Holidaying with your preteens

Christmas can very quickly become one of the most stressful times of year.

Work commitments, as well as the worry of where to go on holiday, can all become too much. So if you’re thinking of taking a holiday with the family this festive season, here are a few quick tips on making holiday time as stress-free as possible.

As argued in my newly-released second book Shush, You!, I stand by the belief that you can improve relationships with your kids through small actions in five minutes a day or less. I write this article in the hope that you can achieve that on holiday!

1. If you don’t know where to go, ask your kids!

2. Better yet, why not give your preteens or teens a chance to make some decisions? Give them a time frame and budget, and let them come up with a travel itinerary.

3. Don’t ban iPods or cell phones – simply dedicate some time to when you can discuss something as a family during the trip, and the rest of the time is their “free time” in which to do whatever they wish.

4. If you’re taking your work on holiday, make sure you dedicate your time to it for a designated amount of time every day during “free time”. That way you’ll have time to balance out the time you have to work and have fun!

5. Make a rule that if it’s a family trip, the whole family goes. No exceptions. This also narrows your chances of coming back to an unsupervised party house.

6. When conflicts arise, cut them on the spot. Take your kids for a walk and have a good chat to them. It might bring you closer together, and that’s what family holidays are about.

7. Most of all, remember to have fun. Without banning anything, or starting up arguments, remember why you went on holiday – to bond, and have fun!

Happy holidaying!

About Eva-Maria
Twenty-one-year-old bestselling author of the book You Shut Up!, international speaker and certified coach Eva-Maria is living her dream: she is on a mission to help improve 10,000,000 relationships between adults and teenagers around the world.
Join Eva-Maria on her journey to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between teenagers and adults around the globe! www.eva-maria.co.nz.