To not want to buy a bloody caravan

My in laws bought one, with all the usual we will be away all the time, showing it off, kitting it out, used it about twice and it sat on the drive for ever more.

The only successful usage I’ve ver seen was a youngish couple, late twenties, who bought a vw camper van, no kids but a Labrador and rhey did go away lots of long weekends with the dog and absolutely loved it.

Sell it OP. Are prices still good? I would have thought there would be plenty of people interested with Easter holidays approaching. Sell it. Spend the money on some nice self catered places (plus a big drink for you)

No way. I'd rather have 2 nights in a hotel or AirBnB than a week in a caravan.

It’s bloody hard work, harder than being at home. Don’t do it !

Has he admitted it's crap yet?

No I definitely would not go for one! No holiday for you!

It's not so much the money as it's just not your thing - if it was you'd make it work. I've had friend who have camped out with their three teenagers and their VW bus - they loved it.
It's not my thing either. You'll just have to tell him it's just not viable for you.

We have. Husband and kids love it. I hate it with a passion. It’s expensive. We pay extortionate ground fees. We never go anywhere else. The weathers nearly always terrible. Big no from me.

All my holidays were spent in a 6 berth touring caravan. Mostly only 5 of us in it, but occasionally 6! We had an outside toilet tent. Often didn’t stay on proper sites (stayed on patches of ground owned by my DF’s school friends), so no showers and normally had to wash in the nearby (ice cold) stream. Sometimes, when even staying on a Caravan Site, there weren’t any proper facilities! know things have changed considerably, but no way would I dream of a caravan holiday with kids the age of yours.

Saw your update. Aaaargh. How did he manage to persuade you?

Sounds awful. I’d consider it now - my two are 13 and 8 if I had the money , but not with babies.

Yep, wouldn't be at home to that at all.

The money would be better spent on a few decent holidays abroad somewhere nice.

I loved my caravan. The one I bought when I DD was four weeks old. I took her away all over while on mat leave and it was lovely. I’ve caravanned since I was a child. My DH came, once. We all hated it. But he hated it because he wouldn’t listen to me about how you do it, he thought he knew better (despite having never been in one before) I hated it because he created so much extra work when it should be easier with two parents and I resented that. After that, I reverted to caravanning alone.

I loved it, but it’s not for everyone. Hire one from camplify and try it out. Don’t smooth the way, let him find his own feet with it. maybe don’t even go? You really need to be tidy in a van and if he isn’t and you are, either you’ll pick up his slack or be driven loopy by the mess. But for pity’s sake hire one first. You are not being unreasonable. Everyone’s entitled to preferences.

How did you get talked into it?

And how will you feel whilst your on holiday in your caravan, sound of rain hammering on its roof, windows all steamed up whilst looking at your friends posts of their holidays in exotic climates, round the pool drinking cocktails etc.

The best holiday I had as a child was in a caravan. Lots of freedom, close to the beach, no TV so my parents played loads of games with us.
The worst holiday I've had as a parent was in a caravan. Rained, cramped, four DC including 2 under 2, it was misery.
PIL were so disappointed as they thought we'd love it and want to buy a static and they'd be able to mooch free holidays off us.

YANBU. caravans belong in the 1960s! Towing a tin box round the country at 50mph, clogging up the roads, to park up in a field, so you can spend a few miserable days away from home, cramped in a cold caravan, whilst all going to a toilet in a bucket.
Put the money towards a nice holiday and scrap the caravan idea.

Why do something, anything if you know you aren't going to enjoy it?

No point converting the inconvertible. But we've been happy.

We've had a caravan for years, since Ds2 born. Upgraded twice. It has a big fixed bed that is the comfiest thing ever, and 2 bunk beds that the boys still say are more comfy that their beds at home. We have a huge awning, a proper cadac bbq. The boys learnt to ride bikes there. Always loads of other kids for them to play with. No cars. No dangers. I sit and read books with cups of tea, and then wine, now. We go to Poole, Weymouth, sandbanks. Fish and chips. Ice creams. What's not to like. Uber cheap. A week costs you the same as one night in a Hotel.

But you have time want to do it.

Untidy and unclean people dont just get that way because they think someone else will do it, some dont care that they are untidy and unclean so they would just live like that even if OP wouldnt clean and tidy up.

For goodness' sake try hiring one already on site first.

Oh no OP, your update is horrendous

How did you let yourself get talked into it!! Have you said "I told you so" yet?

The only thing worse than a caravan holiday is camping , the most I will self cater on a holiday is breakfast IMO if I’m going to be cooking and cleaning I may as well stay at home .

We have some friends who are retired with grown up children, they have a caravan they use a lot during term times when they aren’t doing childcare, it’s a very very nice one and I was quite taken with the idea when I saw it, but I think the novelty would wear off quite quickly. Apart from anything else, cooking smells, it would be like living and sleeping in your kitchen.

It depends on whether you meant a static or a tourer. We upgraded from a tent to a tourer. It was OK for a weekend but after staying in it for a week in what was possibly the honest week of a hot summer we decided to sell. Spending a week with an adult size teen and a snoring husband in a tin can on wheels smaller than my lounge at home became my idea of hell. We also witnessed a caravan and awning go up in flames on our campsite which really put me off.
I would consider a static caravan again though. We've tended to book 3 bedroom ones when we have used them in the past because if I have a problem with DH snoring I can move to another bed.