Rusol Al Hano
Assistant account executive, Edelman
“As my brothers, sister and I got older, planning a vacation got a lot more difficult with different responsibilities and work but we recently went on a trip to Turkey. It was definitely a vacation to remember.
“I feel that as an adult, we got to play a more active role in picking where to go, what to eat and what to do with our time. Personally, travelling with my parents wasn’t a bad experience. I feel like we got to go around and learn about the history of the place and really understand what we were visiting and seeing.
“I also felt like we got to be with our parents as adults and not as children, for example, my parents stopped being parents for the duration of that vacation, it was more relaxed and laid-back.
“We’re a big family, two boys, two girls and my parents. So before going out, we would meet up in my parents’ room and talk about where to go. If conflicts come up, we would vote on where to go. Mostly though, we tried to do what every person wanted. So if we couldn’t do something my sister wanted, we would schedule it for a different day. That way everyone was satisfied.”
3 tips on how to have a great holiday with parents:
- Communication is key. Talk things out, it resolves all the issues.
- Make a list. Lists are good for keeping track of activities and plans for the trip.
- Schedule free time. Free time allows family members to go about and do their own thing. Some might enjoy shopping while others want to swim or sunbathe, so this time apart is perfect for resolving tensions.
Neelesh Bhatia
Chairman, Key Fashion Electronics Trading Company
“M y children are 20 and 21 years respectively, and we usually go once or twice in a year on a vacation. We used to take more holidays when they were children but now with my son and daughter both having their own pursuits, we try to plan a vacation whenever we can. Even then, my wife and daughter would choose the destination and today too it’s the same; my son and I simply follow their choice. It’s a good thing that we share the same choices in food, though eating Indian food make us feel at home wherever we go.
“We prefer to not have a hectic schedule and pick only one or two places so we can explore them at leisure.
“We went to Greece last year and because of my son Rahul’s cricket matches (he is a professional cricket player), we all went to Malaysia and had a great time. This year, we are planning to visit Bali.”
My 3 tips:
- Keep in the mind that a family holiday is the best way to be with each other. Make the most of the time together.
- Take short breaks from each other and do what you enjoy. This way, everyone has their own time as well.
- Always respect the other person’s opinion; it keeps things calm.
