Are Family Holidays Worth It? Even When Kids Seem Unimpressed

I recently watched a mum blogger share her family trip with two kids. She had poured her heart into planning—packing bags, mapping routes, and dreaming of creating beautiful memories. But the moment they arrived at the destination, the kids asked: “When can I watch TV?” “Did we bring the iPad?” “Wait—there’s no Wi-Fi here?”

She tried to coax them: “Come on, we’re here—let’s enjoy it together.” But inside, she was running through the all-too-familiar script: all the effort, all the hopes, only to be met with blank faces and the look that says, “When are we going home?”

If you’ve travelled as a family, you’ve probably felt the same—anticipation before, meltdowns during, and at the end consoling yourself: “It’s okay, at least we were together.”

But here’s the thing: even when kids seem uninterested, family holidays are still worth it. The value isn’t always in the moment—it’s in the long-term connections we’re quietly building.

1. Imperfect family holiday trips are still togetherness

We tend to idealise holidays as picture-perfect—everyone smiling, exploring, and bonding. The reality? Someone gets grumpy, someone insists on bringing a weird toy, someone else gets lost.

But those chaotic, messy moments often become the best family stories. Years later, your child may not recall the museum you dragged them to—but they’ll remember you joking, “One more fight and I’m sending you to Nana’s!” Or the windy night outside the ice cream shop, when you pulled their hat down tighter.

2. Shared “boredom” beats separate screens

Kids often find travel “boring” not because they dislike the world, but because home comforts are easier—screens, snacks, routines. Waiting for buses or walking through a park feels slow in comparison.

Yet these “empty” times are what make travel valuable. Waiting together, checking a map when you’re lost, laughing at who snored last night—these small, unplanned conversations don’t happen as easily at home.

They may moan, “I want to go home,” but they’ll still lean against you. They may roll their eyes, but when you order their favourite drink, they’ll smile quietly.

3. Families need chances to reconnect

Daily life is busy—we’re “with” our kids all the time, but not always connected. Holidays reset that rhythm. No school, no work, no endless to-do lists.

Travel gives space to get things wrong, laugh it off, and make spontaneous decisions—like picking the odd little café down a side street. These moments may not create instant closeness, but they gently pull us back together. For slow-to-warm kids especially, a trip often works better than any “family meeting.”

4. Parents’ persistence becomes kids’ strength

Children may not appreciate the effort in the moment. They just feel, “This is tiring… this is boring.” But your choice to bring them along matters.

Every shared walk, every paddle in a boat, even a silly joke in a tent plants a seed: “My parents are willing to do this for me.” That memory may not bloom straight away, but it becomes part of the inner strength they’ll draw on later in life.

And for you? You’ll discover a little strength too. Even if the trip had 100 “I don’t want to be here” moments, that one genuine laugh from your child will make it worth it.

So, is it worth it?

If your definition of “worth it” means kids are grateful every second, immersed in every activity, and writing thank-you essays when you get home—probably not.

But if you accept that holidays are messy, tiring, and often funny in hindsight, then those small, ordinary moments will quietly knit your family closer. And that makes them worth it.

💬 A thought for every parent who has felt discouraged mid-trip:

“When we take our kids to see the world, we’re also finding the less tired, more curious part of ourselves.”

You never know which little moment your child will remember. And no walk taken together is ever wasted.

📷 Images courtesy of Unsplash