Some of the most memorable moments for families can be while on vacation. To help cultivate these joyful memories, it’s important to balance the hopes, abilities, and goals of people across generations. Planning ahead of time can alleviate stress and conflicts while on vacation, as well as set expectations and incorporate time for everyone of all ages to have fun.
Have a family meeting for everyone who is going on the trip so you can learn what each person’s goals are. Maybe relaxing on a beach without any responsibilities or worries is one person’s goal. Another person may want to participate in thrilling, adventurous activities. Another may want ample time for taking long walks through a city or spending time in museums.
Next, map out what everyone’s budgets are to make sure your location and activities can be aligned with finances. Make sure everyone is aware of who is responsible for paying for what ahead of time so that it doesn’t cause costly conflicts down the road.
If one person wants to be responsible for all the planning, that can be very efficient. However, this can also cause extra stress for that individual, so consider delegating some part of the planning to a few other people. For example, assign one person to research accommodations while another researches restaurants and another looks for group activities. This can help divide up the labor of planning while also providing people with input, responsibility, and ownership of this shared trip.
Consider finding a shared house rental for the whole family to stay in. This can be less expensive than trying to find your own hotel rooms, and it creates a space for the whole group to gather and enjoy each other’s company. When booking shared accommodations, make sure everyone is comfortable with the number of rooms, size of beds, and number of bathrooms. Clarify this information with the host before booking, as some listings on rental websites may be misleading. The last thing you want is to show up to your vacation accommodation and realize one unsuspecting person needs to sleep on the couch!
One of the most important tenets of a shared multigenerational family vacation is that everything does not need to be done together all the time. If you force everyone to participate in every activity, this will likely lead to conflict, exhaustion, and frustration with each other. Map out time each day for people to take part in activities on their own that bring them joy. Alone time is also a great idea to allow people to recuperate and then rejoin communal festivities with more energy and eagerness to connect.
Of course, also schedule time each day for the entire group to hang out together. This could mean a shared meal at dinner, an evening of games before bed, or a walk together in the morning. Some of the most enjoyable moments are the spontaneous ones, so don’t feel the need to schedule every hour of the vacation. Scheduled activities won’t always go according to plan, so having a flexible mindset can help everyone embrace adventures as they arise.
Questions about travel insurance? Contact a Sea Mountain Insurance specialist today!
