Why don't people take their kids on holiday?

I was really surprised when I moved to my small sleepy village in scotland that 90% of the kids (nursery to high school) had never been outside of.scotland, let alone have a passport. There's a farmer here....mid 70s.....has never crossed the border, never been on a plane.

Then there was my kids who have travelled extensively in Europe and some of Africa.

Blew my mind tbh. Then I realised the village mentality and saw why .

Sounds like you need to broaden your horizons!

Why are you being mean about all this? It’s a really odd thread to start. Strange thing to be smug about. Do you like the attention?

I also don’t believe that none of your friends want to go on holiday with their kids. It is vanishingly unusual to have that attitude.

we have always holidayed with our kids, but I give it no thought at all as to why others don’t, as the reason reasons may be multifactorial and do not affect me at all.

I agree with you totally OP. My husband & I live to travel and i think I benefit my toddler so much by allowing him to experience different cultures and cuisines. We’d been on several trips to Asia by aged 2. I can’t understand why people worry so much about travelling . I’ve literally had the look of utter disbelief when I say where I’ve travelled - ‘how do you do the airport/plane?!’.
i think it’s just not a priority for a lot of people. When we couldn’t go abroad some time ago we went on a trip in the uk and we still had a great time. I think people overthink travelling on a plane for a few hours with kids.
none of my friends travel at all anymore even though some did extensively before children. I miss chatting about holidays a lot!

We can't afford foreign holidays but we go camping or possibly a cheap caravan trip if we've saved up. I love our trips away and we try to do fun things while there too.

Really?
Why should someone who lives in ( random place example) Sunderland and has never been to London in their life have any knowledge of what an Oyster Card is, how they work, what "Zone 2" means, what the difference between the Windrush line and the Jubilee Line is....etc.
Such odd thinking.
(and rude)

I don't think this is common. I travel with DS every year and I'm a single parent.I imagine either people don't have the money or are happy with centre parcs.

Yes, exceedingly dim.

I’d love to go travelling with my children, but we can’t afford it. I suspect all my friends imagine that we can though, as I’m very good at making do and we appear much better off than we are. If my friends asked why I didn’t travel, I’m sure I’d make up some inane excuse like your friends’ one.

I also think there’s a matter of priorities - I would have to be in a much better position financially before I’d consider dropping thousands on a holiday. On the other hand, I have friends who value holidays and experiences more than financial security and they spend accordingly. We’re all different.

in fairness, I know of people who expect to find everything UK abroad, just more sun, down to their supermarket teabags and baked beans (or worst, who take them with them abroad 😂😂)

fair enough

In primary they're friends with pretty much everyone apart from the class bully, so that wasn't an issue.

We did the reptile chaps, but you're brave, I have NEVER hosted a party at home and never will 😂. I admire people who do!

Really? I literally can’t think of anyone at work (we employ 18 year olds to 60 year olds, low paid), in my friendship circle or my family / extended family that don’t love an interesting holiday.
I’m one of the few that does package holidays because they are cheap and I can get more away time.
I don’t know anyone that’s not been abroad.

I’ve never understood this either. Growing up my parents ALWAYS took me on holiday. They didn’t once go on a weekend away without me. Granted, im an only child so they could afford it. But I had so many friends who’s parents seemingly couldn’t wait to get away for the weekend and would go abroad without their kids etc (and yes they could afford it!)

Their reasoning was that they didn’t want to be without me and also to experience different cultures etc.

We’re expecting our first child soon and I hope to do the same in taking them away - though much more expensive than 20 yrs ago…!

I have no desire to see the world. I don’t speak any other languages and a food allergy rules out a lot of meals and food. I wouldn’t trust google translate to keep me alive. Quite happy in the UK.

I traveled a lot as a child aboard and the U.K.. We haven’t taken all the children aboard we travel the U.K.

One of my children I’d have to drag kicking and screaming to step foot on a plane and they would likely use anything they could to get out of it so it’s a bit of a no go anyway.

But most of the families from my children’s school who do go aboard just tend to do the typical all inclusive not leaving the resort type holidays which doesn’t do anything for me. If and when we do go do either with or without children I want to go off and explore.

I also recall as a child how none of my friends seemed to of visited anywhere in the U.K. always just the chips by the pool in Spain or possibly at most Skegness or Blackpool.

I love travelling and have brought my dc1 to lots of places but in all honesty travelling with kids isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and I’ve found that he enjoys holidays at home just as much. I would never question why someone else doesn’t bring their kids abroad. Kids don’t need fancy holidays abroad to have fun or be enriched.

How many times do we have threads on here from people asking how London Transport (tube, buses, Oyster payment cards etc) works?
If you don't live in London or go there regularly then why would you know?
Would you say those people are "dim"?

Well you're wrong in saying they dont go on holiday. They do, just not abroad. What's wrong with that? It's still a holiday. The kids have plenty of time to go abroad once they are adults. I only went abroad once as a kid; since I turned 21 I've been abroad pretty much every year. My friend however has never taken her kids abroad but they have a holiday in really interesting places in the UK, see lots of sights, go on walks etc

Just how dim are your friends? If someone told me they 'didn't know how airports work' I would presume they were taking the piss!

Travelling is generally stressful and not worth the effort. Queuing in airports, delayed flights, lost luggage, jet lag etc.... Have never managed to travel anywhere without severe disruption. And have ended up ill from the food on every trip I've ever taken. Don't sleep well away from home either. Not been on a holiday for over 15 years now, and never intend to go on another. Doesn't appeal in the slightest.

My son is 7 and only been on a couple of caravan holidays in the UK. Why? Because we have a reactive dog that can’t go in kennels. We have to go places that take dogs. Also if truth be told I can’t be arsed getting new passports to go abroad. I loathe travelling. Don’t mind once we get there, but the travel stresses me out.

Some of the loudest who crow about 'broadening horizons' and 'culturally enriching' their children, barely leave the all inclusive complex in reality 🤷‍♂️

You struggle to understand that people might not have the same interests as you? Really?

I am a musician and would rather spend my time performing with my various ensembles locally, than go on holiday. It gives me absolute joy.

I bet people wonder the same thing about us. On the surface me and DH have well paid professional jobs, a big detached house…. But we don’t prioritise holidays, never have. We’ve taken DCs abroad a few times, we go on holiday in the UK fairly frequently, but there are more important things to spend time and money on! Also, I just love being at home.

I never did a class party shudder

best party was when I hired in a reptile and insect chap who came to the house with a loads of spiders, giant snails, snakes! 8 of them… sat in the garden and got to touch them all, then party food and games.

that just would not have worked with 33

we did go ape
theme park
pizza making
lush party

and never more than 8-10. My children’s actual friends who they actually wanted at their party

worked for us