To not understand the "holidays with small children is just parenting in a different place" complaints?

Surely it depends on the holiday? Try spending a week in a tent, self catering as eating out all the time is too expensive, with only 2 gas rings and a grill.

That's harder than normal life, far from a relaxing holiday. But I love it anyway as I love being with DC.

Depends on who is saying it - from IL I think "hoildays" were "their" thing so didn't like us doing them.

DH had a serious accident before I could get him to book a hoilday - eldest was 4 youngest a young toddler - sef catering butlins - was absolutely great - exhausting and really busy.

So we never came back of holiday rested - which some people expect even post kids. IL even when DH was little expect to spend a lot of time drinking and talking - harder to do round young kids. Money being tight and somewhere where everything costs can add to stress - some kids find change really hard or can at certain points - so for some it can be worse than staying at home - as all the normal stuff but additional stresses and holiday expectations - then it said to make posters feel a bit better.

laughs in toddler twin mum

Because you’ve got 1 child between 2 adults which is not hard and were all inclusive!!!!

If you couldn’t cope with 1 child and nothing to do but eat meals cooked for you and a beach to play on I’d worry.

Did all of this 100% and it was still hell.

@AhBiscuits and it doesn’t take a lot of imagination that
1- you decide what your hols will be around your dcs needs. Don’t go somewhere hot if they have issues with it. Find self catering accommodation where your dcs will be able to nap when they need to etc…
2- having more children, more than 1, is a choice. If you’re struggling to cope with more children, then it’s not the OP’s fault. And it doesn’t mean it’s automatically harder or that she is talking bollocks.

Woop-di-wooo for you.

maybe you’re just a better parent than me. Or maybe your child is a better child than mine.

is that what you want to hear? 🤪

(not meant in a mean way!)

Good for you, OP. We took our 5yo and 2yo for a week abroad and it was hell! £3k down the drain, it was absolutely awful and genuinely, I hated most of it 😭😭😭 I wish I didn't feel that way, I feel like a horrible person for feeling like this.

I can't even voice this opinion in real life without sounding smug but I totally agree. Mine are now 6 and 4 and I've always loved going on holiday with them and we've never done AI. Yes they're 'easy' children and we're very fortunate in that regard but they are a joy to hang out with and we appreciate the time we spend together that is otherwise filled with work/ school/ activities etc.

I loved beIng a stay at home parent when my kids were small. We lived in a seaside town so there was lots to do even in the winter.

Our first holiday with ds1 tho’ was so challenging we tried to come home early. He wouldn’t sleep unless I lay down with him. He was constantly running off in the campsite so we couldn’t sit down without entertaining him constantly. There was absolutely no chance of dh and I having any quality chats in the evening because he was up until
all hours.

He was later found to be autistic with adhd!

Well the OP’s knight in shining armour has rode in!

Op your holiday sounds fine. Most parents have different types & multiple children which I’m sure you can imagine is harder than 1, especially when they don’t nap any longer & parents are constantly refereeing etc - after a few years the playing loses its shine a bit too.

We’re lulled into thinking we’ll be able to relax on holiday but without home comforts & children out of routine it’s not always easy.

Yes! And holidays just seem to add to the need to play and interact with their own children.

Self catering in Spain, 3-6 weeks every year from DC’s being born. Such precious memories of long sunny days, beach games, learning to swim, eating local food outside, local markets, board games, bedtime stories, music events, train rides to the nearest city.

They had little tasks to add to their pocket money to spend at the market every Friday.

Loved it!

But you’re not talking for everyone either.

My hols with my two (18 months in between them) has always self catering/camping.
Ive never felt it was horrendously hard. I have great memories. From toddler to teenagers.

Im not sure why you’re seem to think it’s ok for you to say it’s hard and exiect ig people to agree.
But someone else says it’s been great and theyre smug p/had easy chikdren/whatever.

I mean, if it was that hard, why did you on hols in the first place? No one needs to be a martyr fur anyone, incl their children right?

When people say this they usually aren't talking about one toddler between two adults at an all inclusive.

Just been on a lovely holiday with my two now they are 8 and 10. When they were more like 2 and 4 it was a lot harder. Oldest HATES being hot and so somewhere hot and sunny she would just cry unless she was inside. Neither enjoyed unfamiliar foods. Youngest naps would go out of the window and neither would sleep at a reasonable time so we'd have countless overtired meltdowns. I could go on and on tbh. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see why it might be hard.

I am with you OP. I have done weekends away, a trip to Spain and overnights etc since my son was born 5 years ago and we have his little sister now too. I thoroughly enjoy spending holidays with my children

OMG she is allowed to talk about her own dd and her own experiences! She hasn't said your dd can sleep.

I think the key phrase is ‘I don’t understand…..’ just because you don’t understand others experience doesn’t make their experiences less valid. Surely you know some some people have a harder time parenting than you do.

I’ve had several experiences whereby my child wanted to stay in the hotel room all day because there was a big screen TV that we don’t have in our house. There’s no explaining to a 4 year old that the TV doesn’t show their favourite cartoon in English… they don’t get that but they will have a massive tantrum every single day because the TV is right there.

I’ve had issues because my child refuses to put suncream on but is very fair skin so we can’t go out in the sun without it and I’ve had to chase my child around the room and wrestle the sun cream on them. I’ve had issues because one child is hungry and wants to go to the buffet but the other child won’t get out of bed and neither can be left alone.

theres many situations that don’t arise at home, or are harder to manage on holiday. And all this whilst you’ve spent thousands to have a ‘holiday’ can sometimes feel like rubbing salt in the wound that you’re not getting a ‘holiday’

does that help your understanding?

To give kids experiences, to travel and have a break from routine. Its bloody hard work with 3 at any age out of routine and familiarity anywhere on a budget!

It's often worth it but easy peasy and bliss it is not.

It’s not a problem for you as you have one 18m old who sleeps. That is not a universal experience for all. How is this so hard for you to grasp?

Which bit of that says 'But the OP is saying it's not hard and that you should go anyway.' ?

So you do understand it if it’s a self catering holiday!

sweet Jesus