A nice holiday with the family can be a great way to reset and bond. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it.
Pack Some Entertainment
Make sure everyone brings some entertainment that doesn’t require batteries. You’ll find life much quieter and more relaxing if people have some books to read (or audiobooks to listen to, with headphones). Even teenagers can eventually settle down and get into a good book. It might take some cajoling to get them to do it, but if their phone’s gone flat they’ll read eventually and you’ll get some much-needed peace and quiet.
There’s the added bonus that it’s usually easier to get everyone to put a book down for a few minutes to come sit at the table and enjoy a family meal. Books don’t need a pause button, and they’re not multiplayer, so you will avoid some of the most common conflict points and have a stress-free and friendly holiday.
Agree on Who is Driving and When
It’s always important to manage expectations, and that’s doubly true when it comes to driving long distances. Make sure that the little ones know how important it is to try to get along and not bicker. Kids will catch on quick to the ‘knowledge’ that you won’t really turn the car around if they keep on being annoying, but you can still find something to do to set boundaries. Perhaps pulling over at a service station and waiting for them to calm down, knowing that if you do that every mile, the whole holiday will be driving and they won’t get to have any fun…
Encourage Everyone to Socialize
Kids and adults alike can have fun and make new friends at a resort. Rather than focusing the whole holiday on entertaining your kids, get them to entertain themselves by chatting to some of the other kids while you do the same with the parents. They’ll find games to play and enjoy horsing around together and you get what you always wanted when you organized the holiday: some much-needed peace and quiet or a chance to have some quality conversation with people who are closer to your own age and don’t exist on a diet of Disney Channel and Fortnite. If you have a dog you will know that they are part of the family too, get the kids to take them for a walk. Find dog friendly hotel deals so that your furry friend can come along too.
Take Advantage of The Menu
When you’re going to far-flung locations, it’s always fun to try new foods and treat yourself. If you want a hassle-free experience, find a restaurant that has a variety of choices for the adults and older kids, plus some staples for the little ones. Chicken nuggets are a food group and it’s well worth avoiding fights by making sure that you go to a restaurant that everyone can enjoy. Avoiding insects, weird spices and unidentified meat products will help keep everyone happy.
Sight Seeing That Everyone Can Enjoy
A bit of culture in the form of museums and statues is nice to have, but let’s face it. You can view architecture anywhere, and on your own schedule. When there are kids in tow it’s a good idea to find some stuff, they’ll enjoy. That means waterslides, games, arcades, toy shops, and ice cream stalls. You could, of course, leave the kids with some money in the arcade while you go look at the museum next door (assuming they’re old enough to walk around unsupervised for a while).
The holiday is a chance for the kids to do something that they can’t do at home, so unless you live next to Disney, let them have fun. They can explore an old church or museum on a school trip.
Fun in The Sand
Doze off when the kids are around, and you just know there’s a chance you’ll wake up buried up to your neck in the sand. The little ones have done you a favor, though! You’ve just got some nice time ‘in the shade’, so you won’t get sunburn. And you know they’ve not been getting up to too much mischief, because using a small bucket and spade to pull that off must have taken a while. What time is it now? Oh, it’s time to go get some chicken nuggets and ice cream already! This is the best holiday ever!
