How to get along?

[philip_5109302]

We're about to book a two week break in France with some friends. Does anyone have any advice to help us not get on each others nerves, we both both have two kids each, aged between 8 and 11 but occassinaly want to do different things. Our friends want to use the pool for extended hours daily but we want to explore the area, and together won't work for that.Any ideas or suggestions gratefully received without offending them!

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi Philip

I think it is essential that as you chat about the forthcoming holiday or even before you book it, that you suggest to your friends that you should not try and do everything together all the time, as it just won't work. If you start off like that, offence is less likely to happen than if you suggest it once you are away.

If you do all fancy doing something together, do it, or else agree to do your own thing some days, and meet up in the evening for a BBQ and chat about your day. It might also work for each set of adults to have a day caring for all the children and give the other adults a chance to have a meal out on their own.

Trying to do everything together for two weeks could break a friendship, so be open and upfront at this stage and have a great holiday.

 

[philip_5109302]

Hi Philip

I think it is essential that as you chat about the forthcoming holiday or even before you book it, that you suggest to your friends that you should not try and do everything together all the time, as it just won't work. If you start off like that, offence is less likely to happen than if you suggest it once you are away.

If you do all fancy doing something together, do it, or else agree to do your own thing some days, and meet up in the evening for a BBQ and chat about your day. It might also work for each set of adults to have a day caring for all the children and give the other adults a chance to have a meal out on their own.

Trying to do everything together for two weeks could break a friendship, so be open and upfront at this stage and have a great holiday.

Thanks Chrissie, good advice.

 

[gypsy]

We always meet up with a couple of friends when we go away, and we do our own thing during the day, then meet up for a drink and a chat at night. we have done this for years and it works as we are still good friends.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

In our case its usually with difficulty !!

We go to France with 2 friends and they insist on following us but invariably grumble about some aspect of the journey/route/driving(mine)(expletive overtaking on M25 etc)

It is really hard to bite one's tongue and we really don't want to travel with them but its hard to avoid without hurting their feelings.

We may be able to avoid it next year as they have a wedding when we want to go away!!

If you can arrange to meet at the site it could save a lot of aggro.

 

[Darce]

When our kids were younger we regularly went away with friends and their kids to France and we would try to get away for three weeks.

The kids did have the occaisional fallout but we found the best thing was to not get involved too much. Just separate them and demonstrate by example that "adults" get on OK and it is "children" that do not.

We also evolved a system where one couple chose what to do one day and the other couple the next. That worked but we all had regular days when we went our own separate ways as well.

But the evenings were the best when whatever had happened during the day - we all got together - had a BBQ (usualy) and recounted the funny bits of the day and planned the following.