detached than ever.

When Wyndham Grand approached me with the challenge to put the cell phones away and experience their new RECONNECTED program, I jumped at the chance. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect since both of  our workloads were causing major burn-out and strain on our family. Our kids were starting to ask things like “do you have to leave for work, daddy?” and when my 4 year old politely asked me to put down my phone to play one night, I was ready to wave the white flag. Talk about major mom-guilt! Vacations are all about memories, but it’s hard to be in the moment when our phones are within reach and we’re all guilty of just checking for that one text or email.

So what’s RECONNECTED?

Reconnected encourages families to play together by providing all the tools they need to create a one-of-a-kind adventure. It’s a Wyndham Grand Family experience that offers an opportunity for your family to do fun activities together and enjoy imaginative play-time. You take the the distractions away like Instagram and the need to share fleeting instastories, by locking up your phone in a lockbox with a timer preventing you from even sneaking just a little bit of phone time.

When we arrived for our staycation at the Wyndham Grand Mills House Hotel in downtown Charleston, the kids were immediately greeted with “adventure backpacks” filled with the essentials: a flashlight, instant film, a shadow-puppet book, coloring tools, and more. Once they arrived in the room, the surprises didn’t stop: an Instax Polaroid camera, all the materials necessary to build blanket forts, and a copy of The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions, a novel following the adventures of a trio of nocturnal animal friends by Tracey Hecht with a  matching “lovie” (as Hudson likes to call it). There was also a book with instructions on how to do shadow puppets and yummy Smores pops, that the boys devoured almost immediately.

No one really had to pull my leg to lock up my phone, so I was more than willing to put it away and get to work on making memories for the weekend. Overall, it was one of the best experiences we’ve had together and I know it’s something the boys will remember for years to come. They did such a good job with their blanket fort and Aden took it upon himself to even give it a “Betz Bros” sign. Luckily even though it was no girls only, mommy was still allowed. They even became quite the budding photographers. We seriously had the BEST time!

Now for the 1,000 photos.

LET’S GO! How do I book?

The Reconnected Family Experience is currently being offered  at 5 participating Wyndham Grand Hotels such as Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach; Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek; Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront; Hotel Galvez, a Wyndham Grand Hotel; and The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel in SC. For more information on booking you can visit the official website.

Thank you to The Mills House & Wyndham Grand for hosting us and giving our family the opportunity to reconnect. It’s a trip we’ll never forget!

This post was sponsored by Wyndham Grand. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and completely my own. Some photos courtesy of Rachel Nolan