When did you start enjoying holidays with the kids?

Ah I feel for you OP, we also learnt the hard way that holidays post kids are a very different thing to pre kids. They can be wonderful though but you need the right kind of holiday. With young children I would avoid big hotels, all inclusive and long haul travel like the plague.

Worst holiday: DS1 was about 18 months, in the Canary Islands. We went to an all-inclusive hotel but it was off season so mainly couples, no families, DS wouldn't eat the food and like your DD was scared of the sand, he also came down with a virus the first day and did nothing but sleep in the air-conditioned room for 3 full days (although we had a terrace so DH and I could at least relax in the sun with a drink while he slept but it was pretty stressful all the same especially as he wouldn't eat!)

Best holiday (so far): DS1 was nearly 4 and DS2 was 12 months. Self-catering with friends in Sicily. The place had a huge table on the shady terrace and a garden so we were able to have long lazy brunches in the mornings while the kids played in the garden. We hired bikes with child seats to get about, spent the days biking from beach to beach, swimming, building sand castles, exploring rock pools and eating ice-cream and other delicious food. By the evening the kids were so exhausted they went straight to sleep in the nice air-conditioned room and slept well, the adults could crack out the wine and eat/drink/chat/card games out on the terrace all evening. We even took the kids out for late dinner twice but we were sat outside with space for them to move and they love kids in Italy so everyone made a huge fuss of them (not a disapproving glance to be seen) so it was a lovely relaxing experience!

This year we are going camping in France with friends and their kids, mine will be 6, 3 and 8 months - I can't wait!

For now I would raid the hotel shop for anything that might help keep her entertained (inflatables for the pool, paddling pool and sunshade for the beach?), ask about nearby activities suitable for small children (any animal parks etc?) and take turns with DH so you get some time off and at least get to enjoy some of your holiday. Hope it gets better for you!

It depends on the holiday. We had a lovely break with the kids when the youngest was 12 months at Center Parcs.

10 months later we had an ok trip to Disney world but it was too hot for them.

When DD2 was almost 3 we went to Disney world again, & it was completely different, we had an amazing time!

I've really loved all of our holidays, even when dd was a baby. Yes, of course, we still had broken sleep, needed eyes in the back of our heads to keep her safe and had to spend our time a bit differently from how we might have done pre-kids. However, we were generally in a lovely place, with nice weather and entertaining a small child was a whole lot easier than being at work!

It's a pity you're not enjoying your holiday, but it certainly doesn't make you a shit mother. Maybe you just need to re-think where and how you do holidays while your dc are small?

Whenever we went on holidays to hot places when the kids were small they refused to eat they just couldn't cope with the heat so I used to spend the whole holiday stressing about them dehydrating and eating enough. Open pools are a nightmare with toddling kids as well. We started doing self catering in Ireland (where I'm from) for a few years which was way more enjoyable but busy. My kids are now 6,8 and 11 and we have been doing the eurocamps in Spain the last few years and they have been great. My kids can all swim so they are in and out of pool or the sea the whole time and me and dh are lounging watching them reading our books. We can all eat a meal together in the evenings and kids can cope with staying up late for the evening entertainment plus they always make pals so disappear with them every now and again to play tennis or cycle around the site. I would thoroughly recommend

It's about the right sort of holidays. Our holidays are either joining family (abroad) or city breaks or walking sorts of holidays. You cannot do a sun/sea/sand holiday with a toddler in my view. But you can do a lot of touristy visiting things by popping them in a baby carrier!
We have rented caravans and gone walking with the kids in baby carriers. Also rented a narrow boat when 1 was still small to be happy in baby carrier and other could play in the boat by herself for a bit. We have planned a trip to Rome soon and they will be 18months, 4 and 7. Very much looking forward to it! We have done centerparcs when my first was 2.5yrs old. She was a bit young but because we went with my parents it was still very enjoyable.

For the pp - hope you enjoy your holidays but I have to say that centerparcs at that age is a bit pointless and a holiday in Majorca would definitely not be my first choice with a young one. Having said that Majorca isn't my kind of holiday anyway.

I took a 1 yr old and 2 yr old last year to spain and loved it

We had lots of nice holidays when they were under 6 but not the kind of holidays we’d of chosen if we had no DC!! Easy self catering villas so we had plenty of space, could cook and get them in bed when they were tired. Nothing worse than being all squashed in together in a hotel room or having to creep quietly if they’re sleeping.....

Since youngest turned 7 we’ve done a couple of holidays we’ve really enjoyed as adults too. Paris last summer doing loads of sight seeing, as long as we stopped for drinks/ice creams the DC were fine. Then we went to Sri Lanka in March which was incredible, loads of traveling about seeing different places and all of us loved it. Doing Italy this summer but breaking up too much sightseeing with a few days in a villa with a pool for the kids to recharge and us to relax!

It really is about totally changing your expectations

Either have zero expectations of relaxing or do neilsons...

I loved holidays when my daughter was very small but you don't realise how much work it was until they are older and much easier to please. You are not a terrible mum! The first time we went away my daughter was a year old and she puked all over me, herself and the hand luggage en route to the airport. Thankfully it was less stressful when we got to the other side.

Ours have always been enjoyable, because we do Neilson resorts with baby and kids club. It's childcare that makes it a holiday and not "same shit, different climate".

[Is a horrible parent, doesn't care]

We've taken DD on beach holidays twice, once at 6 month so not mobile and once at 18 months. Can honestly say we had a great time each time, yeah not like pre kids holidays but they were never going to be. We did go with some friends and their same aged DS which may have helped. We also went to Disneyland when she was 2.5 and can honestly say we loved every minute.

My first great family holiday was when we returned to the same place for the second time. I always thought people were boring to go on holidays to the same hotel/region when there is so much of the world to see... but I get it now. Sooooo much easier when you know what to expect, what will be missing, what to get where.... as do the kids. So relaxing. 3rd year returning this summer and I can’t wait!

The only one we didn't enjoy was the one when we naively thought taking a seven month non sleeping baby on a city break in December was a top plan. It wasnt, although enough Gluwein made it tolerable. Other than that we do enjoy our holidays. The main thing to realise is that you don't get a holiday from parenting so you have to plan stuff that works with kids.

Remember those days well. My son also hated the sand ( still does at 16) so we use to buy a cheap blow up paddling pool fill it with sea water and throw in some toys, kept him busy for ages. It gets better.

In my experience it gets better once they are old enough to go to kids club a few hours a day.

DS is almost 3 and he’s been to a few different countries, one air bnb and the others hotels with childcare. Obviously very different styles of holidays, the air bnb one was Italy so we took him out to eat with us late no problem. He was 16 months so wanted to walk around a lot so that was the only annoying thing when it came to restaurants.
Night flight back from Dominican Republic at 18 months, he slept from before takeoff to after landing! Amazing!

I think the key for our family is to wait until after 12 months, otherwise got to drag the perfect prep and deal with sterilising. UK/visiting family not a problem but it’s a drag otherwise.
DS2 is now almost 6 months and we’ve booked Florida for when he’ll be 11 months, so technically will still have formula but hopefully he won’t be walking which might help...? 😄

I enjoyed bits of our holiday last year when toddler was 2. I'd advise self catering so you have a washing machine, fridge and space to play when they wake at 5am. Pools are too stressful as you have to stop them falling in or running. Go with family and friends so you get a break. A flat with a secure balcony is good as you can sunbathe on that while they toddle around playing!

I've always loved my holidays with my children, at all ages!!

It's just about planning the right sorry of holidays and changing your views of what you'll be doing

Holidays are not about lying on a sun lounger or getting drunk or having lie one with my kids, they're about adventure and having fun and trying new things, getting then to experience new things... But also just a nice change from the pressure and stress of normal life working full time and juggling everything.

Ditto!

We took DC1 on his first holiday when he was 17 months. It was a fly-drive holiday to the US and Canada. It was great seeing things through his eyes, especially the locations DH and I had been to before. He had a fascination with exploring the bathrooms in each new hotel when we arrived in our new rooms, which was very amusing.

Since then we've explored many parts of the world together as a (growing) family and I treasure 99% of those memories.

This thread is making me so nervous!! We have pfb DS who’s currently 4.5mths old.
We’ve booked the following holidays:
Centreparcs in June (6mths old)
Uk nts away to York (7mths old)
2wks in Majorca (will turn 10mths old)
And 4nts Disneyland Paris when he’ll be 17mths old!

I’m so looking forward to them all as DP works away during the week so spending time together is really precious to us. But are they going to be awful???

When the children were small we went to villas, much easier they can have a sleep when they want which will enable them to stay up later. I think my youngest was 2 when we first went abroad and it worked out well. From the age of 5 we started to go to hotels as they liked the company of other children.

From day one if you choose the right holiday. Took DS at 6weeks to a seaside apartment 8 months to a static caravan 11 months just walking to a city break. Up to 2 I’d say if going for more than 2 nights book self catering where you can lounge around as home. No pool. Short stints at s pool or beach. Plan the hols around kids. Life and holidays pre kids has changed. As they get older cruises are good. Loads of childcare etc. You have a good few years ahead where you can’t lie by the pool uninterrupted, go clubbing and have lie ins. Holidays now are about family time mainly. Adjust your holidays and expectations accordingly and you’ll start to enjoy them straight away

We went to a children's farm resort thing in Devon when the kids were 18 months and it wasn't awful but even with everything geared to them, it was still basically a busman's holiday. At 4 we went to Denmark and that was awesome - they were just old enough to enjoy it, including going to a theme park - they were far braver on the rides than me! I think you have to give up the idea of holidays as you know them for a while, unless there's a kids' club - and ours didn't want to go to kid's club until they were 5, really, and still prefer hanging out with us so we only actually get holiday alone time when they are doing as specific kids only activity. This is basically the only reason I go on skiing holiday :-)

I should of probably added to my post that we’ve never done a beach or pool holiday though as just not my thing.

I've always enjoyed our holidays, but agree that they become more relaxed again when your child becomes more independent and is able to make friends. For us that was around 4yo. A year after that I was pregnant again and last year's holiday was much less relaxed again with a baby who was crawling and trying to entertain a 6 year old too who wasn't interested in making friends because he wanted to do things with us and his baby sister instead (and then got frustrated because there wasn't much she could do!) But the evenings were lovely when dd was in bed, we could have a few glasses of wine, listen to music and play cards and dominoes with our ds. The rest of the time we felt torn between the dc, so this quality time in the evening was treasured. We've always chosen holidays with lots to keep us all entertained, which definitely helps. We're looking forward to this year even though we is now a toddler because although exhausting, it's lovely that she's more interactive with us all. And ds makes a wonderful playmate for her!

I’m a single mum and I took my DS on his first holiday when he was 9 months. He’s now 5 and we’ve never had a bad one yet! Maybe it’s because I normally work full time but we love that time together. I hope your trip improves