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Home Is Where The Heart Is…So Why Is Going ‘Back’ For The Holidays So Hard?  

visiting home for the summer holidays
TravelPost Category - TravelTravel
Family LifePost Category - Family LifeFamily Life
ParentingPost Category - ParentingParenting

Going To Your Home Country For Summer Isn’t Always Easy – Unless You Make Some Simple Rules

CONFESSION: I hated going home for the summer last year. Don’t get me wrong – I love my friends, I love my family (some days I can even bear my in-laws!) and I love my hometown. Last year, I was so excited to get back I was on countdown for the whole of May and June. But when I got there, I spent so much time travelling the length and breadth of the country and feeling obliged to say yes to every invitation that by the time I got back to Dubai I was overtired, overweight and hungover. This year, a little braver, a little wiser – I’m ready to go again – but there are three things I’m going to do differently:

  1. If you build it, they will come – last year my brother refused to come and see me because it was a two hour drive from his house to London and he thought his kids would be tired. Instead, despite having travelled 7,000 kilometres from Dubai, I rolled my eyes and we drove to them instead. This year, if people want to see me, they can come to me. Or not.
  2. The great outdoors – come hell or high water, I’m throwing the little one (and the big ones) outside. Last year, there were a lot of complaints about it being too cold or too wet and there was the distraction of shopping at a discount instead. But face it, wherever you are in the world is likely to be colder than it is in Dubai right now so why not make the most of it? Get the kids into rambling, plan an early morning park trip or just walk down to the shops. And revel in the fact you can do it without burning to a crisp.
  3. Two to tango – when you’re at home there can be a tendency to totally ignore your other half in favour of seeing family and friends – last year I hardly saw mine in the three weeks he visited because we were so booked up. This year, I’m bribing a helpful grandparent/friend/neighbour/complete random to babysit the kiddos for one night so that we can go out on our own. Because one of the things I miss most about my own country is being in it with him. Safe travels, mamas…

Hero image sourced via nicoleleban.com

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