Manage Expectations on Your Family Vacation

Embracing the perfectly imperfect family trip

Photo submitted by author, author and her family are featured.

Let’s get real. A family trip is not the same as a vacation. No matter how much we hope, that time away from home will be the R&R we need — traveling with a family can be stressful.

That’s why George Pitagarsky, author and meditation teacher, warns us that we set ourselves up for disappointment when we become attached to our expectations.

The good news is, even a short weekend getaway can serve as the reset button you need — if you let it be. That means mindfully experiencing whatever chaos ensues.

With travel restrictions starting to ease up, some people may be looking to resume travel, even with lingering COVID concerns. In our case, our family opted for a different kind of family trip with our two kids under ten and a puppy. Our trip wasn’t perfect by any means, but we had just enough excitement for a long weekend getaway.

Here’s why you should manage your expectations to embrace your next family trip.

The Wizard Behind the Curtain

I was talking with a dear friend recently, and she and I agreed that so many of us tend to use social media to show the world our family adventures where everyone is smiling, and the kids are…