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Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2010 > July > 02 > Entry
Vacationing with other families: Tips to make your trip work
My family is famous (or infamous?) for taking vacations that incorporate visits with far-flung loved ones. It cuts down on hotel expenses and lets us renew old ties and create new bonds for our children.
I recently saw this house-sharing practice dubbed “togethering” — using vacation time to get together with family and friends. The About.com website describes it as a recession-friendly travel trend, but we’ve been at it for years.
Adults can divide up the food and lodging costs, and share cooking and cleanup duties too. And vacation sharing gives your kids constant companions — instead of them relying on you to entertain them — making it especially sweet for single parents.
Whether you’re sharing a beach house with your old college chums or renting a rustic cabin with your kin, these trips have the potential for greatness.
As a matter of fact, I can provide photographic evidence of this form of vacation bliss from last week’s trip to the mountains of West Virginia with some old newspaper buddies and their broods.
The Canaan Valley house we rented, which we found online, was clean and spacious, with all the comforts of home.
The six adults had a wonderful, relaxing time getting reacquainted while the six kids, ages 4 to 14, basically formed a self-sustaining pack, looking out for each other and finding fun at every turn.
Believe it or not, the kids never turned on the big-screen TV. They read, listened to music, played cutthroat games of Mancala, caught toads, explored in the nearby woods. No blaring video games either! Four days of pure heaven.
One challenge you’ll face early on is juggling schedules. Work commitments, band camp, swim team and soccer tournaments can make for some treacherous waters through which to navigate. Facebook or email can let you deal with any hassles that crop up in real-time without having to play phone tag with half-a-dozen busy people.
Another thing I’ve learned is that with large groups, it’s key to call ahead for reservations. Hungry kids fidgeting in a crowded restaurant lobby do not make for happy campers.
To help in your planning, DisneyFamily.com has some good tips on making sure the families are compatible.
In a funny, informative blog titled “My Family Vacation Needs Another Family,” Ageless TravelingMom gave this sage advice: “Pick a family that, if they called you one Friday night and announced they needed to stay over for a few nights while their house was painted, you’d be happy — really happy — to have.”
You’ll need to set some parenting ground rules — like limits on bedtime and such — and also feel comfortable laying the law down with kids who are not your own.
But take heart. Ageless also makes this keen observation: “When other people are around, my kids behave better. They fight less. They’re charming. The whining is cut to a serious minimum. When it’s just the four of us, they let it all hang out. And sometimes what hangs out isn’t something I want to see.”
So true!
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Helpful tips, Photo of the Week, Things to Do, Travel with kids
Comments
By Bowzer
July 7, 2010 4:48 PM | Link to this
We’ve done this too. Can’t beat an ocean-front rental in the Outer Banks for $250 a week, plus our share of the groceries. Heaven on earth and precious time with our family.
By FootballTurtle
July 6, 2010 6:10 PM | Link to this
We have done this several times with both sides of the family and it has worked out great. In fact we are heading to the beach with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law and her family next week! Biggest tip - talk about everything before you go!
By NCF
July 6, 2010 4:09 PM | Link to this
We do this every other year with my wife’s sisters’ families from upstate New York. Eight adults, thirteen children. This year, we’re off to the Poconos again.
By lucyb
July 4, 2010 3:12 AM | Link to this
I wrote this blog in a hurry on my way out the door for another house sharing vacation! This one with my sisters - YAY! - and realized I did not give due credit to my friend BC, vacation planner extraordinaire, and our generous benefactors who made our whole trip possible. <3 u!