Anonymous
06/25/2013 11:07
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Find a way to get out of it if it's stressful! Go on a vacation you and your family will actually enjoy instead.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 10:41
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:Just reading this thread stresses me out.
Me too. Already getting stressed about our family trip later this summer.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 10:20
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Completely agree about the "do your own thing as a family" part, but I add this caveat: COMMUNICATE about it. Don't just disappear for an entire day with your kids, or another family and kids, without letting everyone know.
This happened often when vacationing with DH's two sisters and their families. The sisters/ spouses/ kids would take off, never saying a word to us about where they were going or what they were doing. Fine that they don't like to be around DH and me (Ha! I don't particularly like his sisters either !!!) but there were some hurt feelings among the kids/ cousins.
This happened often when vacationing with DH's two sisters and their families. The sisters/ spouses/ kids would take off, never saying a word to us about where they were going or what they were doing. Fine that they don't like to be around DH and me (Ha! I don't particularly like his sisters either !!!) but there were some hurt feelings among the kids/ cousins.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 10:12
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:OP, in our family in this situation, the biggest issue is, believe it or not, housekeeping rules. One family is a bunch of maniac neatniks, another are complete slobs and the third are passive-aggressive/ somewhere in the middle.
To that end, I suggest coming up with basic house rules:
Everyone has to make their bed every morning, or keep the bedroom door closed.
Keep your crap out of the common living space. Parents are responsible for their own kids' toys.
No one comes into the house with sand all over their feet, or wet bathing suits. Deal with towels, beach toys, etc. outside.
Put your own breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
Etc. Etc. You get the idea!
AND who gets what rooms. Many beach houses are upsidedown. My BIL stuck us in the down all the time. We paid the same amount. He had 2 ensuite baths and a PR while we had 3 bed and a hall bath. The 3rd BD was a pull out sofa in the FR that his family also used as a gathering spot. They had other people we didn't know over who used that room for chnaging, resting, showered in our 1 bath, etc. We each had 3 kids.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 09:17
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Keep all receipts for food and divide it evenly at the end.
Make sure everyone knows that you'll have to clean it up before leaving.
Don't be together all the time if you don't have to be. Have some alone / family time.
Alcohol. A nice little buzz allows me to tolerate a great many things that I otherwise would not.
Make sure everyone knows that you'll have to clean it up before leaving.
Don't be together all the time if you don't have to be. Have some alone / family time.
Alcohol. A nice little buzz allows me to tolerate a great many things that I otherwise would not.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 09:11
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
OP, in our family in this situation, the biggest issue is, believe it or not, housekeeping rules. One family is a bunch of maniac neatniks, another are complete slobs and the third are passive-aggressive/ somewhere in the middle.
To that end, I suggest coming up with basic house rules:
Everyone has to make their bed every morning, or keep the bedroom door closed.
Keep your crap out of the common living space. Parents are responsible for their own kids' toys.
No one comes into the house with sand all over their feet, or wet bathing suits. Deal with towels, beach toys, etc. outside.
Put your own breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
Etc. Etc. You get the idea!
To that end, I suggest coming up with basic house rules:
Everyone has to make their bed every morning, or keep the bedroom door closed.
Keep your crap out of the common living space. Parents are responsible for their own kids' toys.
No one comes into the house with sand all over their feet, or wet bathing suits. Deal with towels, beach toys, etc. outside.
Put your own breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
Etc. Etc. You get the idea!
Anonymous
06/25/2013 08:46
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:We go with one side of DH's family every year and we love it. Everyone is very laid back, and people don't get their feelings hurt over silly things.[u]
For the most part we do our own thing during the day. People will pair off, or go in a small group if something strikes their fancy.
Usually I wake up and go for a run. Have some breakfast (sometimes someone will cook a big batch of bacon and eggs but usually we are on our own for breakfast and lunch).
DH and I will go find something to do -- going for a drive, going out to lunch, will walk downstairs to the beach, play horse shoes or frisbee, go for a swim. We all have dinner together, though, and take turns cooking.
Now, if we went with MY family every year, I might be signing a different tune. It's all about the personalities of the people you are with!
Note: if this bolded portion does not apply to your family DON'T GO!!!
Anonymous
06/25/2013 08:08
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:We go with one side of DH's family every year and we love it. Everyone is very laid back, and people don't get their feelings hurt over silly things.
For the most part we do our own thing during the day. People will pair off, or go in a small group if something strikes their fancy.
Usually I wake up and go for a run. Have some breakfast (sometimes someone will cook a big batch of bacon and eggs but usually we are on our own for breakfast and lunch).
DH and I will go find something to do -- going for a drive, going out to lunch, will walk downstairs to the beach, play horse shoes or frisbee, go for a swim. We all have dinner together, though, and take turns cooking.
Now, if we went with MY family every year, I might be signing a different tune. It's all about the personalities of the people you are with!
Sounds awesome. Don't you have kids to mess this up?
Anonymous
06/25/2013 08:07
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Just reading this thread stresses me out.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 08:06
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:We have a yearly get-together. My sister is the oldest of the sibling and likes to be in charge. I submit to birth order.
I love this
. I'm the youngest of 3 with a Martha Stewart-take charge oldest sister in the mix. My brother and I go with the flow
Anonymous
06/25/2013 08:04
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
We go with one side of DH's family every year and we love it. Everyone is very laid back, and people don't get their feelings hurt over silly things.
For the most part we do our own thing during the day. People will pair off, or go in a small group if something strikes their fancy.
Usually I wake up and go for a run. Have some breakfast (sometimes someone will cook a big batch of bacon and eggs but usually we are on our own for breakfast and lunch).
DH and I will go find something to do -- going for a drive, going out to lunch, will walk downstairs to the beach, play horse shoes or frisbee, go for a swim. We all have dinner together, though, and take turns cooking.
Now, if we went with MY family every year, I might be signing a different tune. It's all about the personalities of the people you are with!
For the most part we do our own thing during the day. People will pair off, or go in a small group if something strikes their fancy.
Usually I wake up and go for a run. Have some breakfast (sometimes someone will cook a big batch of bacon and eggs but usually we are on our own for breakfast and lunch).
DH and I will go find something to do -- going for a drive, going out to lunch, will walk downstairs to the beach, play horse shoes or frisbee, go for a swim. We all have dinner together, though, and take turns cooking.
Now, if we went with MY family every year, I might be signing a different tune. It's all about the personalities of the people you are with!
Anonymous
06/25/2013 07:58
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Don't go. Number 1 family pasttime. Complaining about other family members behind their backs. Oh wait, that's just my family.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 00:52
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Anonymous wrote:Get separate condos for each nuclear family. Grandparents and adults with no kids stay in one condo. Families with kids share another or get their own.
And of that's no do able, try to keep the kids quiet during times adults like to sleep on vacation. No screaming kids at dawn when grandparents and aunts and uncles are trying to sleep.
And don't make everyone watch tv (ESP kiddie TV) 24 7. Just keep it off.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 00:50
Subject: tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Get separate condos for each nuclear family. Grandparents and adults with no kids stay in one condo. Families with kids share another or get their own.
Anonymous
06/25/2013 00:20
Subject: Re:tips for enduring the extended family beach house week?
Make sure you have a work commitment -- like a trip to Asia!