In something of a technology turnaround, a survey by Marella Cruises has found that children want their parents to ditch their phones and ipads and pay them more attention while they are on holiday, writes Grant Bailey.
Mums and dads should also spend less time worrying about work and stop taking embarrassing snaps of them, according to a study of one thousand six- to12-year-olds.
Children complain that parents don’t pay them enough attention on holiday
The youngsters also complained that their parents spent too much time reading books by the pool instead of having fun, and took too many naps.
But top of the hate list was being subjected to excessive suncream.
The great outdoors triumphed over tech, with a quarter of kids saying they would rather explore and go on an adventure than stare at a screen while on their family holiday.
And almost a third said spending time with their parents is the most important thing when they are away.
If kids were allowed to do whatever they wanted, 55 per cent would opt for eithera trip to a waterpark or theme park, or spend a day by the pool.
Kids have had their holiday say about what they like and dislike about family holidays Images: Doug Peters, doug@dougpetersphoto.com
Going out to eat their favourite foods, building sandcastles, and freedom to pack what they want also rated high in the poll, with goggles proving the most important accessory.
Child psychologist Dr.Anna Colton said: “We spent a whole day working closely with a group of children and asked them what they would do if they planned their family holiday.
“By listening to their moments of mini-inspiration it has become very clear that involving children in all aspects of the planning process of a holiday will make them feel more grown up, valued and listened to.
“An overwhelming response in wanting to spend more time with their families on holiday shows that this primal desire to connect is very powerful. The group were also incredibly keen on being adventurous.”
Chris Hackney, managing director of Marella Cruises, added: “We were delighted to discover during the research that our tech-savvy younger generation prefer quality family time on their holidays.
“Holidays are a great time to reconnect with your kids, and many adults feel much closer to their family when they are abroad.”
TOP 5 THINGS TO KEEP KIDS HAPPY
1. Spending time with parents / family
2. Exploring / going on adventures
3. Swimming
4. Playing games games
5. Freedom to do what they want
TOP THINGS THAT MAKE THEM MAD
1. Parents make me wear sun cream
2. They spend too much time reading their book
3. They embarrass me by taking lots of photos
4. They are too protective of me
5. They spend too much time asleep
6. They don’t let me do what I want to do
7. They spend too much time on their phones
8. They worry about work too much
9. They spend too much time together without me
10. They embarrass me by trying to speak the local language
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