I know that trips with your boo’s family aren’t technically a competitive sport, but you can still win them. Think about it. You’re competing against every other girlfriend he’s ever had and any significant others his siblings have brought on vacation previously. And you want to go, fight, win, right? Rah! Rah! Rah! (I’m not a huge sports person. Can you tell?) Anyway, here’s how you get the girlfriend on family vacation gold medal!
Research – family vacation
You want to be sure you’re properly prepared for the trips. So, do a little digging into how your boyfriend’s family travels by asking your boyfriend about previous trips. Are they into relaxing, hiking, museums, fancy meals, etc? Be sure you bring the right clothes, and especially the right footwear, for every activity. Also, do some book learning on the place you’re going. If it’s a foreign country, read up on the history of the country and learn a few key phrases in the local language. That way, you’ll be able to help the family in small ways by putting things into context and interacting with the locals. Just a few words like “thank you,” “please” and “where is” go a long way when you don’t speak the language.
Help – family vacation
I know it’s your vacation and you want to relax, but when you’re the new girlfriend on a family vacation, you can only relax as much as the least relaxed person in the family. So, if everyone in the family is totally chilled out, you can chill out, too. But, if one person is cooking, cleaning or handling the kids, you should be involved in that. Lend a helping hand to whoever’s “working” on vacation and you’ll guaranteed to score points with the whole crew.
Plan an event – family vacation
Think about creating an outing or event for the whole family to enjoy. It could be something as extravagant as treating everyone to an afternoon adventure or it could be simple like leading the charge on a family game of charades. Obviously, feel the situation out and don’t force anything the gang doesn’t seem into. But, if my family vacation experiences are any indication, most families will appreciate an event together they don’t have to plan themselves.
Treat a meal – family vacation
This is another thing you’re going to have to feel out and see if it’s appropriate. Some families might be offended if their guest treated them to a meal. Others would welcome it. If you’re unsure of how to handle it, an easy way around is to cook a meal at home yourself. Buying groceries and cooking can be a nice middle ground for creating a special meal experience for the group without seeming like you’re big-timing by paying yourself. And even if your offer to treat gets denied, don’t be discouraged. The family will very much appreciate that you offered.
Take alone time – family vacation
Family vacations can be overwhelming when they’re with your family. When you’re a guest with another person’s family, the stress levels are undeniably major. So, plan some breaks for yourself. This could mean taking a date night alone with just your boyfriend to decompress, going on long runs by yourself or just being sure that you get in an hour of solo reading every day. Being alone for as few as 15 minutes a day can make a big difference in how happy you are on vacation. So, be sure to do it.
Hope your trip with your man and his fam goes amazingly well. It’s a really good sign that he invited you on a family trip and an ever better sign that you wanted to go. It means good things to come for your relationship, I think.
