Does anyone actually enjoy family holidays?!

[weekfour]

You can probably guess, but I'm currently on holiday with 3DC (aged 1, 3 and 6), DH and my parents. It's fucking hard work and I feel like I'm spinning bloody plates trying to keep everyone smiling.

I'm too hot. DC are too hot. There's too much traffic. Everything is expensive (I've got enough money but resent being ripped off). No one will sleep at the same time so I'm feeling the need to burn the candle at both ends. I just want to be at home, where I know where everything is and I don't have to police a fucking swimming pool.

There we go. I feel better already.

Apologies if I don't reply. The air on keeps knocking off the circuit board in our 'luxury' villa which takes the WiFi with it. Or somebody wants something. Again.

[ScattyCharly]

Your mistake was taking 1yo and 3yo abroad. Nightmare.

People enjoy family holidays when the kids are a bit older. Not teenage Kevins perhaps, but not babies and toddlers either.

[Arrowfanatic]

We only ever go to a haven caravan resort so yes I do usually enjoy it as still plenty of home comforts.

[weekfour]

I think you're probably right @ScattyCharly. The 3 year old in particular is proving challenging. But so is the 67 year old. I've just sent them to the shops together.

[SoyDora]

Mine are 4 and 3 and we’ve been going abroad since DD1 was 7 months and I enjoy them, yes! Wouldn’t go if I didn’t.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I love them, with older children and definitely not with our parents!

Stop being the person who does everything, and let someone else take the reins. Are any of the other adults good at organising and decision-making?

[Sailinghappy]

I love holidays!!!!! We just took our baby one year old on holiday and had the best time ever!!! However, you have 3 small children and your parents with you also - sounds stressful to be fair! 😱 I hope you have plenty of gin! 😉😁

[weekfour]

I've never been to Haven. We live in North West England so it's probably a ridiculous long drive to get anywhere.

I think I must be naturally introverted. Struggling being around people with no structure. It takes us until midday to decide what we're doing for breakfast and I've usually lost my shit and fed the kids coco pops by then.

[MartyMcFly1984]

This is one reason I haven't taken in away yet. I'd be a jibberibg wreck on pool watch.

[Blankscreen]

I'm away with a 14 year old 7 year old and 4 year old.

14 and 7 year old are easy 4 year is still rascal.
I reckon next year 4 year old will be fine but 14 year old.will be too cool.for.school.

Been here for nearly 2 weeks and ready to go home.

[weekfour]

No @ShatnersBassoon. No one wants to take responsibility for anything! Yet they complain when they do nothing. I'd be happy to let the kids just swim all day but I get complaints. Leaving the house is a total mission as 3 yo is still wetting himself. I probably should have just said no this year.

[weekfour]

Also. I reckon our pool is totally full of wee.

[ErrolTheDragon]

We didn't go abroad until DD was 10. There's so many good places for kids in the U.K. From the northwest, north wales is great and easy to get to - maybe when they're a bit older - good beaches, lovel walking, castles etc.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Having recently come back from 2 weeks away with DH and 2DC (8 and 5), I'd say probably not...

[Melonsandberriew]

Single mum. 8 and 5.

Absolutely LOVE them. Uk and abroad.

[FeralBeryl]

Aargh it's the parents! Seriously they change the whole dynamic of the holiday - drown them in the pool of wee
Even when ours were tiny (3 of them were under 4) we managed abroad far more easily alone than when we took parents, they moaned, interfered, sulked, wanted to do impractical things etc.
Love them all dearly but Jesus.
Oh and North Wales next year, only take you an hour or so and it's utterly magical for kids holidays.
Good luck

[Dontgiveamonkeys1350]

I have a 14 year old. First time ever it was fun. He is old enough to go off and do what he wants. He joined in the adult conversations. I got to see him for two weeks solid as he didn’t have his bedroom and Xbox to go to. I was sad when I got home. I told him why and that he would just disappear again and I wouldn’t see him. He smiled and gave me a hug. So yes. Other years have been hard. But hang in there they do get better. I found when he was younger I didn’t enjoy it so much

[weekfour]

Awh @Dontgiveamonkeys1350 That post is actually rather sweet. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Problem is my children are close together enough to be hard work but spread out enough that they're never going to be nice all at the same time.

[WhatHaveIFound]

I have been taking my DC abroad since they were 6 months old and we travel frequently because we enjoy family holidays. They're now both teenagers and DD is already complaining about the holidays she's going to miss out on in the future.

However there's no way on earth that i would take my parents with me. They would be the ones to drive me over the edge!

[weekfour]

And yes @FeralBeryl , you no doubt have a point that they change the dynamic. They definitely slow down the decision making process.

They paid though.

[Ladydepp]

I didn't enjoy holidays much when my dcs were pre-school age, much nicer when they're 5+. If I had my time again I would have missed out a couple of our holidays abroad and spent the money on something else!!

[LittleMy77]

I found DS (3 next month) and my parents (in their 70's) were at either ends of the same bell curve, in time it took to get out of the house, make a decision, naps etc!

We found what worked was telling my parents what we were doing with DS and asking if they wanted to join us at X time.

We usually got up early with him and fed him breakfast so as to minimize the whining. Usually agreed with my parents the night before we'd meet them at X time in the morning - everyone was a winner with this as everyone got breakfast on their own terms, DS could be taken out and run ragged for 45 mins which made everyone happier.

What I've figured out over the last 3 trips is:

• choose 1 thing to do a day, any more than that is a write off
  
• find a couple of nearest parks
  
• DS can't cope with heat so overseas vacations are pointless atm. He's happiest like a pig in shit in a local Marriott hotel if it has a small pool
  
• Make DH responsible for some of the decisions - i.e. trips or places to eat out at
  
• Its always worth weighing up whether its actually worth going anywhere, as I find it more knackering looking after DS when we're away than at home
  
• it'll NEVER be relaxing like a pre kid holiday was (at least for a few years) I may have sobbed quietly into my wine one night about this

[fruitbrewhaha]

I love holidays with my children. You need to be in a the right place, which is set up for small kids.

Why are your parents not helping? I took my parent on holidays when the kids were small and they helped out.

[toolazytothinkofausername]

My DH and DC go on holiday to have a relaxing time. For me, when I go on "holiday", same job different location!

[Didiusfalco]

I feel your pain, we only went away to the south coast, but still felt like we were haemorrhaging cash when we were there. Also managed to get into an argument with the owner of the flat we were renting who came down to complain about the volume of toddler dcs tantrum. Fun times

[FeralBeryl]

That's even worse when they pay!
My MIL 'pays' for a shit overpriced cottage in the middle of nowhere every year.
There are usually 8 of us. Because she has 'paid' we pay for everything else. Day trips because there's fuck all else to do, food, drinks, entertainment. It costs us a fortune.
Because she's 'paid' she also gets to dictate what time we go anywhere, where we go.
I absolutely loathe it but it's becoming a bit of a tradition now
They also forget the military precision it takes getting kids ready for going out for meals, it's not as easy as umming and aahing over different restaurants.
It's panicking that it's getting nearer to Knobhead O'Clock, the time between 6.30-8 when the kids turn feral. It's worrying there will be no appropriate food for your fussy children.
Then you get accused of being stressed for considering these things