It can feel like we work all year so we can finally have a week or two to relax with the family. We like to see new places. We like to try new foods. We like to hear new languages. It can be a very exciting time for the whole family. But all this excitement can sometimes lead to friction arising between family members who love each other dearly.
When time and resources are limited, and we have such strong desires to see new things, we can sometimes turn against each other. It is important to make the most out of the vacations that we have worked so hard for. The worst thing we can do is have a bad time. So here are four tips to finding peace of mind and making the most out of your family vacations.
Entertainment on Your Phone
While the idea is to have quality time with the family, sometimes we need time alone, in order to really be present later with our loved ones. Luckily, we almost all have a great device where we can have lots of fun on our own, either going on a walk, or during travel times, for example.
If you are looking for some free fun, you can check out free slot machines online. This site will let you play Cleopatra, Spartacus Gladiator of Rome, and over 7,780 free slots. These slots are legal and can be played on any device, such as a tablet or a smartphone. There is no need to download anything at all to play these games.
This is just one example of the ways you can spend some time alone relaxing, even while you are on vacation with your family. Having even small, regular breaks to decompress can really make a big difference in how much fun the entire family has.
Express Your Limits
It can be hard sometimes to find time to be alone. When we isolate, it can be misread as a sign of anger, of sadness, or frustration. In order to make sure that your family understands your needs, it is important to express your limits honestly and clearly. It is shocking what a difference this small act can make.
if you know yourself well enough to know what you will need in order to be in your best mood, try letting your family know ahead of time. They will definitely appreciate this level of trust. They are likely to want to accommodate these requests. After all, we all just want to have a good time!
After communicating your limits, you then have to hold yourself and your family accountable to your agreements. After all, that is the idea behind this type of communication. Everyone will have a better time if we can learn to respect each other in this way.
Ask About and Respect Their Limits
We may be more used to hearing about these guidelines for communication among partners and friends, but they can be even more powerful when dealing with our children. After expressing your limits, make sure to ask them about theirs. This is a great learning experience where they will have to ask themselves what they really want and learn to express it respectfully.
Plus, by treating them like adults, they will begin building important self-awareness tools. Even if they do not nail it this time, they will be more prepared to honestly answer these questions next time. This is especially so after they see you enforcing your limits after communicating them.
Enjoy Even the Activities that are not Your Favorites
While we all have desires for our vacations, if we want to spend time with our family, we will inevitably go to places and do activities that might not be on our Europe to-do list. This is part of living in community.
Many of these activities may even be geared towards children. In order to then go to the activities that are on our list, we should stay in a good mood even when we do not get our way exactly.
In other words, having fun together is all about compromise. These compromises will work best with a smile and some intentional communication. Have fun!