• Give everyone in the family the opportunity to voice their opinions on where they want to go and what they want to do. Distinguish between “needs” and “wants.” For example, if one member of the family says “I want to go to Scotland” but others don’t agree, find out what it is about Scotland that appeals by asking “What would going to Scotland give you?” The answers might be something like – “wild and rugged countryside”, “the chance to explore somewhere new”, “the enjoyment of spending time with my Scottish friends/family.” These are the underlying needs which can probably be met in several different ways with a bit of creative thinking.

• Agree on a budget, destination, timescale and activities.

• Aim for mutual consent rather than compromise, win-win situations in other words. Respect each other’s preferences and aim to match “needs” rather than “wants” (see above).

• Expect personal interactions to be different whilst you’re on holiday and make allowances – after all, maybe you don’t normally spend this much time together, so relationships can start to feel a bit intense. Also, you’re not on home ground which may create anxiety in some family members..

• Do your planning and build in contingencies for delays, illness and allergies etc

• Be prepared to give yourselves a break from each other from time to time by separating family members and going off to do different things e.g. Dad takes one child swimming, whilst his partner goes souvenir hunting with another and older youngsters go exploring on their own.

• If things start to go wrong, remember to put your relationships first. E.g. When Tommy loses his flip-flops in the sea or Mum backs the car into a bollard, reassure them that everyone makes mistakes and that they are still loved despite all of that.:)

• Do remember to pack your sense of humour and… have fun!