This one is so important! If your parents (or other relatives) are the types to frequently cross your boundaries and make no attempt to follow or respect them, I’m afraid that going away with them is probably not the best idea. Setting boundaries doesn’t mean being heartless, brutal or just laying down the law; it means knowing your limits and communicating them to others clearly in order to ensure you feel comfortable and safe. Things like personal space, topics you’d like to avoid and how you meet your own needs are completely valid areas around which to set boundaries. As long as you set them clearly and kindly, and stick to them (and of course respect other people’s), boundary setting is a family trip must!

Compromise

To our last point, there is definitely a difference between setting boundaries and being demanding, stubborn and rigid with your personal wants. If you expect respect, you should need to give that back. This doesn’t mean sacrificing your boundaries, but being flexible and adaptable when you can be with everything else. That means considering other people’s emotions, needs and wants, and finding a compromise when dealing with disagreements. It means picking your battles and letting things slide from time to time. You’re not always going to agree, and sometimes other people’s boundaries will interfere with your preferences. You’re an adult now, and this is part of being an adult. Unfortunately, the days of tantrums working are long gone.

Try not to regress