Taking a trip as a family is a great way to escape the stressors of everyday life while creating memories that will last a lifetime. Your teen may be going through a phase where family time isn’t that important to them, and family outings just aren’t cool anymore. If traveling has been a part of their lives since they were young, they’re probably more likely to be excited about getting to explore and spend time together as a family. If your teenager is reluctant to go, try these tips to help get them on board.
Let Them Help Plan
You can get your children excited about family travels if you allow them to help you plan the trip. They do not need to be involved in every aspect of the planning, but being able to help allows them to be more involved. If you’re planning to go somewhere you’ll spend a lot of time outdoors, make sure you stress the benefits of spending time outdoors so they understand. When planning your trip, you can let your teenager help pick out some of the things you’ll do while you’re there. If you plan every minute of the trip yourself, your teenager may feel left out, and it may be hard for them to enjoy the trip because they won’t get to go anywhere that really interests them.
Allow for Leisure Time
Oftentimes, people feel like they need a vacation from their vacation. Family trips can get pretty hectic, and it may feel like there’s never any time to just sit and enjoy a new destination. When planning your trip, make sure you allow for some leisure time. Your day does not have to be packed with things to do the entire day. Your teen will be more likely to remember candid family moments, rather than a museum they have no interest in visiting.
Figure Out Budget
Planning a trip well in advance can give you more time to budget your money and build up those savings. Budgeting is also another way you can get your teenager involved in the planning part of the trip. Work with them to find ways that you, as a family, can put money aside. This will allow you to be able to have enough to fund all the things you’d like to do on your vacation.
Consider Letting Them Bring a Friend
It may be wise to let them bring a friend along on the trip. If you are traveling internationally though, you need to make sure you have documentation proving you’re allowed to take them out of the country. If your teenager has a very close relationship with a best friend and you are close with their parents, consider letting them come along for the sake of your teen’s happiness.
Family vacations can create so many beautiful and lasting memories. It’s important to make sure your children are involved in the planning so they can share your excitement.
Focus on their Mental Health
You may find your teenager difficult to talk to at times. Taking a trip with them can make this worse, or it can make them more open to talking about what they’re going through. Even though teenagers are not quite adults yet, they do suffer from the stress of everyday life, peer pressure, the need to fit in, and there’s a lot that can be bothering them. Make a point on this trip to talk to them and try and get them to open up. Your teenager may have just been waiting for the perfect time to tell you something important, so be there for them and make sure they’re okay. If your teenager admits to having a problem with drugs or alcohol, discuss different treatment options with them. If you live on the West Coast, for example, there are several good places to get adolescent treatment in California.