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Original poster

At what age - did you start allowing your child to bring a friend on holiday?

33 replies

988ujk · 29/04/2026 09:39

Dc is an only and is currently finishing primary. Have been thinking about holidays and whether at some point, we might start bringing a friend on our holidays so it isnt just our only with us oldies. At what age did other people's kids start inviting a friend with them on holiday and how long for?

OP posts:
ainsleysanob · 29/04/2026 11:54

Mines an only and he’s never asked to take a friend! He’s 14 now and we have asked if he’d like to but he’s never been arsed and is quite ‘sociable’ with us anyway! In all honesty, I’m quite happy about that because we tend to go on long haul holidays where I wouldn’t be 100% happy being responsible for another persons child that far away!

Scarlettpixie · 29/04/2026 11:53

I never did this. DS (now 19) never asked and I never felt the need. We didn't do sleepovers either. Just had friends over during the day. My son very occasionally went to sleepovers with friends but this wasn't a big part of what he and his friends did/wanted.

ToadRage · 29/04/2026 11:50

I never brought a friend on holiday but i have a brother. An only child friend of mine would take me to stay with her grandparents but they never took me abroad. My husband is an only child and he took a friend to his parents caravan occasionally but again never took them abroad.

WydeStrype · 29/04/2026 11:43

I just wouldn't.

Our family time on holiday is so important. Now ours are older we rarely all come together and relax - someone always has to be somewhere!

My dc have lovely friends but they morph a bit when others are around and most of their friends are picky about food or don't like swimming or have sleep issues or whatever. It would completely change the dynamics of a trip and I definitely wouldn't be able to relax in the way that I want to.

SalemSaberhagen99 · 29/04/2026 11:40

God I could never do this, I just wouldn't be able to relax having the responsibility of someone else's child (not the point of the thread, I know!) i just couldn't

Original poster
988ujk · 29/04/2026 11:01

Yes, our kid is very happy to go to cubs/scout cams and weekends away. Was considering starting in secondary but then what if we dont get to know the other families. Some of Dcs friends might go to the same secondary but not his closest friends.

OP posts:
Bushmillsbabe · 29/04/2026 10:37

We are thinking about this. We have DD10 and DD6.
DD6 happily goes to kids clubs, makes instant friends with no issue
DD10 we noticed on our last holiday was at an inbetween place - too old for kids clubs but too young to go off on her own/hang with the groups of teenagers. So we have thought about letting her bring a friend next time we go away. But cost is an issue - if I invited someone I would expect that we paid for most of the cost.

123becauseicouldntthinkofone · 29/04/2026 10:29

I think my son was 8/9 but it was UK only not abroad as he was very shy and struggled to make short term friends.