The Year of the Family would be a good time to redefine the purpose of holidays

With the winter school break in the UAE well under way, many families are preparing for holidays that promise joy yet often bring pressure as well.

“Travel brings five benefits,” wrote Al-Shafi’i, the renowned ninth-century Arab scholar and poet, listing relief from worry, knowledge, good company, earning a livelihood and the refinement of character. His words capture something timeless: the belief that travel enriches us, expands our perspective and shapes our character.

But between the travel of past generations and the travel families experience today lies a widening gap. What was once simple, modest and unpressured has for many households become a source of rising expectations, financial strain and quiet comparison.

I still remember how school breaks once felt: unhurried, local and uncomplicated. Families spent winter afternoons on the beach, visited relatives or took road trips across the UAE. There was no pressure to impress, no elaborate itineraries and no need to document experiences for others to see. Holidays felt measured in time shared, not distance travelled. Today, however, the meaning of travel has shifted for many – and with it, the emotional weight carried by a number of parents.

One major factor is the growing visibility of modern family life. School-holiday travel has become one of the most publicly displayed aspects of parenting.