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The Asian Parent

Family holidays are often the most anticipated moments of the year as the whole family sets off on a wonderful journey to bond and make memories.
But sometimes, the sheer cost of a holiday might put parents off – from purchasing accommodation to booking flight tickets, all of this does burn a hole in the family’s budget.
However, according to researchers, despite the cost of a family holiday, it is worth the experience.
Here are some reasons why.

Holidays make families happier
A study conducted by the University of Toronto in Canada found that an experiential gift like a family holiday holds more value than material possessions like a new toy.
Researcher Cindy Chan says an experiential gift is something that “elicits a strong emotional response” when consumed. For instance, the feeling of fear when going into a haunted house or the adrenaline rush of being on a roller coaster.

When these experiences are shared within a family, they not only help to strengthen bonds with each other but also make the whole family happier long after the trip is over.
“If you want to give [someone] something that will make them feel closer to you, give an experience,” Chan adds.

Family holidays are 'favourite childhood memory'
A survey conducted by the Family Holiday Association in the United Kingdom found that 49 per cent of Britons consider their family holiday as their most favourite childhood memory.
More than half of these respondents also stated that “these holidays have given them happy memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives”.
Commenting on the survey's findings, the chief executive of the Family Holiday Association, John McDonald, says family holidays function as a “happiness anchor” and when families go through hard times, memories of happy times can be very beneficial.
“By using these memories as an anchor to take us back to more cheerful moments, we're often able to approach problems with a fresh sense of perspective,” McDonald adds.

Family holidays make kids smarter
Besides the mental benefits, kids also tend to become smarter by going on a family holiday.
According to Dr Margot Sunderland, a child mental health expert from the UK, exposing children to a new location can also give them a brain booster as it is outside the confines of familiar surroundings.
The location of a family holiday becomes an enriching environment for children which offers them new experiences, that are strong in combined social, physical, cognitive and sensory interaction, she says.
Simple activities like making sandcastles with your children also help the frontal lobe – which controls your child's emotional expression, problem-solving and language – grow.

Adventurous activities like going on a hike or playing on the beach trigger neurochemicals such as oxytocin and dopamine that “reduce stress and activate warm generous feelings towards each other”.
So parents, the next time you are hesitant to go on a trip because of the expenses, know that the benefits outweigh the price.
Read the original article here.


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Why giving experiences, such as a family holiday, is worth more than material presents such as toys

An experiential gift elicits a strong emotional response when consumed, study shows. When friends or family share the experience, it strengthens bonds Despite the cost and stress involved in going on a family holiday, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages

Holidays make families happier

An experiential gift elicits a strong emotional response when consumed, study shows. When friends or family share the experience, it strengthens bonds

Despite the cost and stress involved in going on a family holiday, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages