We have not seen the kids for hours’

The case of family holidays and free-range children

Bibliographic Data

ID12494384
AuthorsMarie Mikkelsen (0000-0002-7494-9791, Aalborg University, corresponding author), Marie Vestergaard Mikkelsen, Bodil Stilling Blichfeldt (0000-0001-5340-0639, Aalborg University)
Year2015
Volume18
Issue2
Pages252-271
Publication date2015-01-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnnals of Leisure Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1174-5398 • E-ISSN: 2159-6816
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/11745398.2014.999342
OpenAlexW2083552254
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited49

The purpose of this paper is to explore what ‘children having a good time’ means in the context of a mundane type of holidaying, namely caravanning. Focusing on families, this paper draws on 210 qualitative in situ interviews with 437 people spending the holidays at 5 different Danish caravan sites.The study points to ‘family time’ and children's ‘own time’ as interdependent entities that allow for the balancing of social identities (pursued through family time) and more individual interests (pursued through own time). Compared to extant theory, caravanning seems to allow for more ‘own time’ and ‘spouse time’ for adults, because children have extraordinary opportunities to engage in ‘own time’. Furthermore, the study suggests that ‘real, quality family time’ is best achieved insofar one ‘has not seen the kids for hours’ in between the precious moments of thick sociality and family togetherness that involve all family members

Context (archaeology · Danish · Extant taxon · Focus group · Interdependence · Qualitative research · Quality (philosophy · Quality time · Social science · Sociality · Sociology · Spouse · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · History · Psychology · Religious Tourism and Spaces · Social Psychology · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development

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