For some, planning family holidays is super exciting and for some firstly comes to mind is cost.
Yes, it makes sense that when you plan holidays for the entire family, costing plays an important
role.
We should concentrate more on fun element rather than luxuries. Travelling by train is so much
entertaining than taking flights. Camping by the river side is so much exciting than staying in
five star hotel. One should not compromise on basic hygiene and comforts but priority should be
given to new experiences and creating memories for the life time.
If you are living in a high rise with the clubhouse, will there be any novelty in staying in a star
rated hotel with swimming pool ? which might be serving similar continental & Indian food
which you get in city limits. One should stay at home stays, cottages, heritage properties at some
unique, offbeat locations where no hotel can ever be built. There you can experience an
untouched beauty of nature.
We are fortunate to live in a country like India which has so much diversity in cultures, cuisine,
the way people live ,celebrate their festivals etc. It actually opens up a whole lot of opportunities
to understand what life is all about.
Holidaying together as a family creates strong bond between siblings as well as between parents
& children.
Children open up and can have a dialogue with their parents about their joys & fears during these
stress free times, which help them understand themselves better.
In one survey done by Expedia back in 2017 showed 97% Indian teens felt that family vacations
bring them closer to their siblings, 69% said their favorite memories occurred on family
vacations. It further showed 63% parents are more relaxed and let go of some of the rules &
chores while on holiday.
Children are perpetually curious and spending time in wilderness will bring out their inner
explorer. Just watching them from a distance, as a parent, you would enjoy it immensely.
It helps adults to keep stress at bay. I tell you my experience of last month (April 2022), I was on
a solo trip to Goa. It just never occurred to me to check my office mail even once in that whole
week. We tend to let go all our day today worries when we holiday, it is so much relaxing.
Family holidays make your child happier & smarter. It improves concentration and it is
beneficial to their physical and most importantly mental health.
I had read one story of a French family which took to sailing for six months with their two
children. There was no internet so kids took up to reading, drawing and playing games with each
other. When the family came back they could see the evident change in their kid’s behavior.
They became much more patient, calmer & adaptable. They started enjoying their own company.
They continued reading books, which became the main source of their joy.
Family holidays creates a Happiness Anchor. It creates lifetime happy memories and one can
actually relive those moments over & over again. It does help go through difficult times.
If one can add an element of adventure to the family holidays, it would be an icing on the cake.
Adventure activities help grow self confidence & self concept (sense of self) in kids. Finding
self, helps them find purpose in life, which is so much essential to make life happier.
It helps them understand what do they like, what don’t, what inspires them, what fascinates
them. They learn to make choices.
These experiential gifts elicit a strong emotional response when recipient consumes it.
Undoubtedly family holidays are investment within yourself & your family, which would yield
handsome dividends for the life time.