Travelling by motorhome with the whole family (grandparents, parents and children) is a wonderful experience that creates lasting memories and brings the generations together. But fitting such different ages and paces into a shared space takes some skill: what thrills a child can bore a grandparent, and vice versa. With good organisation, though, it turns into an unforgettable trip for everyone. Here are the keys.
The advantages of travelling together
- Brings the family together: quality time between generations that everyday life doesn't allow.
- Grandparents enjoy their grandchildren (and lend a hand), and children get to really know their grandparents.
- More hands for tasks and company: more people to drive, cook and help look after everyone.
- Lasting memories for everyone.
The challenge: different paces and needs
The key to success is reconciling the needs of each generation:
- Grandparents: comfort, a more relaxed pace, accessibility (watch out for steps and high beds; see accessible campers), rest and their medication (see medication).
- Children: activity, entertainment, frequent stops (see travelling with children).
- Parents: acting as the "hinge" between both and getting some rest too.
Keys to making it work
- A relaxed pace: no marathons; short stages, stops and time spent in each place (see slow travel). The pace is set by the slowest.
- A varied plan: something for everyone (a gentle walk for the grandparents, play for the children, a visit for the parents).
- Space and rest: respect everyone's moments; the grandparents' nap, the children's playtime.
- One camper or two?: if there are many of you, sometimes two vehicles (or a camper plus an occasional tent/hotel) give more space and rest than squeezing into one.
- Share the tasks according to everyone's abilities.
Comfort and power for everyone
With the whole family together, the vehicle needs to be comfortable with enough seats and beds (see multi-berth campers), and consumption rises (more devices, more use). A good electrical set-up keeps everyone comfortable without any nasty surprises (see the calculator).
In summary
Travelling three generations by camper brings the family together and creates memories, if you reconcile the different paces and needs with a relaxed, varied plan, space for everyone and, if there are many of you, perhaps two vehicles. The step you can take today: plan a relaxed-paced trip with activities for each generation and moments of rest, taking care of accessibility for the grandparents and entertainment for the children; if you're squeezed for space, consider two campers. Combine this with travelling with children.