HELP - ABBYMUMSNET NEEDS YOUR HOLIDAY SURVIVAL TIPS

Just remembered - lots of airlines will charge you for the car seat, but a Group 0/0+ seat will often sit in a buggy, even if it's not actually a travel system.

Our own carset had a base, so we borrowed a friend's and just set the seat into the buggy with the seat reclined. We've done this a few times and when getting luggage labels for the buggy just said 'it's in 2 pieces'

Bring a supply of finger foods in wee pots - ds spent a v happy 20 minutes on our last flight eating grapes and then playing with the pot and lid.

MY DS is very discerning, he will not eat fruit out of pot that has been wee'd in.

If its a beach/pool type holiday take sunsuits for the children -lightweight, they can wear them all day on the beach etc, can be washed and dried quickly and means you need to take less real clothes for them.

Holidays? I always look at it as a different window to look out of whilst doing the washing up.

If you have more than one buggy, I'd always bring the one that reclines for naps - then you can be out and about but the baby can have some semblance of routine.

Bring a supply of finger foods in wee pots - ds spent a v happy 20 minutes on our last flight eating grapes and then playing with the pot and lid.

Work out how many nappies you'll need for the holiday and then decide how many to bring with you - either bring them all or enough to last 2/3 days. Bear in mind that in some countries it can be hard to buy small packs, in Spain last year DH and I spent a whole afternoon searching for nappies, all the supermarkets sold them in packs of 144!

make sure the pool is heated before you book the villa,especially if you ds is a wimp.

take car seat with you

take plenty of brufen for hangovers

let teenagers pack themselves,my dd has been packing for herself since she was about 10

take snacks in flight bag ,I take food for ds as he's allergic to nuts.

I get a translation card explaining his allergy ,makes eating out easier

Relax and don't worry if your fussy childs eats chips every day for the entire holiday,because that's all he likes.You are on holiday so don't stress about it.

Take some anti-histamine as you know you'll getstung to buggery despite spraying everyone with toxic chemicals daily.

If you have a teenager take a friend for them,saves having to watch them mope around missing their mates.

Ignore your DH wehn you book self catering. you WON'T be eating out most of the time. He WON'T muck in. you WILL do it all

Just keep telling yourself, there is no such thing as a holiday. It is just childcare in a different climate.

Once you accept this,you will enjoy yourself.

Take your own travel cot matress and sheets. Its lighter than taking a whole travel cot and that way if you have to use a travel cot provided by the hotel, you can rest assured that the matress/sheet has only been slept on by your child and conforms to safety standards. An insect net also very handy to keep bugs at bay!

don't take amooncup through customs unless you are prepared to explain

If you are flying, take snacks for childrne and activities.

You don't need a suitcase just for shoes - said to me by DH

(lol at muslin hat LL)

(WHY do i alwasy sound like a ponce when I write tips?)

I second chips. Chips are good.
Also do not wear crocs on beach. People will look askance at you.

Squash everyone into car. Switch on DVD player. Drive to UK beach resort. Wear wetsuits to keep warm or prevent sunburn according to prevailing weather conditions. Eat chips. Sorted

We take it in turns to do the sulking ll
Neither of us is a natural born beach bunny and I burn like crazy so do have to do Tent Time even on British beaches

Oh yes FIS - and those clippit things from Lakeland too - we always take a handful of those

a packet of safety pins - I don't know why/how, but we've used them almost every time we've been on holiday

never used a suntent.

Even if you don't usually use it, a tub of baby powder is brilliant for getting sand off grumpy small children without scrubbing
Sun tent is a brilliant investment - ours has been worth every penny. Get a family sized one and it can be used for a parent to sulk in too
Refill mineral water bottles nightly and freeze. They double as coolblocks and as they thaw you will have cold water to drink

I really like Walrus' advice about gin

NEVER go on holiday ALONE as a family.

never go WITH another family to the same house.

go to the same kind of place btu never try and cater together. you will fall out.

phenegan

brandy from the duty free

leave kids with Granny

take LOADS of food/snacks. A hungry baby/child is awful.