Teens can be hard work at the best of times—but traveling with them can be a nightmare! If you’re the parent of a teenager and you want to make your vacation a success, follow these tips to help ensure everyone has a great time wherever you go and no matter how long you are traveling for.
Get Their Input when Planning
The most important thing to do when you start planning your vacation with teenagers is to make sure they have some input in the planning process. Whatever you do, don’t go ahead and book a destination or hotel without first consulting them. They are certain to find something wrong with your choice, and that’s the worst possible start you can have to your vacation.
Planning together as a family has a lot of benefits. Present a few different destinations and ask which ones they like best, and make sure there are things to do in each destination that your teenage children will enjoy. You don’t have to do exactly what they want, but they will be a lot happier if you include them in the discussion.
Choose the Right Hotel
Nothing is worse than arriving at your hotel and hearing from your angry teenage son or daughter that they hate it. Your hotel is such an important element of your vacation because you could end up spending a lot of time there, and you want to make sure it is somewhere you are all happy.
Once again, get their input when you are choosing a destination. As long as they know what the budget is, they can help to choose somewhere suitable.
Somewhere comfortable, well located, and with plenty of facilities is often your best bet. If you are going to Boston for your break, somewhere like the Boston Marriott Quincy might be a good choice because it is in a great location and it has lots of great facilities like a fitness center complete with swimming pool, and a great restaurant.
Pack Everything They Need
Even a vacation that is going well can quickly turn bad if your teenage child forgets something important, help them pack to make sure they don’t forget any crucial items. Most important of all, make sure they have all their gadgets with them, including phones and tablets.
And remember that while you can encourage them to do other things, or even restrict their time on their gadgets, don’t take them away entirely because the result will be a grumpy teenager for the entire vacation.
Give Them Their Freedom
Even if you want to do things together on your vacation, you should still make an effort to give them some space. Teenagers don’t want to be crowded by their families all the time. Consider getting them individual hotel rooms and giving them the option to spend a day on their own somewhere, while ensuring they follow your safety rules, and they’ll appreciate the freedom and be happier for it.
Be Patient with Them
Finally, make a real effort to be patient with your teenage children on vacation. There are certain to be times when they drive you up the wall, but do your best to avoid getting into arguments.
When they insist on a hamburger instead of trying the local cuisine, or when all they want to do is stay in their hotel room watching TV, try to avoid getting angry. As much as it is possible, allow them to do what they want to do, and you’ll all have a better time for it.
