Cancelled holiday, how can I cheer up dc?

[DakCien]

Today we should be on our “summer” holiday. We booked it last year and dc have been looking forward to it since they found out we were going. It’s the only holiday we would have this year due to work commitments, so it really has come as a disappointment that it’s had to be canceled.
Dc all woke up sad this morning and I want to cheer them up. I can’t think of what to do. Anyone have any suggestions? We had to cancel due to a family member having an accident so it can’t be anything too physical that we can do.

I personally wouldn't have cancelled a holiday due to a broken elbow!
My daughter's friend fractured hers during a figure skating competition, had surgery and was given the all clear 2 days later to get back on the ice training!

Allow them to feel disappointed it is disappointing.
But sometimes that's how it is.
To those being nasty to OP
My child badly broke arm a few years back. We had instructions to avoid school and activities until they new the set was stable at our follow up appointment.
School were awful about child missing school. I had a lot of extra pressure and stress from them. Some people really don't understand the difference in types of breaks.
For some mild fractures children can return to school/normal activities straight away but with a bad brake involving surgery it is totally different Situation. A bump can shift the bone before it has started to set resulting in further surgery or life long complications
Just not worth the risk

Yes! It would probably cheer me up. And I'd probably be in less pain than at home because there's new things to see and do!

Aww what a shame! I hope your DD is on the mend now. I would have absolutely made the same decision. They can’t go swimming or even the beach. It would put a dampener on the experience for them and you can always rebook when they are better.

So some ideas are local nature walks, zoo’s, safari parks, cinema etc even going something that’s a little further out and spending a night away (like Harry Potter studios if they would manage and appreciate that)

I’m not sure that’s true. My son dislocated his knee a few weeks before a holiday, the insurance charged us extra to cover anything connected to this when we told them.

because its much much easier to make any adjustments that are needed in your own home.

I was taken on holiday as a child with a broken arm and made the most of it. It was a proper fracture where the bones had to be reset. I was around 9 or 10 years of age. I was happy to be going on holiday. And managed to enjoy it.

OP hasn't said insurance was the issue. She wants alternative ideas for the children.

I broke my ankle a few days before we were going to the Paris Olympics. I was on crutches by there is no way I would have cancelled. We were also going by train.

A bit of resilience never hurt 💪🏻

i’d have still taken the kids and adapted the holiday as much as possible.

I probably would still have enjoyed the holiday at that age. But that's because we went on lots of fairly tame UK holidays and enjoyed mooching about, seeing new places and reading lots of books, pretty much the same as now!

If you got some or all of the money back from the holiday, I'd probably allocate some of it to each child and take them shopping to choose what to spend it on. Not absolutely loads, but more than they'd normally have to spend on themselves in one go which will make it exciting for them. I have fond childhood memories of winning £20 off my dad in a stupid bet (this was quite a lot of money for a primary school child in the 1980s) and getting a special shopping trip to spend it.

I'd go on the holiday, you can get water protection covers for casts.
You don't have to go to the sandy beach, stay by the pool, walks, aquariums, meals out in the evenings. Very happy kids making lovely memories.

Sounds much better than, stress and multiple car journeys and everyone else's kids.

Your daughter will be fine, bring a pillow for her arm to rest on.
Enjoy

Are you a single parent OP?

There’s no mention of their Dad, so wondered if you were taking them on your own? In which case, I understand why you cancelled. But if there was going to be two parents there, then in answer to your question, yes, I’d have gone on holiday! I’m firmly in the suck it up and soldier on camp.

Did you get a refund?

How about offering the kids a chunk of money to splurge on whatever they want?

What adjustments?

Yes, I'd def have still gone on the holiday!
We have plenty of kids in (high) school recovering from various accidents and injuries, casts, crutches, braces on, injecting insulin, taking meds, they just get on with it! Kids are resilient.
I'd have enjoyed special 1-1 time with my parent while my siblings were off doing the physical stuff if it were me.

Yes. I would.

I once badly broke my right arm while on a long weekend trip to Paris. I still flew home a couple of days after the surgery although healing had barely started by then. It was fine.

It's all good and well people saying they'd have gone ahead with the holiday if it was their child, but it isn't their child, is it? We can all say we'd do XYZ until we're in that position with a young child who's just undergone surgery and is presumably in pain

Not much in the way of adjustments needed.

Most definitely would have gone. Dd might not be able to do everything, but maybe you could have treated her in another way. Shopping? Nice cafe just you and her?

@DakCien has made the decision to move the holiday, knowing all the facts about where they’re going, activities planned, what other adults are there and the extent of the injury and child’s personality in coping with being left out . She’s not asking whether we think she’s right to do this!!!
She‘s asking for ideas to cheer up her kids.

dear @DakCien - I think kids love holidays partly because they have time with their parents, different routine, fun food, more treats in terms of food. Personally I would try and do as many things together as you can and really “be” with them. Even if it’s playing quizzes with them in the house/ (YouTube has fantastic quizzes) , going for ice cream, eating at places you wouldn’t usually, picnics, cinema. Ask them something they have always wanted to do and maybe if feasible do it.

You can also still look forward to your holiday as it’s still to come, and that’s also a great part of a holiday!!

Absolutely 100% yes. I'd have done it myself and I would have done it with my children.

No reason at all to cancel the holiday. Is there any chance you could still go?

Hell yes! They'd still have a great time! Far better than moping at home about not having a holiday this year!

Zoo or sealife centre?

Is allowing dd to be the one who chooses what everyone does for dinner the best idea? Given that her siblings may already be peeved about losing their holiday? Couldn't you do a best consensus?

Of course!