Mother-Daughter Bonding On Holiday

It’s time to get away with your little princess! Whether you’ve got a tiny tot or an eye-rolling teen, you can still totally bond with her on a parent-child holiday. How? Start by checking out these tips for keeping the connection going.

Infants and Toddlers
A simple snuggle, a cuddle or a quick hug. Oh, these are all easy ways to connect and bond with your baby or toddler. Younger children are ready to bond and will devote their time to mama with almost no argument. That is unless they’ve got their eyes on an awesomely interesting toy.

Here’s the thing – when you’re on vacay with your kiddo, you won’t have all the time in the world to curl up and cuddle. So you’ll need to sneak it in or carve out some extra snuggle sessions.

Instead of wheeling your little one around in her stroller, take her out and carry her. If she’s up and walking, hold her hand as the two of you walk around together.

Preschoolers and Young Children
Your preschool-aged, or slightly older, daughter is all energy all the time. She’s completely curious and she’s on the go, go, go.

Now that she’s walking, talking and having her own thoughts (so many of her own thoughts), you can start asking her what she wants to do on your mother-daughter holiday. Getting her input will make whatever you’re doing much more interesting – to her at least.

Okay, so your 4-, 5- or 6-year-old might come up with activities that are kind of “out there.” If her ideas are outlandishly impossible, give your kiddo a few more realistic choices. Put your heads together and come up with an activity plan that works for both of you. And bonus, the planning process is bonding time too!

Older Children (ages 7 to 9)
Obviously, your older child can pick and plan too. But it’s time to go a step farther. After she picks her favorite activities, commit to them with some careful communication. Wait, what?

Use the time you’re spending together to talk – and not just about what you’re doing right now. Kick the conversation off with open-ended questions such as:

• What’s the best thing that you did at school last week?
• Why do you think it’s important for us to spend time together?
• Who is your role model/hero, and why?
• What do you want to be when you grow up and why?How do you think things are different now than from when I was your age?
• If you could pick one mommy-daughter activity to do what would it be (this doesn’t have to be realistic, and can include anything your child imagines)?

Tweens and Teens
Those tweens and teens, they aren’t exactly easy. Between the door-slamming and the eye rolling, you’re ready to throw in the parenting towel. But wait! Your mother-child holiday offers an ideal time to get together and actually bond.

Try some of the same questions that you’d ask an older child, adding extras such as, “Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?” or, “Why do you think a mother-daughter relationship is important?”

Sharing time together when you’re on a getaway doesn’t just mean snapping selfies in front of monuments and tourist traps. It means spending quality time with your child, talking, and really getting to know each other. When all of the hassles of everyday life (such as carpool, work, house cleaning and grocery shopping) melt away, you’re left with some pretty magical together time!