Travel with a teenager is a joyous experience, full of fun and stimulating conversation ….. Said no parent of a teenager EVER!
Travel with a teenager is a joyous experience, full of fun and stimulating conversation ... Said no parent of a teenager EVER!
While it can be pleasant it can also be a holiday from hell. I speak from experience on this one. Don’t be disheartened though, all is not lost. You can still travel and keep your teen happy.
Depending on the age and gender of you teen your holiday will quite possibly need military precision planning from year after year until they finally become an adult. Each year seems to bring a whole new set of boxes to tick. (Try doing it with a teen and a toddler…. But that’s a whole other story)
Here are some simple things to bear in mind when looking for your family holiday this year:
- Go all Inclusive if you can, this way they can eat all around them without costing you the earth.
- Get accommodation that has free WIFI. As much as we would all love our teens to engage and get involved with poolside activities, this is not really a reality for most. Limit their times spent with access to the internet but don’t make them go cold turkey or you will end up regretting it.
- Choose your destination wisely. If your teen is at a stage where they are body conscious maybe pick somewhere cooler this year. Opt for a theme park or shorter break a couple of times in the year may suit better at this time. There are so many escorted and activity holidays to choose from that a beach holiday is not your only option.
- If your child is not very sociable don’t expect them to change their personality and suddenly want to go to clubs and discos. While some may love the social aspect the majority of parents I speak to say that this never entered their minds when booking a holiday because as a child they always loved the kids clubs.
- Try and incorporate your teen’s interests in to your holiday. Try and schedule a trip that they want to go on or a visit to somewhere fun like a waterpark or arcade. If you make an effort with them and show that you are listening to what they want they might just surprise you and be a bit more cooperative on the trip. (Might …)
- Each teen is different and develops at different ages. This is something that a lot of parents don’t consider when looking at their holiday options. Take a few moments to think about how you were at their age and let it be a factor in your holiday decision making.
