Because daddies need a holiday too!
Whilst a lot of time and thought probably goes into planning activities to keep the little ones entertained when you travel, don’t forget about Dad! His job isn’t just to give shoulder rides and carry the suitcases and the passports (though he does these things amazingly well!).
8 things to consider for the man of the family when planning your next trip
1. Let him have his ‘me’ time. Yes, he’s often home late and misses time with the family but give the guy a break! Let him squeeze in some downtime on his vacation too – offer at least a couple of lie-ins or a complete morning off during the holiday (don’t worry this is a two-way street!)
2. Even if his idea of a cultural experience is drinking the local brew, make sure Dad is consulted on the travel plans for the day and not dragged from play park to paddle pool. It can be easy to make all the travel plans for the kids and forget what the grown-ups actually want to see and do.
3. Holidays are not a time for calorie counting; let dad eat and drink as he pleases.
4. Skydiving, parasailing, bungee jumping – most men have an adrenaline junkie side and even if it’s just showing off and you suspect he’ll break a limb it’s great for kids to see them showing their adventurous side (hey mums can too if you’re not a great big wussy like me).
5. Let’s face it blokes need mates; whether it’s joining in a game of beach cricket or discussing the football scores at the pool bar let him have his bloke time too, even if he’s only known them five minutes.
6. Spas aren’t just for girls! A relaxing massage and a blokey body treatment could be just what the doctor ordered, after all, he’s been lugging all those suitcases and kids around right?
7. When normal routine goes out the window, so too does the razor blade and Dad’s inner caveman comes out. Remember a few whiskers never hurt anyone (but refer point 6 above – perhaps a wet shave and a head massage might tempt those whiskers away?)
8. While its lovely to spend time all together as a family, I bet he wouldn’t mind spending some time with the love of his life either – make sure you schedule in a babysitter and get a night or two as a couple as well.
Don’t worry about mum missing out! We have this great guest post from life coach Jo Gillard that talks more to our mum’s and how you can look to reframe your thoughts for a happy family holiday.
Save this for Later
What does the dad in your family do to relax and enjoy his holiday?
© Our Globetrotters
Ah yes beer i seek out the local beers. i try and go for a beer every few nights at a local bar near where we are staying. In the same theory i encouage my wife to go off and do some shopping by herself aswell, we all need some me down time
cheers
Mark
It’s good to see holidays from another perspective, my poor other half carries an awful lot of bags!
It wasn’t until I did a flight by myself that I started giving a little more sympathy ; )