Holidays with children can be relaxing, according to a parenting consultant who says the key is lowering expectations and avoiding over-planning.
One mother's experience
Writing for Metro, Kirsty Ketley, a freelance writer and parent consultant, recalled a comment from another mum before her 2014 family holiday to Skiathos, Greece. The mum said, 'It won't feel like a holiday', which made Ketley nervous about taking her 15-month-old daughter Ella on a three-hour flight.
Despite a 45-minute meltdown on the outbound flight, the week was 'perfectly fine' and the family returned feeling they had enjoyed a holiday.
Why holidays can work
Ketley, who has worked with children for more than 30 years, said she has never returned from a family holiday thinking she needed another to recover. She noted that children are often 'much better at doing nothing than we give them credit for' and that it is usually adults who keep asking, 'What's the plan?'
She advised loosening routines, allowing later bedtimes and extra naps, and not worrying about vegetable intake or counting ice creams while away.
Social media's role
Ketley blamed social media for raising unrealistic expectations, pointing to Instagram posts of idyllic family holidays. She said the reality includes toilet stops and children rejecting food, but that does not mean the holiday has failed.
She concluded that relaxation does not have to mean being undisturbed, and that one day children will no longer want to come along, leaving parents to enjoy their sun lounger and cocktail.
