In todays fast-paced world, where bothparentsare often working full-time jobs, guilt can creep in quickly. You miss a few school events. You get home after bedtime. You feel like youre not showing up enough as a mom or dad.And so, to make up for it, you decide to go big because you really believe your kids are going to love it. You book anover-the-topfamily vacation thekind of trip that screams "Were doing great!" or "Let me show you how much money we are making!"But herestheproblem: youre likely spending money you shouldnt, and worse, your kids wont even remember it. Ifthey are undertheage of 5, lets face it, you are doing this for own edification and not for memories that your kids will thank you forone day.Lets takeone ofthemost common examples: Disney World. If you have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, and youre thinking,"Lets do Disney now itsonour bucket list!" stop rightthere. Its not justthetheme park tickets anymore.TOO BUSY TO REST: YOUR TIME OFF IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY SO USE IT!Youre talking about staying attheAnimal Kingdom Lodge, booking Fast Passes for every ride, making breakfast reservations with Mickey and friends, and buying custom princess dresses or Star Wars gear. Suddenly, this vacation becomes a full-throttle production that costs upwards of $10,000.And all you are thinking is, "My kids will really thank me for thisone day!"No,they wont.And what happens two days in? Youre sweating in 90-degree heat, holding a soggy ice cream cone, while your kids melt down becausetheyreoverstimulated and exhausted. Youre standing in a two-hour line withouttheFast Pass for a 90-second ride, wondering how this was supposed to be "magical."You didnt really plan this trip forthem you planned it to compensate for your own guilt. Youre trying to prove something: that youre still greatparentseven though work is hectic, life is busy and time together feels scarce.But heresthetruth: kids dont need extravagant experiences.You could spend half that money maybe less and create just as meaningful a vacation. All it takes is a decent hotel with a pool, some unstructured time, some Scooby snacks and your full attention.No e-mail. No cellphone calls inthehallway. None of that.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONYoung children remember howtheyfeltmore than whatthey did.They remember giggling inthepool, eating pancakes in pajamas and getting tucked in at night after a fun-filled day.They dont care ifthepancakes came from a five-star resort or a roadside diner.Even worse thanoverspending isthemessage we send our kids when we attach love and success to big, flashy purchases and posing for Instagram photos.They learn that money solves emotional problems. That you can buy your way into being a good parent. That memorable means expensive.Those are dangerous financial lessons that will followthem into adulthood. Asthey get older, youll get resentful thatthey dont thank you for staying attheSt. Regis or even worse,theyll grow to expect it.As a financial advisor, Ive seen families go into debt forthesevacations, just to post a few great photos and keep up with whattheir friends appear to be doing. But what happens whenthecredit card bill shows up? Or when you cant afford something your familyactuallyneeds later? That guilt will stick around much longer than any photo op with Cinderella.Vacationsshould be about connection, not compensation. When your kids grow up,they wont remember whether you stayed attheFour Seasons ortheFairfield Inn.Theyll rememberthebelly laughs,thebedtime stories,themoments when you werereallypresent.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TED JENKIN