Tips to survive stress of summer vacation

TO MEAN A BREAK FOR EVERYONE, BUT FOR PARENTS IT CAN REALLY BE WRANGLING A NEW SET OF CHALLENGES. YEAH, IT SURE CAN. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DOCTOR MICHELLE DE BLASIO, A PSYCHIATRIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. DOCTOR, NICE TO SEE YOU. YOU KNOW, MANY FAMILIES ARE, OF COURSE, HITTING THE ROAD TODAY. THAT IN AND OF ITSELF CAN BE STRESSFUL. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PARENTS ABOUT ENSURING A SMOOTHER RIDE? YEAH, I THINK THE BEST ADVICE I WOULD GIVE TO PARENTS IS TO ACTUALLY INCORPORATE THE CAR RIDE INTO YOUR VACATION. IT’S A GREAT TIME WHEN EVERYBODY’S ALL TOGETHER IN THE SAME PLACE THAT YOU CAN REALLY RECONNECT AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE SCREENS AWAY, JUST TELLING STORIES, MAYBE PLAYING GAMES, WHETHER THAT’S, UM, YOU KNOW, BINGO ON THE ROAD OR LOOKING AT DIFFERENT LICENSE PLATES FROM DIFFERENT STATES, BUT JUST TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU’RE ALL TOGETHER TO HAVE FUN AND HAVE A REALLY GREAT START TO YOUR VACATION. I THINK THAT’S GREAT ADVICE. AND WE USED TO TRY TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME. GAME. YEAH, THAT GAME OR JUST ANYTHING. NAME FOUR TOWNS IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT BEGIN WITH THE LETTER B. I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT MY KIDS WERE REALLY LITTLE. SO BUT THAT’S TO TO THAT’S A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT. LET’S TALK ABOUT EXTENDED FAMILY TIME. THERE ARE OFTEN PEOPLE YOU DON’T GET TOGETHER WITH ALL THE TIME. MAYBE YOU DON’T AGREE WITH SOME OF THEM. SO WHAT’S THE BEST STRATEGY TO KEEP THE PEACE? I THINK THE BEST STRATEGY IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU’RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, OR DOING, BUT REALLY JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE’S PERSPECTIVES. THAT WILL GO A REALLY LONG WAY. AND OTHER THAN THAT, JUST REMINDING YOURSELF THAT EVERYONE’S GOAL IS JUST TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN AND ENJOY THEMSELVES. SO JUST KEEP IT LIGHT AND REALLY TRY TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES. IF YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE FUN, I LIKE THAT ONE. OF COURSE, THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND IT’S GOING TO END AND AFTERWARDS IT’S TIME TO GET BACK TO SOME SORT OF ROUTINE IN OUR LIVES. ARE THERE BETTER WAYS TO EASE INTO THAT AND NOT MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT? I THINK MY BEST ADVICE FOR THAT IS TO TRY TO EASE BACK IN SLOWLY INTO WORK, OR INTO YOUR ROUTINE. SO I WOULDN’T, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKE LIKE A REALLY IMPORTANT MEETINGS THE DAY YOU GET BACK. REALLY TRY TO GO IN SLOWLY, TAKE THE TIME TO ORGANIZE YOURSELF AND REALLY PRIORITIZE THE TASKS THAT YOU NEED TO GET DONE. SO THAT YOU’RE NOT FEELING TOTALLY. YOU KNOW, OVERWHELMED. FIRST DAY BACK? NO. GREAT ADVICE. WE WISH YOU A HAPPY AND A SAFE 4TH OF JULY. THANK YOU DOCTOR MICHELLE D