Adult kids go on family holidays at mum and dad’s expense
First they refused to move out of home and now grown-up children are going on family holidays — as long as mum and dad are paying for it, according to a new survey of young adults.
First they refused to move out of home and now grown-up children are tagging along on family holidays — as long as mum and dad are paying.
More than half of Australians aged between 18 and 29 have been on an all-expenses-paid trip with their parents, according to a poll of 1002 young adults.
The young adults get a free holiday and the parents get to enjoy some quality family time.
About half of the young adults claim the free holidays were the perfect opportunity to “thank their parents for all they do” but the other half admitted to research company McCrindle it was just for the cheap trip.
Online travel agent TripADeal’s data confirms multi-generational travel is taking off and 12 per cent of customers within the past financial year have been parents travelling with their adult children.
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Tamara Hunter, 19, from Kellyville, rang in the new year at a nightclub on the high seas somewhere between New Caledonia and Vanuatu aboard P&O cruise ship Pacific Explorer — but she did have a proper sit-down meal with her family first.
“I should be able to go on a family holiday at any age because it’s important to spend time with the family and it keeps us closer,” she said.
“(But) I’m not obliged to hang around with my parents the whole time.”
Tamara still lives at home and doesn’t have any plans to move out but she did chip in for the cruise with money she made from working in a call centre.
Tamara’s best friend, Chantelle Strano, 19, also came along on the “family holiday”.
“We spent most mornings recovering from hangovers, and a few days we went to breakfast and then went back to the cabin to sleep until dinner,” she said.
Tamara’s dad, Gary Donaldson, 55, didn’t mind Tamara and his adult son, Nathan, 22, spending their time as they pleased aboard the cruise, because he revels in a nice meal with his kids once a day without any distractions from the mainland.
“We all have busy lives and I’m always travelling for work, so bringing the kids on a family holiday is the perfect chance to get together,” Mr Donaldson said.
“My wife Joy and I enjoy reading, relaxing and seeing a show, but we do day trips to islands with the kids and meet up for dinner.”
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