Ah, the holidays. That magical time filled with sun-soaked beaches, laughter and lounging by the pool with not a single worry in mind.
And, of course, finally catching up on that elusive thing called ‘rest’. It is what every parent looks forward to (or is it)?
If you’ve ever come home from a family vacation and felt more exhausted than before you left, you’re not alone.
In fact, many mums and dads find themselves wondering, ‘Why am I still exhausted despite coming back from a vacation?’
With the school holidays currently ongoing, it’s natural for parents to start planning those vacation days to the max. Crossing out days on the calendar, looking up hotels and Googling airline discount prices.
We want to make memories, soak in quality family time, and perhaps, just perhaps, squeeze in as much downtime as we can while we have it.
But somewhere between packing snacks, booking plane tickets, and settling sibling squabbles at 38,000 feet, that dreamy ‘break’ starts feeling suspiciously like another full-time job.
School Holidays: Relaxing Vacation or Full-Time Job?
Let’s be honest – when it comes to planning and executing a family vacation, we often have mums to thank for that.
When it comes to checking passport dates, booking hotels, planning activities, and making sure everyone’s favourite snacks are within reach, it’s poor old Mum.
There’s also the pressure. Holidays are supposed to be fun, enriching, and preserved for posterity (gotta get those curated photos for social media, after all).
And with that pressure comes the drive to squeeze in everything. Zoos, aquariums, beach days, museums, tourist traps. Whilst also blocking out planned ‘me time’ for Mummy and Daddy.
We create itineraries that would put travel guides to shame. But when the day comes, we end up managing meltdowns and Googling ‘things to do with kids near me’ at a moment’s notice.
The irony? In our pursuit of rest, we often forget to actually rest. We end up treating our vacations like another to-do list.
Every activity checked off might feel like an achievement, but it comes at a cost. Our own energy and peace of mind.
This is not taking into account the jet lag, which can leave you in a daze for days.
Even if you’re not jetting off to another time zone, long car rides, strange beds, and unfamiliar environments can leave the little ones overstimulated for sure.
And we all know what that means for parents – night wakings, early mornings, and fewer opportunities to actually unwind and kick back.
Busting the Vacation Burnout
Holiday stress is a real phenomenon that can be caused by a myriad of reasons.
But it’s not all gloom and doom. Being aware of the ‘vacation fatigue’ phenomenon is the first step in rethinking how we approach holidays.
Instead of planning to do all the things, maybe it’s time to do less.
To slow down. To enjoy the bliss of a lazy morning or an afternoon spent doing absolutely nothing by the pool.
Children don’t need a packed itinerary to make memories. They remember the precious moments, the unexpected adventures, and the simple joys of just being together as a family.
And for mums and dads, sometimes the most restorative holidays are the ones where we lower our expectations.
Here’s how to stave off the holiday burnout and actually enjoy your time off with the family:
- Zen out first: Planning a vacation after a stressful week at work will not do anyone any favours. Wind down, detach and relax before you start planning anything.
- Deal with your baggage: No, not your literal baggage, your emotional baggage. In some cases, holiday stress can be an indicator of other underlying factors brewing beneath the surface, such as marital issues. So deal with these first so you don’t take your baggage with your baggage.
- Prep your kids: If your kids have a bad rep with holidays, sit them down and prep them. If they cannot handle the stress of a plane ride, etc., then adjust your family’s holiday plan to fit their needs.
- Vote on it: Too many activities on your vacation itinerary? Put it down to a vote, or better yet, do it lucky draw style. Resist the inner FOMO. There will be plenty of future opportunities to do those other things.
- Let go of perfection: A ‘successful’ holiday doesn’t have to look picture-perfect. Sometimes, it’s simply about taking a break from routine – even if that break is a little messy.
You may have expected some tired old advice like minimising your itinerary, or planning in advance, or opting for a staycation instead of a long trip. You probably have already heard these before.
Hopefully our advice here gives you a different perspective.
But all in all, instead of making the most out of your holidays, it’s important to do your best. Focus on what you can do together as a family.
Make Vacations Fun Again
As the school holidays approach and you start planning your family adventures, give yourself permission to take it easy.
It’s not about crafting the perfect trip. It’s about coming back feeling more whole, not more worn out.
As the very millennial adage goes: less is best. And maybe if we implemented that for everything in our lives (not just vacations), things would be much more enjoyable.
Maybe that means booking one fewer excursion, choosing accommodation with a kids’ club, or even swapping a big trip for a low-key staycation where the whole family can truly unwind.
Because at the end of the day, holidays should be about togetherness, not ticking boxes.
And if we can let go of the pressure and embrace a little imperfection, we might just come back from our holidays actually feeling refreshed.
Now wouldn’t that be a holiday worth having?
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