Ok, some of us may scream and look in horror at the thought of spending our holiday time with extended family, however, for many, (in fact about seven out of every ten families) going on holiday with extended family is now a popular trend.
In fact, research examining top holiday brands such as Virgin, Hoseasons, Tui, and more show that there is most certainly a growing increase in those booking multigenerational holidays.
With kids, parents, and grandchildren, all from the same family now all getting in on the holiday fun!
It's now a common trend for busy families to pool their resources together when it comes to holidays and spending much needed time with their nearest and dearest.
Quite often, we can all feel time-poor, so maximising family experiences together in this respect can be the perfect solution.
With short family weekend breaks in the UK, a widespread search criterion, we've provided some further information on the benefits of taking a short trip with extended family and some top tips to help keep disagreements at bay.
Benefits of family holidays, UK
Family-friendly holidays have many benefits, and if you get on great with your family, they can be amazing.
1. You can share the costs. Booking a bigger cottage or holiday home not only has the added benefits of more facilities being made available, but it also helps to share the cost of the holiday too – providing you with a little more bang for your buck – so to speak.
2. You have babysitters! If you're looking for an evening out without the kids, it can be super handy to have grandparents on holiday with you. Or even on hand to help keep the kids amused early morning so you can lie in. Extra hands to help out around the lodge and with the kids while on holiday is always welcome! Plus, many grandparents love having the opportunity to spend more time with their grandchildren, especially on holiday.
3. Multigenerational holiday homes provide a sense of community. Holidaying together can be a precious time, time that you don't always have at home, whether due to households not living close to each other, or work commitments. The importance of being together as a family can never be underestimated.
4. Everyone gets to recharge their batteries, both mentally and physically. Having company when you need it most, and relaxation and time out when you need that all-important break.
5. Everyone gets to be together. This point is vital in today's busy world. Spending quality time together and across different generations can lead to better understanding and greater compassion.
6. Now seen as cool and hip. Taking the whole family away is an excellent opportunity to bond, have fun, and create some fantastic memories. (However, you'll need patience and a lot of forward planning, but we'll come on to that!)
Of course, multigenerational holidays should be thought through very carefully. Every family has its way of operating and their own routine, and sometimes being with another set of parents and kids thrown into the mix, well, it can often be a little too much for some.
Tips on how to survive an extended family break, UK
Take some time out just for you. Everyone needs a breather and cool off every now and again and even more so when holidaying with extended family. Trust us; absence can help most certainly…stop arguments from escalating.
Make up a silly word or phrase that can be shouted when tensions start to rise and stop arguments from growing. Shouting out your agreed silly word can help everyone to smile again.
Make sure you do something that suits everyone's tastes. To help, you could make an activity hat and let everyone put a suggestion inside. Then each day, you can take turns picking out an idea from the hat. Making a plan and sticking to it helps everyone to know what is happening and when.
Set boundaries – vitally important! For example, don't assume you have an automatic babysitters just because grandparents are on holiday with you. Make sure to check in with everyone, checking times and dates. Set boundaries for you, the kids, and the grandparents!
If you're looking for an extended getaway with your family but would still like your own space, why not consider Wolds Side Lodges?
Offering a range of lodges, we love nothing more than seeing families come and spend some real quality time together.
Make now the time to take that much needed time out of your busy schedule.