How to enjoy a family holiday

Many come to the end of a year and reflect on what they want to leave behind. Whether your year was filled with delight, disappointment or the unexpected, believe in the possibility that the year ahead may be a year like no other.  

We naturally expect to have a good time on holidays. If yours haven’t lived up to expectations, it is worth remembering that holidays bring more opportunities for parties and gathering and family members spend more time together than the usual few hours a day.

Habits that are usually annoying may become a major source of irritation as you spend every waking minute together during the holidays. Our expectations for the perfect holiday can heighten our feelings of sadness or disappointment, when things don’t go to plan.

Here are some basic ideas to help keep your holiday dream alive without loosing your mind:

• Set realistic expectations about how the day needs to turn out rather than “how it should” be - accept that changes to schedules or delays are part of holidays.
• Expect some tension or conflict between family members.
• Ensure every family member has some downtime each day.
• Maintain open, loving communication about how your feel.  
• Plan a ‘circuit breaker’ in advance so that you can remove yourself when needed from people or situations that push your buttons.
• Remember that holidays are a time to recharge your batteries. Rather than organising a jam packed schedule, plan your holiday in a way that ensures:
  • Each person does at least 1 thing they wanted for themselves that day.
  • Exercise routines (even just a walk) can be maintained.
  • Everyone gets a good nights sleep and if possible a daytime “siesta”.

Life is filled with challenges and transitions, both expected and unexpected. Holidays are no exception. How we navigate these has the potential to impact our sense of self, our relationships and wellbeing.

It may be difficult to understand how your relationship has evolved over time. The year ahead doesn’t need to be the same. Believe in possibility. 

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