To ask for your honest experiences of holidaying abroad with toddler

[NoSandPlease]

DH wants us to go on holiday this summer with 22 month old DD. The thought brings me out in a cold sweat!

It's a 4 hour flight, with a coach transfer. 5-star hotel all inclusive (beach resort). He thinks it will be relaxing and good for all of us. I think it will be exhausting and very stressful.

DD hates sitting still. She wants to run, climb, explore constantly. She's a fussy eater and will only sit in a highchair for 5-10mins. She wakes around 5am every day. DH is not good with early mornings and never volunteers to get up with her at 5am (he rarely gets up before 8).

I'm worried about how we'll keep her happy on flight, coach, in hotel room, how we'll fill the time during day. I feel exhausted thinking about it!

I suggested a week in UK but DH is adamant we should go somewhere warm. I feel we should wait until she is older. I'm happy for DH to go abroad without us if he wants a relaxing beach break, but he wants us to come.

WWYD?

[Stillwishihadabs]

Does she at least settle at night ? Do the hotel have a babysitting / listening service ?

[Kennethnoisewater]

Just go, it's really not as difficult as you're making out. Being outdoors all day and swimming etc means she'll probably sleep better/later, plus you can factor in the time difference. She'll nap after lunch so you can too or lie in the sun for an hour. I don't get what's hard work?! I've taken all mine abroad, long haul since 6 months old.

[seefeld]

Is it a family friendly resort with a kid's paddling pool, playground etc?

[harderandharder2breathe]

I'd be worried that DH is planning to relax and let you do all the stressful parenting bits, then act surprised that you're not finding it as relaxing as him!

[museumum]

A really really child friendly resort with toddler pool can be fun. But I'd try to keep flights shorter if possible.

[Misspilly88]

I find my toddler is easier on holiday than at home. Lots of new stuff, heat makes them sleep better. If there's a beach it's a giant sandpit. And even better if there's a creche and babysitters.

[WhooooAmI24601]

We've holidayed abroad since the DCs were small and it's always been lovely. They're outdoorsy children and love swimming so most days in the hotel are spent in the pool/beach. DH is as hands-on as I am, though, so we each get to relax, and the DCs love travelling so are 'good' fliers. Lots of movies/programmes on the iPad for the flight, lots of colouring books/crayons for the daytime, lots of swimming and walking and you'll be grand. And at that age she can have a nap in the afternoon and stay up a little later in the evening so you can stay up late too.

[Sistedtwister]

We took DD to kefalonia about the same age and had a fantastic time. DD was a very easy baby though.

[MrsGB2225]

A villa would be better because you will have more space to roam around and you can chill outside when your child has a nap. Also solves eating issues.
We have taken my son on numerous holidays since he was 4 months, all to villa or hotel with private in suite pool.
When they go to bed at night, you get to chill by the pool drinking cava

[MrsELM21]

Just go, it's not relaxing, it can be a little tricky but it's absolutely worth it, you'll have a lovely time and a change is as good as a rest they say!

[TreeTop7]

We went to a lovely hotel in Greece. I'll be honest - even though exDH was hands-on, I found it stressful. I found the toddler stage particularly hard in general though (my children were very easy newborns but very difficult toddlers who loved to run off). They went to art club for an hour every afternoon and that was the only time I really relaxed other than when we were seated at breakfast or dinner, or in the room.

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

We took DS to Malta when he was about 2. We took an umbrella buggy, which we were able to take directly to the gate. He fell asleep the moment the plane started to taxi down the runway, and we had to wake him up when we landed in Malta. He had a great time, paddled in the sea, the staff in the hotel made a fuss of him, and we still did touristy things - he dozed off in the buggy when he was tired. It didn't occur to us to worry though beforehand.

[Itsjustaphase2016]

I've just come back from a 14 hour flight with a 6 year old, 2 year old and 18 month old. All inclusive beach thing. It was lovely! And no harder than being at home! We went on day trips, hung out in the pool, on the beach, the kids ate mainly pasta and chips but who cares?! Live a little!

[Itsjustaphase2016]

(Don't expect it to be the cocktails, lazing about in the sun holiday you had pre baby, obviously!)

[GreenGinger2]

Exhausting. We did all the above and our twins were fab at that age however keeping them safe was endless.

They aren't really holidays for you at that age just more of the same away from home.

At the very least get it written in stone that you will take turns with everything. Morning get ups/amusement and hour slots of minding by the pool. You'll spend the whole time arguing otherwise.

A fold up dolly buggy,baby doll and plastic tea set would keep her quite for hours. Doubt she'd do much colouring at that age.

[Ecureuil]

We've just got back from a week in Spain with a 3 year old and a 22 month old. It was lovely. Snacks and colouring/stickers for the plane. Plenty of time in the swimming pool to tire them out. Nice food, nice beach.
We've also been on holiday with DD1 at 10 months, DD1 at 17 months (I was 7 months pregnant) and when they were 2 and 11 months respectively. All were lovely.

[Ecureuil]

We didn't take a pushchair for our 22 months old as she has refused to go in one for the past 6 months but take one if yours still naps.

[NewIdeasToday]

It won't be relaxing like holidays without kids. But if you chose a kid friendly hotel you'll have a great time. Agree an approach with your partner before you go eg will you take turns getting up early with your daughter?

[FloatyCat]

We kept the flights shorter and took DS & DD when they were just over 1. The flights were stressful, and the holidays not really comparable to a pre-child relaxing & leisurely meals type holiday. BUT it is definitely do-able and we have good memories.
Book somewhere very child friendly !

[KourtneyKardashian]

It's an adventure.

Flight journey - food snacks, iPad, colouring, small toys. The journey may send them to sleep (this has happened on every occasion I've travelled as we're up early and the vibration of the plane was an instant soother; I will admit I may be lucky).

Transfers - go private if you can afford so you're not faffing with coach transfers. I've never looked back after having a taxi transfer, we arrived 2 hours before the coach.

Hotel - swim every day. Wear them out in the morning. Have lunch, then put down for a nap. Get up again, park or another swim. Get ready for evening and take buggy to restaurant. You can feed them before you go out (we brought a bag of pasta and passata, and eggs for omelette and occasionally dd had dinner before going out, which was useful). Buggy useful to pop them in when they're tired. It might mean one of you walk around the grounds to get them to sleep but worth it for an evening of peace. I talked to dd about naps even now at 5yo. She napped on her last holiday, and/or had an hour after lunch 'chill' so that she'd last on the evening.

Food - Most places cater for children. Pasta and pizza is everywhere. Don't stress about what they're eating when on holiday.

[Screwinthetuna]

I think you are overthinking it. Toddlers adapt so well and the flight is pretty short. Go!

[SallyGinnamon]

Ours was awful as DS hated the heat and we ended up spending a fortnight in an air conditioned hotel room! Plus don't get me started about the flight!

[FlapAttack78]

Loved it. Went with ours when he was 14 mnths to turkey and 26 months to crete. I recommend getting a villa or apartment... avoid hotel room as that's miserable.

Can get swim rings with sun canopy for the pool

buy a Little Paddling pool to put them in in the shade next to sun lounger

Nap in midday sun in the vills theb take them out to town at night.. loads of restaurants had outdoor children play areas l.. he loved it.

So much fun...

Rethymnon in crete I highly recommend!

[FlapAttack78]

Defibitely private transfer. Book a car seat too

[FlapAttack78]

I would rather chop my own arm off than stay a week with little one in just a hotel room though.. no no no!