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They were obviously a loving, successful and comfortable trio.  Dad was a handsome, award-winning hotel general manager, mum was beautiful and charming and the son was very well brought up and likely to break some hearts as he grows older than his current 11-12 years of age. 

Over welcome drinks, as we were all welcomed to the Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Retreat, some hours North of Cape Town, we had a chat with the very friendly and outgoing son. We asked him what he was most looking forward on this stay – after all, the resort offers game drives to spot wildlife, hikes to see the well-known historic bushman rock paintings, great pools, activities like archery and more.

His answer surprised us: “I just want my dad to be able to put away his phone and spend time with mom and me.”  It wasn’t a complaint, it wasn’t a dig at his obviously proud dad – it was simply an expression of love and a desire to spend a few days where it was all about the family and not about the many demands a luxury hotel can place on its GM.

His comments made me think: how often do we really get to connect with our loved ones? What do our children truly value? Is it all about having more toys, iPads or the latest phone? Or, when it comes down to it, would they rather just have the undivided attention of their parents, even if it is only for a few days on vacation?

Many adults complain that their kids will sit in front of the TV, play video games or waste time watching other people’s lives on Youtube. Maybe we should stop enabling them to do so – and instead spend time traveling and create memories of their own?