To struggle with teens on holiday.

I had this when my son was 14 it was the last sun bathing type of holiday I took him on. He loved Barcelona this year -19 now- as he could wander off round the city while myself & daughter sat by the pool. He loves city breaks so we have done those - even better if they are in the sun & I can sun bathe. Last holiday was Japan which was exhausting but his dream. I think they need different types of holidays as they get older. I save my sun bathing holidays for when I’m with friends or just take my daughter who is early 20’s

And breathe!! We've been there too. But on the other hand they have complained bitterly in the past whilst on holiday but when they come home and talk about it retrospectively they say they've enjoyed it! I think some of it is being out their comfort zone and having to do things at their own pace, but later they decide they like it. I took our 2 DS away when they were 15, nothing was right... but when I heard them talking about it later to their mates it was fine. Hopefully yours are the same. Now they are in their twenties and it's all good.

They'll remember this in years to come when they're much nicer, and feel terribly guilty about it, and wish they could go back in time and enjoy their family's company.

But it will be too late.

I’ve just come out of teen phase.

some points I’ve found having received the same feedback.
pick location. We picked a hotel with a teen club but this was the worst thing we could have picked.
At another hotel we went to they had a family foam party for all guests at the hotel. There was no pressure on them to go and they loved it.

see what is in offer excursion wise. At another resort with no teen club they were eager to explore and see things. We combined one holiday with a city trip on one occasion and went to a famous football stadium.
i did used to ask what they wanted out of a holiday but to be honest they really had no idea what they wanted
boat trips are usually fun

No advice but I feel your pain. I’m going with my teenagers on Wednesday. Not sure why I’ve booked a holiday again this year, the older they get the more they moan. Mine are old enough to stay in the room if they wish so I leave them to it and go about my day (which seems to infuriate them! 🤣) I long for solo holidays. Good luck!

My 2 teens 17f 16m have both said they will not come on holiday with us on a Sun holiday its to hot etc. We are planning an adults only sun holiday next year, looking forward too it! They both declined last year to a caravan holiday in October, left them at home grandparent supervised had a lovely relaxed 5day break with my husband. Make the most of your holiday enjoy, your child will regret in later years the holiday they could of enjoyed x

I think we need to put less pressure on them as well as ourselves. I struggle to relax on holiday with teens and it’s not because of their behaviour (I have 3 and a toddler) because they’re appreciative, I just put too much pressure on myself to make sure they’re having a good time and I’m not ignoring them in place of the toddler 😂🤦🏻‍♀️
But being ‘vile’ is a bit much. He/she would definitely be left in the room whilst I enjoyed some ‘me time’ for the next couple of days!
Relax, enjoy, I’m sure they’ll come round ❤️

I feel your pain, it's truly horrible, this.
We had this when the teen was 14/15. So awful. He was so arsey and miserable I genuinely thought there was something wrong with him. Really thought he was suffering some kind of mental health issue, he was that bad

He made everyone miserable and all I could think about was the wasted money.

When he was 16 he had a proper girlfriend of several months and I invited her along on holiday to Wales. It was a wet and windy Wales in the middle of nowhere and they were as happy as pigs in shit! Never bored, never argued, never complained, went along with all activities happily. Walks around ruins in the damp might as well have been Disneyland 😆

Of course the fact they were allowed to share a room on a separate floor probably helped (they're still together now aged 17, before anyone snarks) but it was sooo much better. I don't think I'd have bothered to spend the money otherwise.

I once read on here with regard to teens ‘you have your holiday and let them have theirs’ - so they want to stay in the room, fine, they don’t want to come out for dinner, fine. No demands, no expectations, just let them get on with it, and you get on with whatever you want to do. Since adopting that policy our holidays have improved tremendously, I’m applying it in Tenerife just now! I find when expectations are lowered to almost nothing then the teens actually participate more than they usually would!

Don't take it personally - offer the plans, leave teenager behind if not wanted.

Just enjoy yourself!