With the price of everyday goods increasing, children and families are having to cope with a new reality.
Changing family dynamics
More grandparents are taking charge and bringing their grandchildren on their summer vacations. “Gramping” is the sublime new travel trend that allows grandparents to get a little closer with their grandkids. It provides parents with a much-needed reprieve from childcare responsibilities.
EV Trevor Parry, 68, spends his summer holidays living in a caravan based in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, with his eight-year-old grandson Elliott. Trevor refers to these moments as restoring. He tells us that working with Elliott “really returned and restored so much vitality back to me.” His contagious enthusiasm brings to life their discoveries and missteps on the road. Other kids enjoy regular outings to nearby Pwllheli for thrillseeking rollercoaster rides and beachside pampering.
Elliott’s parents and sister live with them on weekends before returning to their home in Stockport during the week. This fix is important for keeping families together. It eases the childcare burden on parents such as Natalie Bass, 39. She appreciates her father’s help due to the escalating costs of childcare, saying, “I basically look at childcare and see how much it’s going to cost and see how can we work it out so it’s not too much of a hit for me during the summer holidays.”
Grandparents are getting in on the act, too, with Avril Hackett, who jointly owns a caravan with her husband, as an example. She shares her summer getaways with her granddaughter Emily, eight, and expresses her deep affection for these experiences: “I love being here more than I love being at home.” For Avril, these moments form lasting memories that she hopes her granddaughter will one day value just as much.
Dr. Linda Osti, a senior lecturer in tourism management at Bangor University, highlights that grandparents increasingly wish to travel with their grandchildren to “create memories.” This reversal has been evident across generations. It has recently spiked among young people. Andy Walker, joint managing director of Treetops, points to the growing trend for “gramping.” More families are jumping on this trend to deepen their intergenerational relationships through quality time spent together.
Beyond all these issues, skip generation travel is simply becoming more popular. There is no debate that this kind of travel has spiked, tripling in the last decade according to some studies. Families are finding these adventures not only offer a welcome reprieve from everyday life, but help create deeper, richer family bonds.
As Natalie reflects on her own experiences as a mother and daughter, she expresses a heartfelt sentiment: “There’s just nothing better. Imagine when he’s older saying: ‘I spent every summer with my grandad.’” For many working families, these holidays are more than just paid recesses. Cost-effective and flexible, they provide a unique opportunity to connect and develop memories that last a lifetime.
“It’s put a new lease of life back into me that I wouldn’t have had if I’d have been spending the time back home on my own and it makes you feel younger.” – Trevor Parry
