College students & family travel

[Anonymous]

If you have kids in college, do they still come on your family summer vacation? My oldest is halfway through high school, and I’m feeling bummed about all the places I haven’t yet taken my kids. Just wondering what’s “normal” once kids graduate & leave home, in terms of family travel.

[Anonymous]

When I was in college, my parents went on vacation and I could either join or not. I kind of think that’s how I’ll do it with my own kids because I had internships and stuff so sometimes I couldn’t come.

[Anonymous]

College kid found a summer job at the last minute and we are now trying to make vacation plans that work with everyone's dates. We will always do our best to include everyone.

[Anonymous]

We've planned our summer vacations later than usual with a college student (I'm a way-in-advance planner) but confirmed with said kid that he was able and willing to come to the chosen destination, three years running. Basically scheduled it around his job each year. I could see that almost impossible if you have a fall sport/band high schooler and a college student with an internship that ends in August.
We also picked destinations that we thought that kid would like, so they would be more inclined to come.

[Anonymous]

2 in college and yes they both come on summer vacations. We no longer do spring break together since everyone has different schedules but we do a summer vacation together.

[Anonymous]

No they are adults they have jobs and should have jobs oh wait maga idiots don’t want their kids to go to college hum guess that means no summer breaks for them
Ie no vacations

[Anonymous]

If I'm planning something big or something they might like, I try to make it at a time where they would be free, to give them the option to come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids in college, do they still come on your family summer vacation? My oldest is halfway through high school, and I’m feeling bummed about all the places I haven’t yet taken my kids. Just wondering what’s “normal” once kids graduate & leave home, in terms of family travel.

The best trips I took were without my parents. Your kid has decades of trips ahead of them, and they can choose places they enjoy.

[Anonymous]

After high school, my parents no longer included us in family vacations. They live in a beach town and we were always welcome to visit them- but it was never a planned, everyone come to the beach together for a weekend. Just ad hoc.

I wish they had continued to have a family vacation with my siblings and I when we were in college and after. Even if it had changed from big, expensive vacations to smaller, more affordable options. I think my friends who continued family vacations during that time period have a closer bond to their families now, and continue to prioritize those vacations to this day. At some point, most of them began to pay for their own way, and some even cover the cost of their parents now. But it isn't about the money- it is about prioritizing family and having those shared experiences throughout life. And once you stop doing that, its hard to pick it back up later in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids in college, do they still come on your family summer vacation? My oldest is halfway through high school, and I’m feeling bummed about all the places I haven’t yet taken my kids. Just wondering what’s “normal” once kids graduate & leave home, in terms of family travel.

The best trips I took were without my parents. Your kid has decades of trips ahead of them, and they can choose places they enjoy.

I don't think most parents pressure their adult kids to join. The point is that most parents will avoid picking a trip their kid would love, at a time when they know they're not available. That sort of thing. I loved traveling with my parents because they always included something fun for me, or picked destinations I wanted. I do the same with my kids.

[Anonymous]

Yes. And we allow them to bring significant others.

[Anonymous]

It really isn’t working for us. Generally the college kids summer job opportunities run June and July and their younger sibling has to be back for HS sports tryouts and practice in August. If all our kids were in college I think we could make it work but there’s 5 years between the oldest and youngest so that won’t happen. We are taking a family Christmas trip and I’ve already scoped out the one single year when the spring breaks overlap.

[Anonymous]

Yes and we tell them the dates early in the Spring so they can let their jobs/internships know.

[Anonymous]

I went on 4 Europe trips with my parents during college. And then another few one when I was out and started working. And at 45 with kids we go on a vacation a year with them. Beach or skiing. There is no normal. It's what works for you and your family. And that can change as well.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 in college and 1 still in HS.

The 3 in college all have internships that run for different periods, so I try to take that into account.

We plan one trip in June right after HS lets out and then another in late July/early August before college starts back. Not every kid can join for either trip. For example, when we go later this month, my one son will join us Thur-Sun, another son can't make it at all, and my oldest DD will join us Fri-Sun.

So far, all will be joining us when we go again at the beginning of August.

This seems to be the norm within our friend group, too. It's much easier to vacation during winter break than summer when the college kids get to be internship age.