If teens don’t want to travel -do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 13 and 15 yr olds that do not like to travel. We are a fairly well traveled family. Spouse and I have started to debate whether we force an international trip and hope everyone gets on board or simply skip it this summer.

Thoughts?

I forced one of my kids on multiple trips before I figured out that he has clinical OCD and was super miserable. Now we don't force him, but offer the opportunity every time. We also have one trip per year that is more geared toward him - staying at a place where we have been before, don't shift hotels, etc.

I realized that Europe was super expensive to be paying for people who don't want to be there. So we plan a trip, offer it to our family members and whoever wants to go, goes.

[Anonymous]

Honestly our home and neighborhood is such a comfortable and cozy place that it is hard to leave. My teen much prefers to just stay and relax at home during school breaks, and tbh I do too. We have our routines and love where we live.

We travel every now and then, but see nothing wrong with just enjoying everything our home and area has to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly our home and neighborhood is such a comfortable and cozy place that it is hard to leave. My teen much prefers to just stay and relax at home during school breaks, and tbh I do too. We have our routines and love where we live.

We travel every now and then, but see nothing wrong with just enjoying everything our home and area has to offer.

where is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly you are doing something wrong on your trips.
As your kids what kind of vacations they are in to.

Clearly you haven’t had the pleasure of parenting teenagers yet. You’ll see, lol. You’ll be eating your words!

Not PP you were responding to, but I have an 18 and 13 year old, and they would never dare say they don't want to go. Sometimes they get grumpy, but nothing that a fun excursion or fun food won't fix. I work hard to include activities they'll like, and the expectation is that we're a family unit and we do things together. The college freshman will still accompany us this summer, as far as his internship will allow.

All my friends have teens, and they ALL, without exception, accompany their parents on trips and have fun on vacation.

So I don't know what's wrong with your teens, PP, but your situation is not the norm.

oh give me a break. your kids and all your friends kids are not typical

[Anonymous]

I think if it’s just normal teen grumpiness you say it’s a family event and they are going to go. But then be accommodating about giving them downtime and mixing type of activities so you are not forcing a kid who hates museums to go to more than one museum, etc. And I also will let a kid skip an event if they really don’t want to go — I’ll often leave some portion of the kids in the room with my spouse in the afternoon and ill go out wandering with anyone that wants to join.


My oldest has a lot of sensory issues and similar issues and really doesn’t like vacations that are unpredictable, and also hates the beach and camping/hiking. So we do more cruises and disney that I would otherwise do because it is at least partially within their comfort zone. They also likes urban vacations more because they like shows and shopping so have designed some vacations to include that but domestic still easier than international because of the anxiety issues.

[Anonymous]

Yes I would still travel. I am not putting my life on hold for a moody teen. The can stay in the room and stare at their screen all day while I go out an explore.

But I do wonder. Do your kids really not enjoy travel at all? Is there any travel they would enjoy? If big cities and museums aren't their thing maybe a trip that involves an activity they enjoy. I know if we plan for surfing in our trip my son would never say no.

[Anonymous]

tbh I have one who doesn't love a lot about travel (anxious flyer, not an adventurous eater, not a beach or super outdoorsy person and also not a history buff). anyhow, he is now in his 20s so rarely gets an invite anymore and now he misses it.... the irony

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly you are doing something wrong on your trips.
As your kids what kind of vacations they are in to.

Clearly you haven’t had the pleasure of parenting teenagers yet. You’ll see, lol. You’ll be eating your words!

NP here. Maybe, maybe not. My teen still likes to travel with us. And when my siblings and I were teenagers, we still liked family vacations, too. So I’m sure some teens complain, but it’s by no means a universal problem.

No one said it is.

Well, PP said “you’ll see… you’ll be eating your words.” This implies a certain, not possible, outcome.

[Anonymous]

The vacation doesn't matter. What matters is they want to spend the break with their friends. That is why they don't like travel at this point.

[Anonymous]

What does fairly well traveled mean? Very weird thing to say. Maybe you are insufferable and that’s why your children don’t want to travel with you. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly you are doing something wrong on your trips.
As your kids what kind of vacations they are in to.

Clearly you haven’t had the pleasure of parenting teenagers yet. You’ll see, lol. You’ll be eating your words!

Not PP you were responding to, but I have an 18 and 13 year old, and they would never dare say they don't want to go. Sometimes they get grumpy, but nothing that a fun excursion or fun food won't fix. I work hard to include activities they'll like, and the expectation is that we're a family unit and we do things together. The college freshman will still accompany us this summer, as far as his internship will allow.

All my friends have teens, and they ALL, without exception, accompany their parents on trips and have fun on vacation.

So I don't know what's wrong with your teens, PP, but your situation is not the norm.

oh give me a break. your kids and all your friends kids are not typical

That poster said it themselves - their kids wouldn’t DARE say it. They think it/feel it.

[Anonymous]

When I was a teen, my parents let me invite a friend along on vacations (even to Europe). It made it more fun for me. I’m pretty sure the other family chipped in for airfare or something. This was with a close friend.

Just an idea!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The vacation doesn't matter. What matters is they want to spend the break with their friends. That is why they don't like travel at this point.

NP here. We catered to the kids for 10-15 years, but then noticed that few of their friends were home, they were mostly traveling. But, our DC liked the comfort of home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was a teen, my parents let me invite a friend along on vacations (even to Europe). It made it more fun for me. I’m pretty sure the other family chipped in for airfare or something. This was with a close friend.

Just an idea!

I really don't want to travel with 6 boys for all of our trips, but yes we have invited friends a few times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was a teen, my parents let me invite a friend along on vacations (even to Europe). It made it more fun for me. I’m pretty sure the other family chipped in for airfare or something. This was with a close friend.

Just an idea!

Classic DCUM response — pay to take someone else’s kid to Europe!