Surviving Family Vacation

You’ve spent the morning packing the car with the essentials of sunscreen, beach chairs, beach towels and enough clothing to last through the month, not just the week. It’s finally time to back out of the driveway and leave for your family vacation. But what happens when you’re not eagerly anticipating your vacation and the thought of sharing a vacation rental with your extended family is enough to make you break out in nervous sweat?

The fact is that many of us often take a family vacation with our family, the people that we all at once love the most and are also the people who know how to press our buttons in the worst way possible. These tips can help you relax and put the fun back in your dysfunctional family vacation.

Take Time for Yourself

Vacation isn’t a vacation if you’re always at the beck and call of your family. Be sure to carve out some time just for you so that you can rest, relax and recharge. If you’re a morning person, wake up early and find a peaceful place to enjoy your first cup of coffee. If you’re a night owl, retire to your room a little early and take time to decompress before falling asleep.

Go with the Flow

While it’s important to take time for yourself during a vacation, it’s also important to remember that it’s not all about you. You’re a member of a family and sometimes it’s good to go with the flow and do what makes the greatest number of people happy. So instead of complaining about having to visit that tourist trap, put your sneakers on and a smile. You might be surprised at the fun you have when you set aside your criticism and negativity.

Go Your Separate Ways

Different people have different ideas on how to relax and unwind on vacation. Don’t push everyone to follow your lead. Let everyone find their own ways to relax and come back together for meals and other agreed upon activities. Everyone in your family should have the opportunity to lounge on the beach, hike a trail or do whatever it is that helps them enjoy the time away from the daily grind. Just because you’re on a family vacation doesn’t mean that you have to be attached at the hip for all activities.

Teamwork, Teamwork, Teamwork

No one person should shoulder the entire burden of caring for a family while on vacation. Be sure to use teamwork so that everyone contributes and everyone gets a break. Come up with a rotating meal plan so that one person isn’t responsible for making each meal. It should go without saying that the person who cooks shouldn’t be doing the dishes either.

When all else fails, have a polite escape route in mind. Whether you go for a walk or to the grocery store, it’s always good to give yourself some time away from everyone to cool off and get a change of scenery. Don’t forget, if it gets too bad you can always hide out at the movies for two hours and enjoy some drama on the big screen for a change.