All parents have an unbreakable bond with their children. However, there’s something a bit more special about the relationship between mothers and daughters.
Besides their gender, they are more likely to share similar interests.
According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, this could be a result of the high level of empathy a mother has for her daughter.
That said, having an exclusive vacation together can prove to be fruitful, especially in bolstering the strong bond between mommy and her girls.
From picking the perfect destination based on shared interests to taking advantage of the occasional ladies’ night in Abu Dhabi, here are seven tips you can use to plan an exciting mother-daughter adventure:
1. Find a destination where your interests overlap.
Given the fact that they are flesh and blood, you would expect a mother and her daughter to have the same hobbies and interests.
But reality is quite different. You can only hope to find the slightest similarities between you and your daughter. Fortunately, that is more than enough.
No matter how different you may seem, your preferences are bound to overlap. Look for this sweet spot and factor it into your plan so you can have a vacation you will both enjoy.
Say, for example, you’re into discovering more about the history and culture of a place, but your daughter finds it boring and not as exciting as pools and water slides.
In this case, look for a place like Yas Waterworld, where you can enjoy the United Arab Emirates (UAE) culture through rides and water slides.
Here, you’ll find not only the fastest waterslide in the region but also an authentic Emirati story in the park’s theme – The Legend of the Lost Pearl.
The key is to look for a place you both consider special. At the very least, the place should have something on offer for you and your daughter.
This way, nobody would feel like they’re just being dragged along on the trip.
2. Book the significant elements of your trip in advance.
Book all the major parts of your mother-daughter bonding trip in advance, particularly your accommodation and plane tickets.
While it may be alright to reserve just the first night of your stay when traveling with friends, you don’t want the thought of needing to arrange things on the spot weighing on you when you’re with your daughter away from home.
Of course, you shouldn’t book everything ahead. Make sure you leave room for adjustments.
The bottom line is to have the most significant expenses and most challenging parts of the vacation out of the way, so you can focus on having fun.
3. Include visits to family and friends.
An all-girl vacation doesn’t mean you have to steer clear of other loved ones during your trip.
On the contrary, including detours to visit family and friends living in or are also traveling to your destination could tremendously enhance your mother-daughter adventure.
Adding other people can be a refreshing change of pace that benefits thedynamics of your mother-daughter travels, especially if you have already gone on plenty of these in the past.
It also makes sense to see people you don’t normally encounter in your daily life, like friends living abroad or relatives back in your home country.
4. Make room for personal space.
Just because you’re on the trip together doesn’t mean you have to do everything together.
Sure, sharing a room would be cost-efficient. But if you’re on a trip with a teenager or even a young adult in her early 20s, you best leave room for her personal space.
If she’s old enough, let her explore independently during the trip. You can allow her to meet up with friends or simply allot a personal day where she can decide on what she wants to do.
This goes both ways, of course. You should also maintain your personal space as a parent.
You can arrange for a sitter or leave her with a playgroup if you’re with a primary school student or pre-adolescent daughter. Hotels have concierges to help you with this.
Some destinations also have establishments designed to allow children to enjoy exploring a new place safely, even without their parent’s supervision.
5. Be realistic with your itinerary.
Mothers who’ve tried planning a trip with their daughters (or children in general) strongly recommend adjusting the vacation pace to avoid burnout.
Plan an itinerary with a slower pace than what you would usually have on a trip alone or with other adults.
This is crucial in preventing emotional flare-ups, keeping you and your daughter relaxed and energized during the trip.
Make sure your itinerary has room for downtime and some extra hours that would accommodate spontaneous decisions, like lingering in the souks and other marketplaces a little bit longer.
A realistic travel itinerary also entails being extremely flexible about any changes.
No museum trip or restaurant reservation is worth a disagreement between the two of you that could potentially ruin the rest of your trip.
Here are a few things to remember when creating an itinerary:
- Select one to two places for every day of your stay.
- Unless they are already paid for, don’t be too stringent with these choices. You may get recommendations from locals that could be worth the change in your schedule.
6. Do your homework.
Don’t forget to research travel regulations and cultural practices in the place you’re visiting, especially if it’s overseas. This will allow you to know what to expect and be ready for them.
Besides that, you should also do your homework on other crucial details of your vacation.
Although you don’t have to try everything you find during your trip, you still must know about the best places to visit and things to do in your destination.
You can even look for events, like ladies’ night gatherings, scheduled around the same time as your trip to add to your itinerary .
For dining, look for establishments with top-rated food and service while considering dietary restrictions you or your daughter may have.
7. Keep a packing list.
Studies show that women shop more than men. Women are also more prone to buying new products on impulse, while men tend to be more focused on buying only what they intend.
Considering this, it’s crucial that you and your daughter pack light during your trip.
This way, you’ll have enough room in your luggage for souvenirs and other items you purchase while on vacation.
To make sure you only bring the essentials, consider the following factors when choosing clothes to pack for your trip:
- Destination and activities
- Length of stay
- Local weather
- Available amenities
Remember to add essential medicine and travel documentation to your packing list, too.
Enjoy the Best Mother-Daughter Holiday
Mothers and daughters have an unparalleled bond that only becomes deeper with exclusive trips.
Plan your next vacation together using this article as a guide.
This way, you can have fun in the places you visit and do things you both enjoy during your holiday.