How to Keep the Peace on Holiday

“Let’s go on holiday together!” Dreaming of a lovely time with all your loved ones, harmony all round? For a great time, you need to be able to keep the peace.

It might be–or it might be a disaster setting off a major family feud. Or perhaps just frosty glares, hasty hurtful words and unsaid apologies. So how can you keep the peace? Here are a few tips.

1.  What’s important to you? To others?

Think about how important it is for you to keep the peace. What else is important? What about for others? Be clear in your mind about what you want from the holiday, and how flexible you can be without being resentful.

2.  Talk about differences and potential problems before you go

People may want different things or have different routines. Someone may like to sleep late, others get up early. People may have different expectations of behaviour. Who will do the cooking? What about a budget? If you think of things that really annoy you, best to let people know tactfully, rather than wait till they do it then explode.

3.  Let everyone choose one thing that they really want to do on holiday

And let them also have the chance to not do something. Giving everyone an option to have something special makes them more likely to be considerate of others.

4.  Communication

Make sure everyone knows what is happening and how to let others know what they are doing. Let them know who to talk to–will you have a communication tree or point person? What happens if you need to change plans?

5.  Logistics–Keep it Simple

The temptation is to try and do too much and cram things in–the more complex the plan the more likely it is to go wrong.

6.  Make sure everyone has enough sleep, enough food and not too much alcohol.

Well, 5 out of six ain’t bad…

Have a great time.