MAIN Home Life Holidays

A Holiday Family Trip - Keeping the Peace & Goodwill

Snow, sleet, freezing rain. Delays, more delays, cancellations. Tired kids whining for the millionth time, "Are we there yet?" What would holiday travel be without them?

Countless families travel during this season, to visit loved ones and friends and to hopefully end the year on a joyous, positive note. But stress can build faster than a three year old can unwrap a present, especially when it comes to holiday traveling.

"So often during the holidays, people have too ambitious of an agenda and try to cram too much into their agendas," says Dr. Steve O'Brien, psychology faculty at Argosy University/Tampa.

Whether flying, driving, or taking a one-horse open sleigh, travelers should plan logistics in advance. Activities such as bad weather and plane delays might temporarily spoil plans, but it is important to focus.

"It is so easy to get over-stimulated and impatient in terminals and jammed highways. Try planning the best you can, and then hone in on the true spirit of the travels and the end destination," advises O'Brien.

Bringing pictures of past holidays with family can be a good way to focus on happy memories and the good times ahead. It can also provide a positive activity to pass the time waiting for traffic to move or the flight to board. Sorting through an album to pick out the favorites makes a wonderful keepsake to share when the family is gathered again.

Besides the obvious transportation travel woes, there are key psychological preparations holiday travelers can develop to assuage stress. "Use the holidays to keep things light. Sometimes we have to see family members with which we have strained relationships. Pressure can mount," says O'Brien.

Avoid the common triggers for arguments. Politics and religion are common tension topics, but all families have areas that are best left for private discussions. Unhealthy personal habits, marital issues and children's discipline problems are not going to be resolved at any family gathering. If the behavior of other people's children becomes unbearable, leave the room, don't attempt to be super nanny. Even the most helpful advice, when offered in a group setting, can be interpreted as a personal attack.

In addition to caring for the well-being of children during holiday travels, parents can help reduce stress by talking about limitations - helping kids understand consumerism and the true meaning behind the holidays. "Community service and gestures of goodwill should trump the notion that consumerism equals happiness," says Dr. O'Brien.

As families gear up to visit friends and loved ones this holiday season, it is not impossible to reduce emotional stress during such a traditionally hectic time of the year. Regardless of any adversity that may come our way, the best attitude to truly enjoy the season is three-fold: keep it light, keep it focused, and keep it merry.

Related Web Resources:

Holiday Car Travel Tips for Families with Kids

Moms Minivan.com