Going on a vacation should always be a joyous occasion. Unfortunately, if you are traveling with other people, especially family, there can be stressful times during the holiday. Fortunately, to help limit complications and hard feelings, here are 3 ways to stay sane while traveling with family:
1. Rent a vacation home.
If you have a healthy budget to work with, searching for a vacation home to rent in a location of your choice can be beneficial. Depending on the location, you may be able to rent a vacation home on a per night, week, or month basis. For example, you could be required to pay anywhere from $500 to $15,000 for a vacation home per week.
If you try a Martha’s Vineyard vacation rental, each family member will be able to have their own space at different times. Having your own space is excellent for helping to diffuse stressful situations or just get away for a bit of privacy.
2. Plan plenty of activities.
While on vacation, many families love to fill the schedule with as many activities as possible. By keeping the family busy and in different environments, it can make traveling easier. However, you will still need to take your budget into account since planning activities for the entire family can be costly. Luckily, if you are diligent, you can easily find plenty of activities in many areas that are free or inexpensive.
- Family Vacation ActivitiesPink Sherbet Photography / Foter / CC BY
When planning activities for a family trip, it is very important to ensure that everyone is involved with the process. Since everyone has different passions, it can be difficult to agree on places to visit. However, if you allow everyone to pick at least one activity and be involved with the process, you can help reduce any resentment.
When planning activities, it is also crucial that you go over how to be safe with your family when traveling. If everyone knows how to prepare themselves accordingly, the trip will be less stressful for everyone involved.
3. Keep calm.
When traveling with people, you are sure to experience moments of annoyance, especially when traveling in close quarters such as a car. If you are traveling around by car for your holiday, keep the following points in mind:
- Take regular breaks to allow people to stretch and get fresh air
- Allow people to switch seats as needed
- When listening to MP3 players, iPods, etc., be polite and wear headphones
- Always keep water and snacks handy
- Try to avoid packing the vehicle so heavily that people can’t sit comfortably
- Don’t pester the driver or cause any sort of unnecessary stress
- Make sure that you have emergency kits prepared
No matter what the circumstances are, you should always treat everyone in the family with respect. By creating a positive environment, you can help make the trip enjoyable for everyone. However, just know that, no matter how hard you try, it is almost guaranteed that there will be at least a squabble or two.
Taking trips with the entire family should be a fun experience that will help create cherished memories for years to come. With these 3 tips, you and your family can enjoy the next holiday with less stress.
