I took a multigenerational family trip to Mexico. It was the first trip with my parents when I felt like an adult instead of a child.

The author (fifth from left) said that she realized that family roles are shifting as her kids gain more independence and her parents get older.

Courtesy of Kate Loweth.

Over the years, we've taken a number of trips that included my parents, my siblings, and our families. We've stayed at beach houses on the California coast, cozy cabins in Tahoe, and waterfront hotels on Maui. My mom has always taken the lead on these vacations with the rest of us along for the ride.For my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, we decided to use some timeshare points and plan a week at an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Vallarta. As a travel writer, I have visited Puerto Vallarta many times. I researched the flights, shared them with my extended family, and booked them for my husband and kids. We coordinated our flights so we would all arrive together.While doing this, I realized this is the first time I've taken the lead in planning a trip I'm on with my parents, and it made me see how our roles are changing.It's hard not to return to childhood roles when traveling with my parents and siblingsOn past family trips, I was used to my Type-A mom being the boss, making the plans, and having everyone else go along for the ride. This time, I was in charge.As a Type-A organizer myself, I started by booking a shuttle service to take us from the airport to our hotel. I knew that when you are tired from travel, the arrivals area at the Puerto Vallarta airport could be overwhelming with persistent timeshare salespeople trying to get your attention.