Are children missing out if they’ve been abroad?

[Shopperami]

Are children missing out if they’ve never been abroad?

No, of course not, but on MN it's akin to child abuse. So is bringing up kids in a flat with no garden. Bollocks.

Where have all those people who seem to think package holiday = all inclusive been for the last 20 years? This has not been the case at all since the internet and low cost airlines were invented.

Nor does having all your food and drink included in the price you pay at booking prevent you from spending your holiday visiting museums and other cultural attractions.

A package holiday is simply a way of booking your accommodation, flight and transfer all in one go and can include any sort of accommodation in any sort of area from city apartment to villa in the middle of nowhere to all inclusive mega resort. The last package holiday we took was in a boutique B&B on a very quiet island that doesn't have any AI hotels or an airport. We also saved quite a lot of money and hassle by handing over arrangement of the transfer to the travel agent.

Conversely, you could book everything seperately yourself and stay in an AI hotel in Benidorm, Magaluf or anywhere else that no self respecting Mumsnetter would ever admit going to.

Travelling can also help children grow up to feel more connected to the world out there. You’re more likely to care about the things going on out there if you feel connected to the world rather than thinking it’s nothing to do with you.

Beach holidays (particularly in Europe) tend to offer very little by way of cultural experiences

More bollocks. Have you never been to Barcelona, Malaga, Palma, Lanzarote, Greek Islands or any other the other places that have cultural sites and beaches?

I don’t think so, and I speak as someone who has taken my children abroad several times a year since they were very small. We have done loads of European cities, plus activity holidays in lakes and mountains, beach type holidays, and visited many places of interest. We have never stayed in resorts, other than ski resorts, which we can also travel out from, and once on a Neilson activity holiday.

We haven’t visited all parts of the UK, although we do like to have holidays and breaks here too. There are so many wonderful and diverse places within the British Isles, and such a range of activities and landscapes.

I feel sorrier for children who have only ever been to all inclusive resorts, with pools and entertainment than I do for kids who’ve explored beaches, forests, rivers and mountains here, with their families.

It's shocking how many MNers just hate Britain. Your own country but it's not a proper holiday if you're in the UK and your kids are missing out and will not learn anything about culture and what not, so sneery and judgemental. But if you got on an AI holiday abroad it 'doesn't count'. You can't win on MN.

@BogglesGoggles i've done beach holidays in Greece and Turkey and Spain where I've explored the whole region, archaeology sites, temples, churches, museums. Did a first choice holiday to Rhodes last year, a typical package holiday with water slides etc, where we spent a lot of time in Rhodes Town, UNESCO heritage site with the oldest medieval Street in Europe, nights Palace galleries etc.
It's utter bollocks to say there's no culture on a package, beach or all inclusive holiday. It's up to an individual what they do on holiday. You could go to the most cultural city in the world and sit in the hotel bar all week. Or you can use an all inclusive hotel as a great base to exore the area, yes even if there's a beach!
Nothing wrong with lying on the beach anyway! But I do wish people wouldn't be so snooty about what they perceive as holidays with low cultural value. Often people who say this are not well travelled.

I think 'I dont think a beach holiday in Europe counts as going abroad per se' is one of the most hilariously snobby, ridiculous things I've ever read on MN. And that's one hell of a competition.

Going abroad just means going to another country lovely. You dont need to fuck someone from an indigenous tribe, bathe naked in a river and go to 7,372 museums for it to 'count'.

@holliwvictory then that’s not a beach holiday. Beach holiday means spending your holiday mostly by the beach maybe with one or two day trips somewhere interest. I just took what OP says at face value.

Shockers do you acy know any families who don't take their children to beaches, forests etc in the UK but who only take them on holidays abroad?
Thought not. Most UK families who go abroad will also explore Britain. Enjoying a holiday in Scotland or Cornwall doesn't stop my children from enjoying a city break in New York or going to a beach in the Indian ocean. These things are not mutually exclusive

So no point to an all inclusive beach holiday then? As they could be anywhere

If all you’re going to do is sit in the hotel then possibly not. But it’s entirely possible to see at least part of the country you’re in with an AI as a base.

@mississipilessly I just meant in the sense of it being something to miss out on. Does it make any difference whether the beach is in Spain or in Cornwall?

Charles11, 'more likely to care about the things going on out there' whilst simultaneously significantly contributing to one of the biggest things going on out there - climate change!

I like holidays in Britain very much and go for short breaks and days out many times a year.

But unfortunately I also like reliable sunny weather and participate in a very weather dependent activity on holiday. Later this year, we're actually going on a proper week's holiday in the UK to do this activity but if the weather is unfavourable, it will be literally £1000 per person down the drain. As it happens it is cheaper to do it abroad and almost zero risk of the weather stopping play.

You could sit in a cottage in Cornwall or an apartment in Vienna and it could be anywhere if you don't go out and about. The same argu applies to anywhere else as it does to all inclusive or beach holidays.

I can't afford to take the children on holiday and I feel they're missing out. We've been abroad once, to visit friends, and I'm glad of that as I'm really glad they know they've been out of the country at least once.

(So fed up with being skint).

Nope. Didn't go overseas until I was 18 as my family was not well off. Since then I have travelled extensively in Asia, the Americas, Australia, the Middle East etc as an adult.

It's nice to do as a child but not essential. As ever, the most important things for a child are to be loved, supported and to have interested and engaged parent(s)

Hollowvictory, yes I do, sadly. I work in a referral school where a great percentage of our children rarely leave the house at weekends, but have an annual holiday to Spain, in all inclusive hotels. They come back tanned, talking about the pool and the ice creams, but little else because they don’t leave the hotel. It does happen, just not on mn.

My post was rather more balanced than you suggest, I thought; I don’t think children miss out by not going abroad, but I also believe that most do get something from travelling. As I said, we travel abroad several times a year as a family.

@Shockers, Who cares if they didn't leave the hotel? They had a fun holiday . Nothing wrong with that. Why is that a bad thing? Especially if they don't go out much at home. Even more valuable to them.
I didn't go much abroad as a child but I can't stand this notion that some holidays are more worthy than others.

So no point to an all inclusive beach holiday then? As they could be anywhere?

But they would still get to experience flight and other languages and culture even if staying at all inclusive.

I took dd1 to Egypt on all inclusive and we went to the pyramids and Cairo museum.

We’ve been all over the world with dd2/3.

Even if it’s to Spain (our fave family place is Menorca) you get to experience go in the warm Mediterranean sea, the land scape, the different kinds of food.

If you can afford it go.

I have a friend who refuses to go abroad with her kids - even though her husband wants to. She prefers driving 6 hours to the other end of the country to camp in hit and miss weather.

shockers why would you care though? I bet they had a brilliant time. It’s not like jail you know.

Some times you just need to flop by a pool in hot weather and watch the kids have a blast - eating icecreams and playing in the pool. Then some cheesy entertainment at the night time

Brilliant!

yes I do, sadly. I work in a referral school where a great percentage of our children rarely leave the house at weekends, but have an annual holiday to Spain, in all inclusive hotels. They come back tanned, talking about the pool and the ice creams, but little else because they don’t leave the hotel. It does happen, just not on mn

Why do you feel sad about that?

Hollowvictory, I’m not sure why you’re picking at my posts, but here’s why. This is my own opinion (which was what was asked for in the OP)- you are entitled to yours also.

Exploring the outdoors and environment is more beneficial (as an educator and observer of child development) than watching your parents get half cut every evening and sing karaoke. Yes, both are fun, but balance is beneficial in everything.

We have never stayed in resorts, other than ski resorts, which we can also travel out from, and once on a Neilson activity holiday

Ah that’s why. Your a resort snob. I’ve done apartments, villas and posh hotels and my kids love resorts hands down.

Don’t feel sorry for people that go to resorts - they have a blast! Jesus Christ! 😂😂😂

You don’t think children who don’t know their own environment and spend all weekends and holidays (except one) cooped up is sad, Downthecanal?

You would if you worked where I do. These kids can’t take risks at all; their lack of experience cripples them socially and emotionally.