The most recent trip with my daughter was a tremendous success. What made it that way? We shopped 'til we dropped, ate our way through the city’s best restaurants, went to the gym together, talked for hours on end, enjoyed our spa appointments, and connected deeply on many personal topics. It is not unusual for us to do many of these things whenever we get together. We truly enjoy each other’s company. But, for some mother-daughter duos, this comfort level does not come easily. Perhaps there is a difficult history to overcome, perhaps personalities or ages are too far apart, or perhaps the time and emotional distance is too large. Whatever the cause, it is often true that we do not always like the people we love the most. If this is the case, travel is a great way to re-connect or bond in a new way.
The secrets to success for our mother-daughter travels:
• Clearly communicate your desires for each day, but be prepared to be extremely flexible
• Allow the other person to take charge, if that is their desire
• Keep a very open itinerary with only a few scheduled appointments
• Be sensitive to their needs
• Don’t bring up difficult topics first
• Don’t respond negatively to challenging remarks
• Avoid stressful situations (you know how you get when you are cranky)
• Avoid lecturing and never start a sentence with “What you should do is…”
• Keep a positive and upbeat attitude
• Be a good conversationalist
• Don’t forget your main goal of the trip: getting to know each other better
Care and concern cannot be faked. Genuine care and concern for another human being is always recognizable. Don’t get caught up in a negative situation, should one arise during the trip. Remember your ultimate desire should be to build new, positive, and happy memories together.
For more information on improving your mother-daughter bond, check out these helpful articles:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200104/the-mother-daughter-bond
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/15-insights-on-improving-mother-daughter-relationships/
The secrets to success for our mother-daughter travels:
• Clearly communicate your desires for each day, but be prepared to be extremely flexible
• Allow the other person to take charge, if that is their desire
• Keep a very open itinerary with only a few scheduled appointments
• Be sensitive to their needs
• Don’t bring up difficult topics first
• Don’t respond negatively to challenging remarks
• Avoid stressful situations (you know how you get when you are cranky)
• Avoid lecturing and never start a sentence with “What you should do is…”
• Keep a positive and upbeat attitude
• Be a good conversationalist
• Don’t forget your main goal of the trip: getting to know each other better
Care and concern cannot be faked. Genuine care and concern for another human being is always recognizable. Don’t get caught up in a negative situation, should one arise during the trip. Remember your ultimate desire should be to build new, positive, and happy memories together.
For more information on improving your mother-daughter bond, check out these helpful articles:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200104/the-mother-daughter-bond
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/15-insights-on-improving-mother-daughter-relationships/
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