The truth is, what delights your six-year-old might horrify your teenager, and what your toddler needs is very different to what your sporty twelve-year-old wants. Add in different sexes, interests and energy levels, and it can feel impossible. It is not impossible. It just needs the right kind of planning, and that is where I come in.

After 15 years in travel and lovingly travelling with my own two across six continents, I have learned a few tricks.

Babies & Toddlers: Can You Really Relax?

Yes, you can. With little ones, the priority is short flights, easy transfers and a genuinely practical resort. Think: proper children’s pool, pushchair-friendly paths for nap-time walks, and food that a fussy two-year-old will actually eat. Add grandparents into the mix and suddenly you have built-in babysitters and the chance for an actual grown-up dinner.

Lapland Magic: Are They The Right Age For Father Christmas?

If you are wondering, “Will they remember it? Is it worth it?”, my answer is a very firm yes. I have been to Lapland several times, and watching a child step into Father Christmas’s snowy world is one of the most magical things I have ever experienced as a mum. Picture this: reindeer outside the window, snowflakes drifting past, the hush of the forest, and then that wide-eyed moment when they realise this is his real home. For younger ones, it is pure wonder. For older siblings, it is a rare chance to be little again without anyone judging. Lapland can be as simple or as extra-special as you want it to be:

• Intimate lodges where you feel like you are staying in your own Arctic cabin

• Larger resorts with more activities for energetic teens

• Short, intense two or three night breaks packed with Father Christmas visits

• Longer stays that add snowmobiles, husky sledding, tobogganing, or even a night in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights

Because I have been and tried these experiences myself, I can help you choose what suits your mix of children, ages and bravery levels. And yes, Lapland without children is absolutely a thing too, for the kids at heart.

Primary Age & Tweens: How Do You Stop “I’m Bored”?

This is where all-inclusive and activity holidays come into their own. Kids’ clubs, watersports, cooking classes, tennis, archery, evening shows: the right resort will have something to tempt even the shyest child out of their comfort zone. I have seen my own two come home from these trips brimming with confidence, new skills and new friends, while I have come home feeling like I have actually had a holiday too.

The “Disney Question”: Is It Worth It?

For many families, Disney is a rite of passage. The key is choosing the right one for you, right now. Disneyland Paris is brilliant for younger children and so easy to reach by Eurostar or car. Florida is a bigger adventure for older kids, especially when you add in places like Universal, Legoland or NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. We even squeezed in Hong Kong Disneyland on a stopover from Australia, and my two still talk about the Mickey Mouse train that takes you to the park. Sometimes it is the little touches that stay with them.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Magic: Are They Old Enough?

If you are celebrating a big birthday, exams or a family reunion, this might be the moment for something truly special: spotting the Big Five on safari then flopping on a Mauritian beach, or a Namibia road trip followed by a few days in Cape Town. We did that as a family and it completely changed how my children see the world.

So, how do you balance different ages, different sexes and different dreams? You do not have to do it alone. When you work with me, you get someone who listens, who has been there with her own family, and who knows which holidays really work in the real world.

If you are starting to think about your next family adventure, I would love to chat about what would genuinely suit your pride. Contact me or give me a call.