Though it’s one of the most precious things on the planet, family comes with a unique struggle. You love them more than almost anyone, yet they find a way to get under your skin better than almost anyone, too.
Maybe it’s because when it comes to family, we don’t get to choose them – but we have to love them. (Certain extreme circumstances withstanding.)
When someone who we grew up with and are genetically bound to has a certain habit that annoys us, it’s actually a hundred times as annoying as anyone else, right? That’s probably because you know deep down that you’re stuck with them and that annoying thing forever. So every time it happens, you feel not only the frustration of that moment, but the eternal struggle.
And thus, the family vacation was born.
But take that hot-blooded, stuck-together-for-life dynamic and stuff it into an oversized-bag-packed vacation? Sounds like, and often is, a recipe for disaster. But whether you’re traveling with many kids of different ages, or you are still the kid no matter how many decades you’ve already survived, there are some tricks of the trade when it comes to appeasing each member of a diverse family while traveling.
Vacations can be stressed for detail, and require lots of coordination and patience. But follow these 3 tips, and you’ll definitely be sailing through smoother waters.
Pick places with good weather and easy transportation
You want it to be fun, right? Things like bad weather are difficult to deal with on a normal day, even more so when you’re on the move and unsure of how everything will turn out. Add the usual family tensions into the mix, and the cloud of misery will add extra rain into your trip.
Opt for extras like data navigation
Remove unnecessary stress from the trip
Start each day by picking a central meeting point
Just in case personal interests conflict, this will make a big difference when it actually happens – because it’s already anticipated and the solution has been prepared.
Everyone bring a clear outline of what they want and plan a little bit of alone time
The person who knows the most about travel should take on (and be trusted with) the research and logistics, but each traveler should contribute to the activities: either let each person have a proportional input, or the activities should be divided based on the amount of individual interest each traveler has. If some party members seem unenthusiastic, a fun way to engage them in the planning process is to assign them a day with their own name, such as Emma Day or David Day.
