Tips to help you survive and thrive throughout the summer holidays as a family

We spend all year looking forward to our family holiday, and months planning and saving for it — then the big day arrives and the pressure kicks in. Here’s how to combat this and make the most of your time away

Take the pressure off and enjoy time with your loved ones. Photo: Getty

Margaret Ward-Martin

Spending time together as family can be magical, but it can also be very stressful, especially when travelling with young children. Spending intense time in intense spaces with high expectations and low control over weather, travel, wifi and other people is not a prescription for relaxation!

It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed by the stress of pursuing the ‘perfect family holiday’, but what children need is simply quality time with their loved ones. Here’s how to lower expectations, model healthy stress management and make the most of the holidays.