The times are ever-changing and it is becoming more and more evident, even in the world of travel.
Children were once told to keep their mouths shut, respect their elders, and only speak when spoken to
directly. But nowadays, children are allowed more freedom to speak and act how they choose, and are even able
to voice their opinions about matters such as picking the family’s next vacation.
According to a survey conducted by YouGov, explained in detail on Skift.com, a majority of parents around the world now give their kids some say in where they
plan to vacation.
Ranking slightly below Germany and Spain, a prominent majority of US parents, 86 percent, say they give
their kids some say in their family vacation.
The YouGov study higlights the differences in decision-making between parents belonging to different
generations. While this says enough about the change of culture and parenting methods over the decades, some
younger parents are even taking it a step further, giving their kids more even power in the decision making
process. The survey shows that 34 percent of millennial parents are even giving their kids the right to make
the final decision when making vacation plans.
While this gives the kid more control in the vacation planning, some parents are even giving their kids
full control. According to the survey, 19 percent of millennial parents are likely to let their kids have
complete control of the picking the vacation destination.
This trend may be shocking, but there is merit behind the madness. While giving up some control by letting
your child pick your vacation destination might be a bit scary, it can prove to be beneficial to all members
of the family.
Yes, as parents, you will most likely be funding the vacation, and will have to set limits for the child
when picking the destination, so that the chosen vacation can actually be a realistic and affordable one. But
giving your children this freedom will take the pressure of making the big decision off of you.
As parents, you make enough hefty decisions on the daily that your child may or may not like. You buy
their groceries, veto their outfit choices, and keep your child on track with regular checkups at the
dentist. Your children may not always appreciate your input, but your decisions ultimately benefit your
child.
This time, let your child make a decision that will benefit you and your family. By letting your children
pick, or at least have some say in where your family chooses to vacation, you can make sure that the
destination will be pleasing to all members of the family
How will this make the whole family happy, you ask? Well, let’s face it; if your kids are not happy,
you’re not happy. If your kids are allowed to pick the spot, they will most likely be in a good mood
throughout the vacation because they got their way. With the kids in the clear, you and your spouse will have
the peace of mind to relax and enjoy your vacation, no matter where the venue is.
While some may consider kids who get to pick their family’s vacation destination to be spoiled, this is
not as crazy of a decision as it seems. The entire point of a family vacation is to treat your family to a
fun trip, so it should be something all member of the family enjoy. A vacation is an indulgence, but by
letting your child simply pick the destination you are not giving in to each and every indulgent desire of
your child. There is a big difference.
Whether you like it or not, no longer are the days when parents have full control of family vacations.
With each passing year, less parents are dragging their kids across the country on forced vacations that
never turn out as expected.
Kid-worthy vacations are all the rage now, and will stay popular as long as it continues to produce happy
parents. Get with the trend, or prepare for irritable children on your next vacation.