To not have attempted to go abroad yet

Op, I get the feeling nothing anyone says is going to convince you it’s doable and can be great fun. You just seem to have such a downer in the idea that your posts reek of doom and gloom.

Going on holiday with my kids is my fave thing ever. Go to a nice all inclusive with a little that has a little splash pad/ pool aimed at younger kids. You can sit on the side with an iced coffee in the sun and watch them have the time of their lives!

I mean you do you!
but I don’t ever get the argument same shit diff place

we took kids away loads since a few weeks old

it’s always good - no laundry - no house work - no life admin -no work - no cooking

just time together without the stress of normal life

We drop the routine and kids can sleep whenever wherever

no bedtime drama and stress about time 🤷‍♀️

take turns having a break / lie in whatever

You are so wrong. I only started staying at proper hotels with food and facilities (rather than back packing) when holidaying with DS from about 4 years old. Is frikkin awesome.

Wake up, eat breakfast made by someone else.
Sunbathe at pool.
Go to zoo or whatever. Come back to clean room and dinner made by someone else etc. etc. etc.

What's not to like?

Ahhh, I get it now. Thank you!

Same shit, different location.

What is SSDL, I’ve googled it but I’m no further forward. Sorry, if it’s obvious, lol

It's no worse than taking a child away in the UK though and often better weather.

Think mine were all around 4 months on first foreign trip

We went abroad when DD1 was 2 1//2 and I was 20 weeks pregnant. It was absolutely exhausting because she wouldn’t sleep in the car on the way to the airport (4 hours drive), or on the 4 hour flight despite barely sleeping in the airport hotel, or in the hire car, and she got very little sleep despite us getting an apartment so she could have her own space. She is a particularly bad sleeper though. We attempted it again when she was nearly 7 and DD2 turned 4 while we were away. 15 minute drive to ferry port, day crossing, 20 minute drive to holiday park French side. Beautiful part of Brittany and a good time had by all.

we’ve had loads of brilliant foreign trips since and I’m glad we didn’t spend loads of money we couldn’t afford on trips the kids wouldn’t have appreciated anymore than a cheap UK break. We both absolutely love travel now as teenagers.

I have always gone abroad with my dc, from being babies. I figure people have babies abroad too so everything I need will be available where I’m going. Pack only what you need for the journey and the normal amount of clothes for you all and if you need a pushchair, get a cheap basic one. I’ve never had anything happen that couldn’t be resolved easily.
Get good insurance and away you go.

That said, if you don’t want to go, that’s perfectly reasonable too, we’ve had some lovely trips in the UK and you can just fill the car up.

I always found it pretty fun. Not as relaxing as pre-kids but way better than staying at home! Didn't have to cook, nice weather and swimming pools which kids love. We took our 4yo and 6yo to New Zealand and had a fab time.

I never took my boys abroad under 5, we just had UK ones. Pasty faced Scottish boys, baking heat, worrying in case they got ill, constant worrying about pools, no thanks 😂

Never understood SSDL. The DL part of it is what makes it a holiday. Yes it's a bit less relaxing that pre-children and eating can be a bit of a nightmare when they are picky and unwilling to try too much new stuff. But it's a holiday. It's a new place with new places to explore and see. It's always been worth it for me.

I don't see the difference between holidaying in this country & abroad. We've been taking our kids on holiday since dd1 was nearly 1 & she's now nearly 23. You just have to keep your eye on them when they're little. I am very lucky though in that my dds never ran off or wanted to go too far from our side

I think it depends on your kids and your expectations of the holiday. DP and I were really well travelled as a couple before our child was born. We were ready to surrender our holidays to splash parks, routines and not much chilling by the pool.

Our child also loves travelling, he makes our holiday better not worse.

Never had an issue with mine, but if you find it stressful at home then you will find it stressful, where ever you go.

Went with my first from age 2, my second from 9 months. Lovely memories 💖.

These were low key beach pool holidays though not city breaks.

Never found trips with my children particularly stressful. We chose not to fly until the youngest was about 3 or 4 but apart from
that we went abroad every holiday. Lots of lovely times and good memories. Is it the same as holidays as a couple, no. But it’s still a lot of fun.

We took DS to Spain (package holiday) when he 6 months, a weekend in a French Airbnb at 9 months, a European Christmas Market City break at 18 months, Airbnb in Sweden at 22 months and we’re doing France again when we turns 2 and another sunshine package holiday at 27 months.

We’ve had a great time every time. Different to pre-baby holidays, but holidays always will be until he’s an adult and we’re going alone again.

We still get to see new things, witness him see new things, do different activities to our everyday, eat out in new places (if we time it right, late lunches or very early dinners work for us) and relax with a glass of wine when he’s gone to bed.

One of the many reasons we’re stopping at one is that we’ll be able to show him more of the world, so we’re making an early start.

The question wasn't about affording though was it.

Maybe just maybe not all small children are the same, who knows, maybe not everyone can afford to bring them up with long haul trips from birth

It's a puzzle that's for sure

OP, how could you be unreasonable? It's not something compulsory

My son and his partner are taking a one year old and a three month old to Spain. Good luck to them but I wouldn’t have the patience that they’ve got