Ungrateful Teens on Florida holiday

Because she says she doesn’t think her kids understand the amount spent and the meaning of money

These aren’t young children

They will understand and the effort their mother has gone to

but you thought you had seen a shadow hadn’t you 🤭

How is how she funded her trip any of your business and what relevance does it have it have to the issue?

I agree or take phones off them spoilsport it's unfair

What a stupid thing to say.

As the others have said, the eldest are quite old enough to look after themselves, so leave them to it. Teenagers generally aren't good with mornings and there are biological reasons for that.

Leave the 2 older ones to lie in bed and go out with your youngest.

We took 18 and 16 y o on nice long haul holiday.
They weren't as enthusiastic as I hoped but on the whole we had a nice time.
Half way through16 y o said he knew it wasn't an option but he missed his bedroom and would like to go home.
J think holidaying with teenagers is hard.
Low expectations and not to many activities is probably for the best.

you are alone with them op? You funded the holiday entirely as a single parent?

Is this a Disney holiday? Surely a bit young for all the kids? I think it's one of those places that's fun when you're 7, and then fun again when you're 37, and pretty tiresome/cringy in the middle.

I think that leaving at the pre-agreed hour and charging them for any activities not attended is a very good idea. 👍

I agree with this, most of the time my teens want to come away with the family. One of the older DC’s actually pays towards it as they have started working. I have actually just returned from a city break, we all had a lovely time.

Take their phones off them and tel them they can have them back when they are up and you are on the way on time to the day’s activity.

I agree.
I think its so important for them to have phone breaks for their mental health. And because we only have one life and living it entirely through a screen is such a waste

Most kids get fed up with family holidays at some point. 18 year olds are usually going with friends.

Taking their phones away is the opposite of cruelty. You actually helping them live life

I thoroughly agree, even though they'd probably carry on for a while as if they'd been expected to give up a kidney

There's also the question of who pays for the phones - because if it's OP then I'd do as a PP suggested and lock them in the safe while they're asleep, and tell them the phones would be staying there unless they buck their ideas up

Having done several Orlando holidays and the last one finished 2 weeks ago here is my advice...... get up and go in the mornings with youngest child (if they want to). Do some rides until early afternoon then come back to hotel. Eldest should then be up. Get food and all relax for a bit (doesn't matter if they want to go in the pool or not) then late afternoon/early evening go back to parks.

My kids did get up when we were there but we never let the jet lag set in the first week so took advantage of being awake early. Gradually that fades. They enjoyed our last week best when they had their own room and they did what they wanted. Slept in all morning and spent all afternoon/evenings in parks until they closed.

I have been there. My holidays with teens are over. At 17 they are starting to make their own holiday plans. They need to budget and find good deals.
Luxury family holidays are over but that is the price to pay for being ungrateful teens.

sympathy 🫂 I could100% see that happening with mine, I now have 3 teens and an 11yo, they’re always a bit like this going away in Europe etc and I can imagine it magnified going to Florida when you’ve spent so much money, they sometimes say to me “well we didn’t ask to go away” no but I’m trying to provide nice things for them and I want to go away 🫠 and their dad wouldn’t take them my auntie told me my cousins behaved like this on holiday too.
Sorry I don’t have any solutions. we’re all in competition to a screen now 📱
when this last happened I just took whoever was awake/compliant out to a food market or for a walk to a neighbourhood I wanted to visit, so I didn’t waste my holiday

Take their phones off them.

Digital detox is the answer.

Last time I was away with a sibling and their kids, they dat sullenly on the sofa scrolling refusing to do anything.

Their phones were removed and all of a sudden they were normal kids.

Phones are addictive. They don't need to be in contact with friends, gaming or on social media. Taking their phones away is the opposite of cruelty. You actually helping the live life.

Interesting, especially if they knew what the holiday involved.
I'm a different generation and hated to be ushered around by my "parents". Today at 45, I love being left alone on my phone.
Not important, though.

The two eldest seem like they would love to be left alone as well.
Forcing them (I'm not sure about the adult) is not gonna go anywhere, especially for the future.
So you can just learn from this experience and act accordingly next time - sorry, OP!

Considering there are adults that go to Disney solo I wouldn’t say the teens are too old for it, it obviously depends on what they like. They may not have even done Disney, could’ve done universal which is far more ‘big kid’ orientated

I've just seen your updates op. Have you ever listened to parenting hell? There's an episode where Rob beckett discusses how his trip to florida went with young children (so slightly different but overall maybe not) Romesh Ranganathan has recently been with older teens im sure he also discusses it on his podcast the owl and the wolf.
They both sounded utterly drained and exhausted. I'm not sure I'd say it's a holiday more of jam packed high pressured itinerary That you need a good month at least to feel like you've done it justice. Maybe just cut everyone some slack including yourself. Perhaps have the attitude that whatever you get done in the most enjoyable way is a win. Be open and vunerable with them they might surprise you and say yeah it's been different to how we thought it would be we are knackered too. They may well be using phones as some regulation and some down time. I imagine it's a very overstimulating holiday.

I think you're doing the best you can op from your updates.

@WatermelonWaveclub you say you have booked and paid for activities that they wanted to do. I would have a chat with them about the costs of all these activities (which you have said they might not be fully aware of) and say that if they can't get up in time to join in with them, then they will have to pay you the cost. This might teach them a bit more responsibility as right now they are on what should be an amazing holiday many would not be able to afford and they are just taking it for granted. Maybe making them realise how much it costs for something like this would give them a shock if they had to contribute.