The old saying goes, ‘couples fight, relationships take work.’ So, it goes for families as a whole, and you have to work on them for them to function.
Not all families get along or see eye to eye with one another, which can leak out on vacation sometimes. Sometimes the stress levels within the unit are high, and the vacation was to be the cure.
Whatever the reason, there are going to be times of friction no matter the location, and the issue could be even as simple as not wanting to participate in a certain activity that was planned without them.
Does it Always Happen?
Though fighting can be common with some families, for the most part, members enjoy a chance to get away, and most moments that become fond memories are made on unique trips like these.
More often than not, families will have a good time when on vacation. Of course, occasional disagreement on restaurant selections or activity choices might arise, but this does not mean the overall trip is not successful.
When communicating is a strong suit for a family, fighting is minimized; otherwise, it will come down to how well the unit as a whole can agree and how much they are willing to do.
Is it Normal?
Yes, it is very normal for families to disagree; it happens all the time. However, it is also very normal for families to get along and find a sense of chemistry, despite these various ratios of similarities and differences among them.
When you think about the idea of normal, what defines this for your family; not every family is alike, nor should there be an expectation for that to be so.
Take a step back, and look at the special people in your life. What is normal for them, and who defines that? Even the Addams Family considered their quirky ways to be ‘normal.’
Is it Possible to Avoid it?
Yes, the key will be to have thorough communication between the members of the family.
For example, sometimes there are going to be activities that only half of the unit wants to do, and a solution would be to allow the other half to participate in something else during that time frame simultaneously with the first half group of family members.
Being flexible with the itinerary or planned activities and meals can relieve some of the issues that can lead to disagreements; then again, some may arise when choosing, which allows for working on compromise within the family.
Patience, puberty can be a rough time for everyone involved. Hormones can cause the craziest of reactions, and this just needs to be simply understood and taken into account.
What Causes Families to Fight?
Some of the most frequent reasons for families to fight are due to expectations, whether it be in the members of the unit, the activities be chosen between, or even the destination upon arrival.
Unfortunately, conflict can be right around the corner if there is any level of disappointment.
Another reason can be stress or conflictive members of the family. Not every family gets along all the time.
That is just the nature of humanity, which can lead to some tempers and conflict between members. Stress on money, jobs, school, or relationships can catalyze an emotional outburst that crescendos in an explosive argument.
How Can You Prevent it from Happening?
The best prevention methods focus on communication between family members. When a family unit has chemistry in communicating with each other, fighting is drastically reduced.
Knowing what is going on in each other’s lives and being open about stress and the like can become a sort of family therapy and create lasting relationship bonds between the members.
This can be scary to some.
There are many times when opening up requires admitting facts about oneself to the family, but in doing so, you free your fellow family members to do the same and create trust amongst each other.
Another piece of advice involves the family in the initial plan-making. This can help create a group-built outline for the vacation.
Final Thoughts on Why Families Fight on Vacation
Vacations are opportunities to see unique geographical locations and once-in-a-lifetime natural features or experience a culture outside your own.
The emphasis of these ideals when planning a vacation, the trip can be something that forever inspires a young mind or creates a parent-child bond that lasts a lifetime.
Also, Vacations do not have to be hundreds of miles away from home; consider taking trips to closer locations with similar benefits as exotic, expensive trips. This tidbit might help relieve any budget stresses or financial ones as well.