COMMENTARY: Managing expectations around summer vacation

Headline news: The summer is upon us, and we are in desperate need of a summer vacation and a way to “recharge our engine.” The reasons are clear. Beyond the fears of global wars and continuing political acrimony, we also face personal challenges.

The risk of burnout is a good starting point. If you are an adult in the workforce, your chance of experiencing burnout is high. According to Forbes, burnout has reached a high of 66 percent and other news sources suggest higher. The reasons have been well studied — work-life balance, lack of control, financial performance pressures, staffing shortages, managers who seem invisible and more.

Burnout does not hit adults only. College students feel it, too. A whopping 80 percent of students reported feeling burned out at some point during their college experience. Even teenage children experience burnout at a time in their lives when they supposedly have fewer responsibilities and can be more carefree. According to CNN, 27 percent of teens reported experiencing burnout, and 81 percent said they felt pressure that left them feeling negatively about their appearance, achievements, social life and plans.

The mood of family members, combined with the fast pace of modern-day living, has left parents wishing they had more quality time with their children. Enter summer vacation — the Hail Mary pass we throw to finally get connected, have some fun and hear the details of what’s on our family members’ minds.

Perhaps this explains why aligning summer calendars — not a trivial exercise — is so important. It is reported that 68 percent of families plan to take a summer vacation. The sunny downtime represents our universal, ever-present hope that we can make up for lost time and return to our world feeling healthier and more connected. We can even create new memories that will extend our family history.

All good except for the reality that is too often experienced. Family vacations can be challenging. We can bring expectations and sought-after relief, only to feel more diminished as we leave. It doesn’t need to be this way. Through planning and consideration of the myriad of interests and personalities, we may meet or even beat expectations, but it’s not happenstance.

Some of the perennial problems include: dog or no dog (he is man’s best friend, and my kids’, too)? Water, mountains or cultural extravaganza? Hotel, Airbnb or camping? Eat in or eat out? What are family-fun common activities to enjoy?

Maybe before proceeding to the vacation, watch the movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” where the Griswold family drives cross-country to the Walley World theme park and confronts a series of challenges along the way. Why? Because no matter how good the planning is, challenges will inevitably arise along the way. With the right attitude and a few simple rules, even the challenges can get squashed, and our overblown expectations can be managed.

At the start of vacation, have your whole family say in unison as Chevy Chase did in “National Lampoon’s Vacation”: “This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest for fun. I’m gonna have fun and you’re gonna have fun.”

Then, have some fun!

Jill Ebstein is the editor of the “At My Pace” series of books and the founder of Sized Right Marketing, a consulting firm. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.