Family vacations have long been the subject of sitcoms and PG comedies, each following more or less the same predictable plotline: hopeful parents force resistant children into some mobile form of a bonding opportunity. They then undergo several slapstick disasters before everyone simultaneously recognizes the importance of family and enjoys a Brady Bunch-style, fun-in-the-sun finale.
We all wish the best for our family vacation, but often the stress of trying to make everyone happy and the pressure to make each moment perfect can lead to a less than wonderful excursion. The problems we hope will magically melt away when we finally have time to be with our loved ones unfortunately do not tend to jet in the face of jet lag. Coupled with the minor discomforts and distractions that can accompany travel, people may find themselves more stressed, irritable and less attuned to the wants and needs of those close to them.
So how do we avoid the typical pitfalls that take us away from the perfect family vacation we’ve always imagined? Here are some tips that can truly help us to slow down and enjoy every moment of our journey:
There’s one sad truth in life
I’ve found While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.”
Dr. Lisa Firestone, PhD, is the Director of Research and Education for The Glendon Association. Since 1987, she has been involved in clinical training and applied research in suicide and violence. In collaboration with Dr. Robert Firestone, her studies resulted in the development of the 
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