Enjoying Holidays With Kids

In theory going on regular family holidays is a great way to connect and regenerate.

Right?

Before  children you could spend the day by the pool reading a book and planning where you would go out to dinner. I will never forget my first experience of holidaying with a young child and how poorly prepared I was in my mind for a totally different experience.

Altered sleep routines, whining and planning around children’s needs is by definition not relaxing. Once you let go of high expectations and that picking a majestic holiday destination will bring out spontaneous improvements in behaviour, it is easier to manage the fall out and hopefully get in some rest and relaxation.  

 With modified my expectations and a hefty dose of problem solving, holidays can be fun. 

Be aware of enjoying the moments where your child does sleep or that look of delight building sandcastles. Let go of the need for every meal to be healthy, use babysitting or kids clubs without feeling guilty. Talk with your partner about the agenda for the day and see if there are opportunities to give each other a break such as sharing early mornings or booking in some time out for self.

 While children don’t turn into little angels simply because they are on holidays, picking the right activities and covering off basic requirements for sleep, eating and their interests are often over looked as key triggers for challenging behaviour.

If your child’s sleep routine is out of wack or you’ve decided to spend the whole day walking to different tourist attractions, you are bound to run into trouble. Doing less and being prepared to modify the plan will help keep everyone happy.

 So if you haven’t got any upcoming holidays booked, start imagining where you want to go and who knows it may just be your best holiday yet.

If all else fails I hear mum cations are trending.