Are you looking for ways to enjoy traveling with teenagers? Do you make the trip to be memorable?
Then this article is for you because in this article I will share a few simple and best ways that will make your traveling with your teenager enjoyable.
Teenagers can be tough to deal with. When I was a teenager, my mother says it was so hard to reason with me, and I drove her crazy.
I think it’s the age and hormones that make every teenager so vulnerable.
Well, my mother also says that I have grown into a fine young lady now, which fills my heart with happiness.
Sometimes it gets so hard for the parents to understand or read the mind of a teenager. They react to situations very fast.
Parents always look for the best ways to reason with their teenage daughter or son peacefully and make their relationship strong.
Traveling with your teenager can bring your relationship closer, but you need to know how as a parent.
I do not have any teenage daughter/son, but the other day, when talking with my mother, she recalled a time when they took me to a beach destination near to my hometown and how memorable it is for her.
I asked her how we planned, what all the fun things we did, and so on.
That conversation inspires this article with my mother and her suggestions.
Simple & Best ways to enjoy traveling with teenagers
Let them choose the destination
When you plan a trip with your teenage daughter or son, let them participate and be a part of the planning. They, too, want to have their preferences to be considered.
Teens love to enjoy themselves, and when you involve them in decision-making or give them some responsibility, they try to do it happily.
As a parent, you must encourage your teen to help you with choosing the destination. Now, everyone has a preference when it comes to a destination.
Talk to them and evaluate where their interest lies. If your teen is more adventurous-loving, you can plan a hiking trip to a national park.
Or, if they like beaches, a beach destination will be an ideal family vacation.
Participate in Challenging Activities
Don’t be a boring parent on your family vacation. Teenagers like to have fun and do fun activities. They love and appreciate it more when you are participating along with them.
As a parent, you shouldn’t limit yourself and think of yourself only as a parent whose only job is taking care of their kid.
Be their friend and a partner with whom they can feel comfortable.
For example, you can go for a hike with your teen, enjoy swimming, cycling, skiing, and so on.
If your teen wants to participate in some outdoor activity, do not stop them from pursuing that. If you aren’t comfortable, instead of spoiling the mood, you can join them.
It will be way more fun and indeed will act as a bond maker in your trip.
Be their Friends
Usually, this thing is lacking in Indian parents. The mindset of Indian parents is very different from that of western.
I am lucky to have very supportive parents, and my mother has always been very caring and friendly.
Teens don’t like their parents to get extra cautious and overprotective. You don’t have to show that you are over-protective of them. Just be natural when you are traveling with them and try to be friendly.
You should give them enough space to enjoy the vacation days to the best.
Involve them in planning
Letting them make their travel choices is rewarding. When you are letting them choose the destination, also involve them in travel planning.
As teenagers now, they certainly can’t make the sole decision as they don’t know how things work. But at least you can offer them to help you in the planning.
Typically, a travel plan involves packing, accommodation and flight booking, transport, picking up the places to visit, food, and road planning.
Let your grown-up teen handle some of the planning, and you as a parent take the responsibility of backup.
Let them do the research, and if they want to add something or any spot to visit, consider them gladly.
Getting involved in family travel planning always adds up a spark and binds a family together.
Set Some Ground Rules
Traveling is fun because it allows you to let your guard down. A few days of traveling means endless enjoyment and gathering experience.
But even during your planned family vacation, there should have some basic rules. Rules that everyone will follow.
For example, we have a few family vacation rules like no mobile phone, no argument, only family time, and so on.
When you are traveling with your teenager, to make your family vacation more enjoyable, you must set some basic rules.
Before starting the journey, convey to them the unbreakable family rules and let them follow.
Traveling also brings discipline, and it can be an amazing learning experience for your teen; rules help them maintaining the balance with life.
Make Sure they are Comfortable
If your teen son/daughter is not comfortable in the entire journey, they won’t enjoy the trip, and they will be all cranky and upset.
Try to figure out the reason if they are not comfortable on the trip. As an adult, make sure they are comfortable. Teens won’t always tell you if there is something wrong, and if you are continuously nagging them, that will escalate even more.
The best way to notice or assure that if everything is fine is to ask them at the beginning of the journey.
Check if they wore the right shoe or jacket, or make sure they are eating the right food. Make sure they don’t get bore if you are on a road trip, let them choose the playlist.
Let them be independent, and you be their protector if something is wrong.
Be Respectable
Teach your teen to be respectable to each other and to the others as well while traveling.
Be respectful to each other’s feelings, opinions, and wishes. If your teen wants something or wishes to do something fun, don’t just shut away.
If you as an adult feel whatever your teen wishes for doesn’t sound good, try to be reasonable with him/her. Since you are out with your family on vacation, you wouldn’t want to ruin the mood. Give your teen kids options to choose from and let them decide.
Likewise, give your teen enough space to enjoy and independent. Give them the reason to make this vacation memorable forever.
One of the best ways to enjoy traveling with a teenager is to be like them and give them enough reasons to be proud of you.
Make Memories
Travel to make memories. Because it is the memories that will stay with you forever, rest all will fade away.
The time you will be spending with your teen won’t come back, so live the moment and cherish every minute.
Let your teenage kid understand the value of family vacation and let it be a learning process for him/her.
Conclusion:
These are some of the best ways my mother suggested to enjoy traveling with teenagers. Being a parent, she shared her experience tips; if you have any tips feel free to mail me at paulomidutta89@gmail.com