Child Psychologist Explains The Sweet Unexpected Reasons Kids Love Vacationing With Their Parents — Despite How They Behave On The Trip
You might not realize it, but your kids are enjoying that time with you.
@_itserikav / TikTok A licensed child and teen psychologist named Dr. Erika Velez recently made a post on TikTok preparing herself and her 84,000 followers for upcoming summer vacations by explaining why it’s important for young kids and teens to spend that vacation time with their parents.
She reasoned that, although she knows that kids and teens can often behave poorly or complain about vacations, there are some key moments that occur on vacation that are very important to them — and it’s not for the reasons that you would think.
Kids love vacationing with their parents because they get to spend time with them.
“This is the period of time in the year when children are going on vacation with their parents,” Dr. Velez explained in the TikTok. “Whether it’s a little weekend trip or they’re going on extended trips, this is the period of the year that I hear all about their experience on vacation.”
She recalled a video that she posted two years ago that went viral on the same subject — that kids love vacationing with their parents. Most people might think that it’s because of the location they went to visit or the things they went to see, but Dr. Velez explained that it’s the mundane things that really get kids excited about vacations.
“Despite what behavior might be displayed when they’re on vacation, when they come back and report about it they genuinely love being on vacation with their parents,” Dr. Velez said. “The things that they mention, especially the younger ones, have more to do with the time that they spend with their parents.”
Photo: TikTok / @_itserikav
She explained that it’s things like sharing their room with their parents that make the experience so wonderful. “Something about hotel rooms, they just love hotel rooms," she added. Dr. Velez also revealed that simply sharing that space with their family means a lot to children and is something they really enjoy.
Next, Dr. Velez said that just having their parents’ attention through meals while they’re on vacation also means a lot to them. “There is a chance that throughout the school year that they’re not having breakfast, lunch and dinner with their parents, and now they are,” she elaborated.
Dr. Velez said she hears from children about the ‘mundane’ things they do on vacation rather than the ‘big’ things.
She likes to recall this about her child and teenage clients because she claims it’s a recurrent theme among them, and parents sometimes don’t really understand what their children are enjoying about the vacations they go on.
“Especially for parents of teenagers, they really wonder, like, ‘what’s the point of bringing these kids along on this vacation? They’re complaining the entire time',” she said.
Photo: TikTok / @_itserikav
Dr. Velez does bring it back here for a second to say that while kids might enjoy these mundane things, the trip is never perfect. “I do hear them say, like, ‘oh it was too long’ or ‘I didn’t like this or this or that,’” she explained.
At the end of the day, that’s not a child's biggest takeaway from a trip. “You’d be surprised at some of the positive feedback that I also get,” she said, “despite what’s happening on the outside. On the inside, when they share it, these are memories and core memories that you are creating with your family.”
Despite the complaints and the bemoaning, it’s important to cherish every moment you’re spending with your family and understand that the moments your kids look forward to the most might not be the first thought that comes to mind.
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor for YourTango who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics.