5 TIPS FOR A STRESS-FREE FAMILY VACATION
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Summer is vacation season for most families. According to a 2023 survey by the Family Travel Association,
• 50% of parents said they travel with grandparents and children.
• The three most common types of family travel are beach vacations (54%), visiting family and friends (49%), and visiting museums and cultural attractions (41%.)
• Hotels are the most common lodging option (53%) for multi-generational travel, followed by vacation rentals (43%) and resorts (31%).
While some look forward to a relaxing time of escape and opportunities to connect with loved ones, others anticipate the excitement of travel, adventure, and fun. Research shows, however, that a family trip can be most stressful before, during, and after.
Why Family Vacations are Stressful?
Family vacations are so stressful because many families tend to overplan, overspend, overpack, and inflate expectations for vacation. All of these can increase stress on a family trip by keeping us too busy, too disorganized, and too distracted to be in the moment.
Planning the Perfect Family Vacation
Most people do a lot of research to find the best vacation destination, schedule hotel reservations, determine ahead of time what restaurants to eat at, and purchase tickets to must see attractions in advance. The result is an itinerary packed with scheduled activities and meals for every minute of the day. When things don’t go as planned or the kids are tired of being shuffled here and there, conflicts and meltdowns can occur.
Money
Vacations for the whole family can mean plane tickets, hotel rooms, restaurants, tickets to attractions etc. When you add it all up, a 7-day vacation to the beach can cost a small fortune. The average cost of a one-week vacation in the U.S. for one person is $1,991.Many couples don’t have a big vacation fund saved up, so they rely on credit cards to fund vacation purchases. More than one-third of adults will take on debt to pay for their summer vacation.
Inflated Expectations
We work hard for vacation time, and it’s normal to want family vacations to be opportunities to reconnect with our kids, partner, or other family members. We put so much pressure on vacations to make up for lost time that we often set up family vacations to fail before we even leave home.
Tips for Making Your Family vacation Less Stressful
1. Include the Kids in the Planning.
A family vacation is a time for the whole family. Make kids feel part of the trip by including them in the planning and decision-making from the beginning. By giving them the responsibility to choose activities, they’ll increase their excitement and enthusiasm for the chosen destination. They’ll also learn about the importance of flexibility and be more open to doing things that others want to do.
2. Good itineraries help everyone know what’s happening and when.
Creating an itinerary well in advance gives you a chance to hear everyone’s voice and make a few revisions. They can reduce questions, chaos, and arguments by clearly communicating expectations to every family member.
3. Avoid the temptation to over-plan.
A good family vacation itinerary gives the trip some structure without the pressure to maintain a rigid schedule the entire time. Try to avoid structuring your vacation around an unbreakable schedule, and plan on going somewhere that has multiple options to pick from depending on the weather, your level of energy, or your budget.
A flexible itinerary can reduce stress on a family vacation. While we may want to squeeze in as many amazing activities and experiences as possible remember that children get tired and overstimulated. Planning low-stress and relaxing days will allow your children to enjoy the activities and structured time without feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
4. Schedule Alone Time on Family Vacation.
Even in healthy families, spending too much time together without breaks can create conflict and increase stress. Leaving gaps in your itinerary each day for family members to have solo downtime can help families enjoy the time they do spend together during a vacation.
5. Don’t set an expectation for instant family bonding.
You likely won’t be able to reconnect with a distant teen or create an immediate sister-bond with your brother’s new wife in a week. Instead, look for the moments of connection, notice them, and brainstorm ways to repeat them back home.
Try some of these tips on your next family vacation to reduce stress and make the most of your time with your family. There is no possible way to make every detail of a vacation perfect, but taking time to yourself and setting realistic expectations can be a great way, from planning all the way through return, to enjoy a restful family vacation with less stress.
If you and your spouse struggle with planning a stress-free family vacation and avoiding unrealistic expectations, consider using Marriage In a Box as a resource for helpful suggestions and guidance. Marriage In a Box provides access to tools and techniques professionals use for relationship issues. You can set goals, earn rewards, and find marriage coaching on the site. Check out the available kit and sources of information online.
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