Children up late on holiday

[holidayfeverz]

Another holiday question from me today - I'm a bit excited! Travelling to Spain with 14 month old for our first holiday next week.

I'm planning on sticking to our usual nap and bedtimes but would you ever push these on holiday? In Spain a lot of babies and young children eat out with their parents in the evenings. How to they manage it without the DC bring really tired?

We are staying near a beautiful old town where we could have meals out. Would you ever keep your 1 year old up later than usual for a special meal or not?

Mine stayed up later.they often fell asleep in the pushchair (or at the table!) so sometimes we took them in PJs or something they could sleep in.

I live in Spain most locals only go to restaurants at 9 or 10. But many open earlier in tourist areas as Brits tend to eat earlier. Kids tend to eat with the adults it's quite ok to l find young ones asleep in a pushchair.
There really aren't rules. Do what feels right. And enjoy your holiday

Nope, it’s never worth keeping the kids up past their bedtime. Would pay for it the next day!
I would try and get them to sleep in the pushchair and then go out for dinner

Also siesta is a real thing. Big lunch and a nap. That's why Spanish folk can party all night

I always had relaxed holiday bedtimes but encouraged naps.

Agree, let them stay up late, or fall asleep in buggy. Don't deprive yourself of nice evenings out and Spanish families and restaurants much more baby friendly. Your baby will be admired and fussed over.

We took our 16 month old DD to Mallorca and she reverted to 2 naps a day while we were there. It worked really well because she would nap around 10-11ish then again from 4-5 which meant she wasn't grumpy in the evenings and stayed up to watch some of the entertainment and play with big brother on the playground.

We used to like to all eat together and would take the pushchair for the smallest to sleep in. It's hot during the day so they would have a nap then .

I would take a Snuz black out shade to put over the buggy. That way if you are out and about at least they are asleep in the dark.

Just got back from Majorca & just let my 18 month old fall asleep in the pram whilst we were out for the evening. The routine went out the window straight away! Have fun

I second the second the snuz shade though- great for daytime naps round the pool!

They manage it because they have longer naps in the day. My Spanish relatives (including children) rarely have dinner before 10pm.

I find it's easy to adjust when you are there, but hard to get back into a routine when you are home.

Long midday naps, stay up late in the evening. My young kids have no set bedtime on holiday unless they're clearly incredibly tired then we'll change our plans accordingly so we can be back at the hotel/house for them to go to sleep.

Personally, no, we keep to bedtime.
Even in Spain, and half the family is Spanish! Bedtime is bedtime and both the English and Spanish sides of the family are in agreement.

We tried to stick to our routine in Spain with DD then 18 months but just found it stressful (places not open for dinner before 8 didn't help.)
Once we threw the routine out the window we all had a better holiday! She just fell asleep in the buggy usually on the way back to the hotel.

When they were little we stuck to the routine and had lovely long lunches as our main meal of the day while the dc had their two hour lunchtime naps. Normal bedtime at 7pm then Dh and I would have a nice bottle of wine and a snack in the apartment/villa on the balcony/patio. It worked better for us to keep things as normal as possible.

When they were older, we gave them a little snack mid afternoon and then all ate dinner at 6 or 7. Granted a lot of places don’t open till later in Spain, but there’s usually somewhere. And I’m not personally a fan of eating at ten o’clock at night anyway.

Whatever you do, don't leave your baby in a hotel room whilst you dine out in the evening.... they're usually fine napping in the buggy beside you if you eat.

@HarrisMcCoo

Whatever you do, don't leave your baby in a hotel room whilst you dine out in the evening.... they're usually fine napping in the buggy beside you if you eat.

Careful....

We stuck loosely to routine as much as we could but didn't stress the odd occasion it went out the window, just readjusted the following day to get back into a pattern.

With one child definitely, everything is steady with one. We have travelled loads with our kids and lived abroad. I will say though that mine do not do the whole catch up and sleep in thing no matter what, drives me mad when ppl say just put them to bed later and they wake up later, nope, they never did and now they are older they still don't 😒

*is easy

We adopt the local practice of siesta when in Spain. So napping and quiet activity for all of us during hottest hours from 2-5pm, followed by late afternoon swim, dinner, and then visit to a playground (while digesting), then children in bed, happily sleeping usually by 10pm. Then me and DP have a quiet glass of wine and chat on room patio or balcony before we go to bed.

No did not keep usual bed and naptimes. Holidays are meant to be special and memorable.

I think it depends a bit on the child. My eldest would never sleep in the buggy and really needed to keep to his routine. My youngest was much more chilled and we would go out and he’d go to sleep in a buggy and be fine. So I’d okay it by ear and go with whatever gives you the best holiday!

We didn't usually do this, we would tend to eat out at lunchtime and then have a simple supper (bread, nice cheese, cold meats etc) back in the villa and put the DC to bed at the normal time.

Thanks everyone. @maddy68 I wasn't really meaning if there are rules in Spain! Just about how people with proper routines manage. We had our baby in lockdown and now aged 14 months it's only ever been very structured and routine-like - because we have had nothing else to do!