How to Convince your Parents to go on a Vacation

Parents need regular vacations, but convincing them to take one can be hard. Solutions depend on the situation. Are the kids grown and out of the house? Do parents have young children or teens at home?

 

How to convince your parents to go on a vacation

If the kids are grown, there are several ways to get parents to do some traveling, including offering to cover all or most of the expenses. Free vacations are hard to resist! If the kids are still at home, other tactics may be required, such as dropping hints a few months in advance. This will help both parents get used to the idea of a family vacation.

 

Getting parents with grown children to take a vacation

If the kids are grown, they can offer to pay all or some of the expenses. Free trips are always a good incentive to take a vacation.

Do your parents live nearby or far away? If they live in another city, state, or county, tell your parents how much you miss them. Offer them a place to stay in your home or apartment. If that is not possible, offer to pay for a nice motel or hotel room.

Do your parents live nearby? Then offer to send them to a nice spa or relaxing resort. They might enjoy a change of scenery.

If they are on a fixed income, offer to help pay expenses. Be sure to reassure them that you will look after things at home, even if it means taking care of their pets, lawn maintenance, and other day-to-day responsibilities.

 

Are your parents working or retired?

If they are still working, find out if they have vacation time coming up anytime soon. If retired, do they have doctor’s appointments or medical problems that make traveling difficult?

There is a lot of good information online about traveling with medical conditions. Offer to help make a list of things they need to do before the trip so that they don’t forget anything important.

Do most of the planning so they don’t have to worry about details.

If your parents haven’t seen their grandkids in a while, be sure to mention how much it would mean to the little ones. That should get your parents ready to travel. They will be dusting off the suitcases before you know it.

 

Getting parents to take a vacation with their children

Children may be yearning for a trip to a theme park or national park. They may want to go camping in a forest or swimming in the ocean.

If mom and dad aren’t as enthused as the children, it can be a daunting task to get parents in the mood for a family vacation. Don’t give up! There are ways to talk parents into taking a trip.

Remind parents that a vacation will mean lasting memories. Even an inexpensive trip to the next state is an adventure when it gets you out of your everyday routine.

Some of my best times as a child were spent on vacation with my parents. Once, we drove a hundred miles to see the Mississippi River.

We didn’t have a lot of money to spend and only stayed a couple of days, but just being together is a memory that I will always cherish.

 

Stress the fact that a family trip would help everyone to bond

Family vacations are perfect for quality family time. Take lots of photos so you can look at them in years to come. Remember to get photos of places you visit and group shots. Your vacation photos will become family heirlooms!

If the budget is a problem, offer to help by giving up unnecessary expenditures. Promise to contribute by giving up going to the movies and eating out.

Get a part-time job to help your parents pay for the trip. Even if it’s just mowing the neighbors’ grass, that is twenty or thirty dollars to add to your vacation fund.

Point out that every destination has some educational benefits. Pick a vacation town with some museums or cultural events. Even an outdoor festival or concert can be something to write and talk about when you get back home.

 

Pick a destination that your parents will enjoy

Don’t just think about yourself. Point out the restaurants that your parents like. Do some research and find out if there are car shows for dad or cooking classes for mom. Find something that they like to do and use that as leverage to get them to go.

Help with some of the planning by searching the internet for deals and money-saving coupons. Print them out and give them to your parents. When they see how much you are helping, they will not be able to say no.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about getting parents to go on vacation

 

What if my parents use pets as an excuse for staying at home?

Find a pet sitter or neighbor that can help out while your parents are on vacation. If you are staying behind, offer to do it yourself. Plus, there are some great boarding facilities. Just ask your local vet for recommendations and the problem is solved.

 

What if my parents are worried about medical emergencies?

Pick a destination with good hospitals and doctors. Contact insurance companies and they will give you details about coverage while traveling.

 

What if they keep saying maybe next year?

Remind them that next year never comes and that they need to live today. Help them to see that having some fun is a good thing. Point out that vacations help relieve stress, which is healthy for the body and mind.

Getting your parents to say yes to a vacation

Start a few months ahead of time so that your parents have time to get used to the idea.

Give them plenty of time to make necessary arrangements, such as getting prescriptions refilled, stopping mail delivery, and getting the car serviced.

Soon they will be on their way and thank you for talking them into a vacation. Bon voyage!