To cancel next holiday?

Go on the holiday.

Get the kids out of their comfort zone more often and it’ll get easier.

Do it more - not less.

You want (and need it) and they will learn so much more being away and it won’t be like that previous holiday.

Use positive affirmations; new places are exciting/ we are going to learn so many new useful things/ I can’t wait to tell X about our trip.

Do more smaller trips (as much as budgets allow) to reinforce that this is normal and not scary.

Rome wasn’t built in a day ;)

You did a great job taking them away already.

Don’t rely on the feedback you’re getting from the kids now as they have no perspective.

Focus on the feedback you’ll get from them in 10-20 years time ‘remember that trip to X it was eye opening because of Y & Z’.

My children are the same ages @Minecroftand I think it’s far more relaxing if you plan the holiday with their needs in mind. If they are well rested and relaxed it’ll be much more fun.

We did a few holidays with family when they were younger, always planned around the other adults’ preferences and it meant I got very little time to relax at all. It was miserable tbh. For the last two years I’ve taken them away alone (lone parent) to AI hotels and it’s been brilliant. I’d never done AI holidays previously but it works very well with children. IKOS hotels are great in terms of having all of the benefits of AI but without being overrun/ having to endure buffets or bad food/ sunlounger wars or irritating and tacky “entertainment” etc, so it’s nice for adults as well, and I’m sure there must be others that are similar.

We have the odd day out or trip out elsewhere for dinner but it’s lovely for me to mostly relax on the beach/ by the pool while they play and swim, then everyone is happy. If we were self-catering we’d need to be out and about most days which is exhausting for everyone.

Unlike many other posters I find that actually two weeks is better than a week for us. If we go for a week my children spend the first three days adjusting and the last three getting sad about the holiday being over soon, so we only really get to properly enjoy it for one day in the middle of the week! Two weeks gives enough time for everyone to rest, settle, then feel enthusiastic about exploring a bit but with trips sufficiently spaced out for it not to get tiring.

I think that Crete is best earlier in the summer, though. Countries further west are better for autumn in terms of daylight and less variable weather.

I would still go but change hotel. Crete is wonderful. We stay at Kiani Beach Resort when we go. It is not a huge resort but does have a kids club. You can catch a local bus from the top of the road to take you into Chania. The resort, a few holiday homes, a taverna and the beach are the only things along there but it only 10 minutes from a bigger town or 30 minutes from Chania. So peaceful but not remote.

Yeah my parents live three hours away so it’s great to find one to pop into on the drive up to break up the journey :) Much more entertaining than a service station 😅

And definitely go to Crete!

So I know kids on holiday can be just same shit different place —-and emotions and expectations are running high. However to those saying kids need kid stuff and not anything historical; we’ve got a national trust pass and take our kids on days out to historical places all the time. It’s been a really good investment and they love it! We do kid friendly stuff there like the play park, ice cream and often a whole family game of hide and seek. If we go on holiday for a week we might do one really kid focussed thing like a theme park or high ropes. We recently holidays with friends who do more and I think it was a bit overwhelming for the kids. May be just mine but I think they need downtime and decompression (as do I!)

Glad you are still planning to go. I hope you all have a much better holiday - you should come back and update after the holiday!

We did many years of Eurocamp etc to get round the whinging. Kids club, mini disco and a great pool complex. Chance to make friends with other kids. Separate bedrooms and ability to self cater if we wanted. It's pointless spending ££££s on small kids.

Oh you’re fine. To me it means a family who like to get good value for money days out with plenty of outdoor space. Thats one reason we have it anyway!

In my eyes the NT is as much a service station as anything else! 😂

I would keep the holiday. An AI type holiday to Crete will be so much easier than what sounds like a sightseeing holiday.

What was the place you’ve always wanted to go to?

Ok? I literally just meant it as shorthand for ‘a family who has a National Trust pass’ 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m not claiming to own the National Trust or anything 😂

Definitely go for kids club. And always be snacking to avoid them getting even slightly hungry. And remember they will be tired! If they look like they are annoying each other, divide and conquer.

remember, holidays with children are not ‘breaks’ for adults.

Why 'surely'? There are plenty of circumstances that mean this could be a first holiday - including personal choice, logistics of getting time off work, caring responsibilities and finances.

I think your recent holiday sounds quite full on- especially combined with the end of term tiredness. I think active holidays are possible- we have taken DS to Brazil to Iguazu, jungle treks in Thailand etc but interspersed with pool days.

In reality, we all enjoy a kids focused hotel and do the odd trip. Lanzarote/Tenerife have worked well for this as the hotels are family friendly with slides/kids club/mini disco then interesting trips/walks/bike rides for us.

Crete? I'd cancel, they would probably be even more miserable!

This, and explain to them why.

Just came on to say I worried think Crete in October if you are wanting a pool/beach holiday, it can be quite cold.

What lessons did you learn this time? More breaks? Less activity? Preparing them more?
Holiday 'rules'?
It will get better, but maybe not without more prepping from you and your husband.

I wouldn't cancel. I think beach/pool holidays abroad are far more enjoyable and easier for children to amuse themselves than UK holidays. Lots of swimming, sandcastles, ice creams, etc - and maybe some kids evening entertainment to keep them occupied. Our son has always been very happy on overseas holidays and I'm sure you'll all have an amazing time in Crete!

“A National Trust Family”- FFS, you’re just some people who pay an annual fee to the National Trust. We don't go around describing ourselves as “An Amazon Prime Family”.

At 6 and 8 they’re becoming old enough to appreciate holidays. It’s not like they’re 3 and 1which is quite stressful. We took ours at ages 2 and 5 and again at 5 and 8 to TUI holiday village holidays- sooooo much for the kids to do (I don’t work for them I swear!). But make life easier for yourselves- pick an AI place where there is a huge variety of food, loads of food aimed at kids, loads of activities for kids, kids clubs, water slides etc.

DD is nearly 15 now, so I’m a bit out of practice with younger ones, but by the time she was 6 we could do a city break with her and all enjoy it. When she turned 8 we went to the US and she celebrated her 8th birthday in the restaurant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, overlooking Central Park. However, you do have to pace things and allow downtime- we’re away at the moment and even now I reckon on one serious museum or exhibition each day, plus a bit of strolling around, and she gets time in the hotel to chat to her friends and noodle around online. DH and I used to tag team when she was younger; one of us would stay with her while the other one went out to do something. These days we can just leave her behind for an hour or two.

I went to Turkey year ago when the kids were 3&5 and although the 3 year old had a couple of moments, overall everyone enjoyed the holiday and didn't complain at all. My 5 year old (female) was absolutely fine, and younger than your youngest now, we spent most of the time at the pool and beach, got an inflatable and it was sorted. Got some activity books for chill time in the evening and the flight there and it was grand. Your kids are old enough not to be whiney tbh.