PIL want to take dc on holiday.

[DeleteOrDecay]

To Disneyland Paris to be exact. They are 5 and 2.5.

Dp is fine with it but I've told PIL I need a bit of time to think about it because I'm a bit nervous about dc leaving the country for the first time without us. I also wanted me and dp to be the ones to take them to DLP for the first time, but I can live with that not being the case.

WWYD? I don't know if I'm being over protective or not. If they were taking them somewhere within the U.K. I'd be fine with it but I feel like taking them out of the country without us is a bit much at their ages?

Ive said no to holidays with pil and my mum for ds1 I know he wouldn't cope without me and would worry about him being upset. Ds2 I would likely let go because he's a lot more relaxed with being away from me.

Go with them.

My parents took my oldest DS away for a weeks holiday each school summer holidays from the age of 6 - 10 but in the UK (until they couldn't manage it anymore due to age/health).
They had a fabulous time he loved spending the time with them and getting lots of treats, it helped DH and I have time together and covered a week of the school holidays for us.
I would not have agreed to them going to DLP though, maybe if they were visiting family abroad that would be different.

“Some may call me precious but just what I'd be comfortable with. A weekend at the coast with grandparents would be fine with me - outside the UK, no“

So you’d trust them to look after your children in the sea but not on an airplane? Blimey, some people’s risk assessment is crap!

It would depend on the PILs tbh. If I trusted them wholeheartedly to look after them as I would then I probably would let them, although I might ask them to wait till the youngest one was a bit older. 2.5 is very young.

Do they see your DC a lot, look after them properly, have them to sleep over etc?

Why can you and DP not go too? We recently went to DLP with both DCs and my parents and it was lovely as GPs took the DCs on rides/to see characters and we wandered around and then vice versa.

@BertrandRussell not sure why you're picking on my personal preferences, it's more to do with if anything happens and how I'd get to my children.

That's my risk assessment but right-on for you if your kids can fly to Australia unaccompanied at 3, that's your choice to parent.

A 2.5yr old will get nothing out of that trip.

Well this is what I was thinking, she's quite petite as well, would she even be able to go on anything yet? We took them both to Drayton Manor in the summer and it was great but it was also difficult trying to explain to a 2yo that they can't go on the rides her older sister was going on.

Thanks for all the replies. I have told dp I don't feel entirely comfortable with it and he agreed despite initially saying he'd be ok with it. It would be their first time going abroad and (selfishly or not) that is something we would like to experience with them, same with DLP really.

I do trust PIL, they have dc for the weekend around once every 6 weeks or so and that's usually because they ask to have them. Dc always have a great time with them and we have no concerns about their care whilst they are with PIL.

We are all going on holiday with them later in the year. I'm more than happy for them to take dc somewhere in the country. But something inside me just feels like leaving the country without us, especially for the first time, is just too much. I mean they're still quite little really. There's plenty of time, I was 8 when my GP's took me abroad without my parents for the first time and really enjoyed it and I think it was a good age.

They are retiring soon and I think they are excited. We're going to tell them thanks but no thanks with regards to DLP but they are more than welcome to take them on a uk holiday.

I would let the 5 year go. 2 grandparents to one 5 year old is a good ratio, and 5 is old enough to really enjoy disneyland. The littler one won't remember and will just get really tired really quickly, holding back the other one.

I would 100% let them go. I wouldn't want to stop them having quality time with their grandparents and likewise for the pil. Would you see it differently if it was your own parents? My first holiday abroad was DLP with my grandparents at age 6 and brother aged 4 and it was special. You can always go again when youngest is 5 and experience it again with them? I'm sure your eldest would love to go again and there's so much to do there, it wouldn't be the same.

I wouldn't have a problem with it conceptually, as long as you trust GPs and generally think they give good care. I agree with PPs that I'd worry far more about children at the sea than at DLP.

That said, I think that your DCs are too young for DLP (especially the little one) and I'd suggest that they wait til they're a bit older for that reason. I'd say the optimum age is probably more the 6-9yr range, when they're still young enough to be wowed, but old enough to deal with the long tiring day and to go on the rides etc.

If it's something that you really want to do too, then perhaps suggest to the GPs to put it off for a few years, and then all go together as a big family group. It's quite a long, tiring day, so 4 adults to 2 children is probably a nice ratio.

I wouldn't want my own parents taking them abroad without me either. Not yet anyway.

And I'm not stopping them from having quality time with them. They can take them away on a UK holiday if they so wish.

If you know that they will look after them then let them. Part of being a parent is giving your child opportunities even if you would like to have them too. I’ve missed several of my kids firsts because I put kids needs before my own.

It’s an opportunity to see a new foreign place. Unless you intend to go soon yourself let the kids go and enjoy it.

Plus you can then let PIL pay for the rubbish hype of Disneyland Paris and you guys could go to pay du fois or Efteling instead ;)

I wouldn't have an issue, it's amazing that grandparents want to do something special with the kids so why would you want to deprive them of the experience and the bonding?

Also I'd make the most of the few days peace!!

I think if it were me I’d say it’s a lovely idea, but could we wait a year or two so they will remember the trip, and so the little one will be able to do more.

Perhaps suggest they take them to LEGOLAND in Windsor instead?

Funny you should mention Legoland AllThebest because they have suggested that as an alternative and we're fine with it. Thanks for the suggestion though.