Many families look forward to their annual vacation. We yearn to spend our time exploring, relaxing, and bonding. Indeed, parents want to escape from their daily hustle, while kids look forward to learning new things and enriching their knowledge. Also, people look happier and more relaxed when they return from vacation.
Vacations enable family members to bond through shared experiences in unfamiliar destinations. Holidays also allow parents and children to have deeper and more meaningful conversations than they do during mealtimes. Without a doubt, there are many benefits of taking getaways with those we love the most.
But then, most family vacations, whether road-tripping or jetting overseas, do not always play out as envisioned, especially when it’s a multi-generational trip. There are instances when family trips create more unexpected stress than fun, causing people to return home more exhausted than happy. Still, there are family holidays that have turned out successfully. Such travel experiences have created unforgettable memories and lasting experiences for all.
Here are the top 9 tips to help us plan a tantrum-free and fun-loaded family vacation to the mountains, beaches, or big city.
1. Plan Together
Parents play a significant role when planning a family vacation. However, since this is a family-focused trip, it’s best to ask for everybody’s input when planning such an event. Polling for ideas allows members of our family to suggest what they would like to do during the vacation. Such suggestions may help when choosing the location instead of picking one without input from the rest. For instance, one may realize that a higher number prefer a laid-back trip, such as visiting a nearby beach to exploring a big city.
Next, we can research when there are fewer people at our preferred destination. After that, we can schedule the trip so that we arrive at a slower time to optimize our relaxation. Capturing the memories of this trip is equally important. As a result, the family can involve everyone, particularly the kids, in discovering new places, taking photos during the trip, and creating a slideshow when the family gets back.
2. Discuss Problem-Solving strategies
Misunderstandings are inevitable, and hiccups will happen during the trip. However, brainstorming problem-solving strategies we can use as a family during the vacation can be helpful. For instance, parents can ask their kids how they plan to get along with each other and keep themselves happy to guarantee a relaxing family vacation. Such a discussion tells the children that parents count on them to make the holiday enjoyable, tantrum-free, and fun-loaded as much as possible.
Afterwards, the family can select activities that can bring them together and improve their connection. Some engaging and stimulating activities the entire family can engage in are treasure hunts, biking tours, cooking classes, and more.
3. Review Safety Precautions In Advance
Traveling away from home exposes our families to many risks. Because of that, most parents tend to worry about the safety of their children, precious cargo, and much more. We can ease our worry and make the trip overseas more secure by reviewing some safety precautions before we take off.
For instance, parents can inform their children where their family will be staying and how they can seek help. Ask them to pick up a card from reception before they leave for the day. The card should have the hotel’s address and phone number. This is vital when we visit a country where our family doesn’t speak the language. After that, we can agree on where to meet when we visit a crowded area, such as a coffee shop, the entrance of the attraction, and so on. It will help us not to lose one another.
4. Choose Flight Times Wisely
Missing a flight during a family trip can be costly and stressful. But older family members can avoid stress by being smart when booking their airline tickets. The family can avoid an extra-long day of travel by opting for direct flights. Further, we can combat jet lag by choosing to arrive at the destination later in the day than in the morning. The advantage of arriving later in the afternoon is that we can have dinner, sleep and start our activities the next day.
5. Create a Flexible Schedule
The family should plan its day-to-day activities before they arrives at their destination. The list can have special kids and adults activities for each day. Swimming or playing miniature golf on the hotel’s grounds daily can help our family expend excess energy and keep their stress levels low. We should also avoid squeezing in many activities in a single day because such a schedule can overstimulate the children or tire the seniors. It’s helpful to switch events when the weather changes because it gives the family an excellent break.
Further, one can opt for a private tour when visiting some attractions or navigating a new city. Hiring a professional guide and driver eliminates the fear of getting lost in a new place. They also provide in-depth insights that keep the entire family engaged and entertained.
6. Choose Mutual Activities
Planning is helpful because it enables our family members to pick activities that each loves. Some of these include hands-on activities that they don’t do at home, like learning to fish, surf, or cook a specific meal.
Alternatively, we can split up the activities to accommodate every family member’s needs. For instance, younger ones can go to the playground to play with local kids or do other kid-friendly activities, grandparents can tour the museum, and the couple can have a spa treatment. Such a setup gives every family member something to share during dinner.
7. Split-Up Vacation Duties
In most families, adults and children have chores that they perform daily after work or school. Such tasks keep the family united by reducing arguments and teaching the younger ones how to be responsible. The good news is that we don’t have to drop that tradition because we’re holidaying. For instance, the older child can keep the younger ones occupied during the trip. The teen can pack electronics, books, and snacks, watch over the luggage before taking off, or usher younger ones to the washroom.
Getting every family member involved gives them a sense of accomplishment. It also eliminates the thoughts of being over-relied and creates a positive experience for everyone. It also sets expectations for each family member and reduces the odds of a fight when we leave our home.
8. Accommodate Everybody’s Temperaments
Members of every family know each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and what throws them off. Because of that, we can think beforehand about the triggers that can cause discomfort during our vacation. While we can work as a family to prevent this from happening, some things are inevitable. Having every person’s disposition in mind can avert grumpiness and negative behaviors. It can also help the entire family to be accommodating.
For instance, people get tired after a long, grueling flight, and jumping right into an activity without giving them time to rest can increase disagreements. Therefore, we can give our family time to adjust before the first planned activity. Also, we can pack snacks when visiting the museum or other places to ensure the group doesn’t get too hungry and cause tantrums.
9. Limit the Use of Electronics
Carrying our phones, tablets, laptops, and the like can keep us awake and entertained during long flights and drives. However, it’s best to play classic travel games as a family than to play or listen to music individually. Encouraging family members to put away their gadgets ensures they’re present and engaged.
Parents can take the lead by putting their iPhones and computers away, informing their colleagues and friends that they will be out, and will update them about the trip when they return. Since kids learn more by example, they will be willing to put their electronics away during car rides or long flights and instead fill their travel journals with new stories.
Conclusion
An annual vacation is an excellent time for our family to relax, explore, and bond. However, that does not always happen during a family trip because misunderstandings can arise and cause quarreling or stress.
Even so, our trip can feel more therapeutic and enjoyable when we plan our holiday together and brainstorm how we will solve problems when they arise while away from home. The 9 tips mentioned above can help plan a tantrum-free and fun-filled trip for a multi-generational trip.
So then, let’s book our next family trip and apply these tips.
