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Original poster

Need a bit of a hand hold please, feeling low just left holiday early…

33 replies

indigopoodle · 28/08/2025 15:13

We've Just got back from a very short and not so sweet holiday to northern France with the kids.
I have to say I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it anyway because of DC1 aged 5’s behaviour during the summer hols, he’s just been really difficult and DH and I both agreed it was going to be tough going.
I have been feeling pretty low for a good few months now as well, mostly due to life stresses of dealing with 2 young kids plus working (DC2 is 2), but also because I suffer with depression and anxiety anyway and currently seem to be experiencing a low in general; which also means I struggle with sleep more.

So we headed off on our holiday and made our way to the campsite. Our plot was situated directly next to the swimming pool and entertainment stage, you couldn’t get any closer than that. The water slides looked over our decking area so we had groups of kids queuing up the stairs looking over us. The pool closed at 8 and the evening entertainment went on until gone 11pm which we discovered the first night. We spoke to people who were situated further down the campsite and they said that they could still hear the music loudly and they adjusted their children’s bedtime. We tried to do this on the second night by keeping them up late but of course they got up usual time the next day and then became difficult mid afternoon through being so tired. The pool was pretty cold, it wasn’t very warm and the weather was turning bad so we decided to leave 2 days early.

I feel so bitterly disappointed by this whole situation, I’m angry with myself for not being able to relax more and go with it. But we are so run ragged after a day with the kids that our quiet evening chatting and having a drink is like total therapy. When we realised we couldn’t have a quiet evening it all just went downhill and felt like the total opposite of a holiday. What a waste of money…

OP posts:
LimeBasilandManderin · 28/08/2025 15:22

I don’t know how these things work, but couldn’t you have asked for a different plot? Did you not research/read any reviews about the site ?

madnessitellyou · 28/08/2025 15:25

I agree - could you not have asked to move?

Original poster
indigopoodle · 28/08/2025 15:27

We would’ve had to pack everything up and unpack again which felt like a lot of effort given the people we spoke to further away could still hear the loud music in the evening. Also the weather was turning so it felt like it just wasn’t worth it.

OP posts:
PlanetSaturn · 28/08/2025 15:30

I’m really sorry OP that you had such a difficult time. Holidays with young children can be hard - all the same ‘work’ as at home but without the convenience of being around all their own things. Chalk it up to experience and try not to dwell on the disappointment.

Can you get a babysitter and have that relaxing evening out now you’re back home? And maybe see the GP about your anxiety/low mood.

ChopsyHatesFungus · 28/08/2025 15:59

Ugh, camping. Say no more! I’m not surprised it was awful. 😳

We always booked holiday cottages when DS was younger and I’d probably consider Airbnb these days too. You can still eat out and do minimal cooking and it gives you plenty of flexibility.

Adult DS booked a fab Airbnb in Scandinavia recently and we stayed in a comfy hotel nearby. The flat he rented had plenty of toys for the toddler so she viewed it as a home from home and it was near to a lovely park and playground.

wuminty · 28/08/2025 16:03

TBH some kids are just not compatible with "change of scene/bed/routine/food" holiday breaks. You know now that this type of break is not good for you or them so I'd stick with days out next time. Kids really just want your love and attention and don't really care (or remember) where they are brought as long as there's enough for them to do and run off their energy.

Don't dwell on this break and make it more simple for all of you next time. The kids won't care and neither will you if whatever alternative you choose is relatively stress free for you and DH.

OrangeZebraStripes · 28/08/2025 16:04

I started to read this post thinking it was going to end in some kind of personal tragedy! I'm not remotely dismissing how completely frustrating and disappointing this would be and am sure there will be many people who can empathise and give you kind words in relation to a similar experience of a disappointing holiday. Hopefully this will help you with looking at it more objectively - what perhaps you would look for next time. That in itself is really important to do as it helps with feeling more in control. Is there any space to look ahead at the next few months and where you can carve out activities to boost your mood too?

nonperfectparentsplease · 28/08/2025 16:05

I wouldn’t even attempt camping - similarly aged children and it just wouldn’t work, so you did great trying it I think.

PosiePetal · 28/08/2025 16:08

All you can do is chalk it up to experience and learn from it. Camping for me is only fun in great weather. We always let the kids stay up really late on holiday and would take them with us to the bar in the evening.

Maybe just try something different next time.

VenusClapTrap · 28/08/2025 16:10

All you can do is chalk it up to experience really. Holidays with little kids can be a bit crap. It does get better.

Friendlygingercat · 28/08/2025 16:10

I can never understand taking really young children on holiday abroad. They are too young to really appreciate it and probably wont remember it. Why not leave them with someone and go with your partner if you want a rest?

doodleschnoodle · 28/08/2025 16:13

Was it tent camping or chalet style camping site like Eurocamp?

But yes we just don’t bother with bedtimes so much on holiday, kids are often up much later, we might do the odd early night if they are knackered but otherwise we just go with the flow. I think if you expected it to be your home routine in a totally different environment it was probably not going to work out as you planned.

We love Eurocamp styles places but we would murder each other if we were in a tent! We only do the chalet style ones.

Justtryingthis · 28/08/2025 16:14

OP we can only just laugh now about a similarly hellish French holiday camp experience in 2012!
It WILL get easier as they get older.. we went on to have many many happy holidays with the kids… until the teenage years started 😆
Chalk it down to experience. Perhaps change the type of holiday. We were always dead set against an AI holiday. Until we went to a Holiday Village in Cyprus a couple of years later. We all had such a fantastic time, to the point I actually cried getting on the coach to go home.
Worth looking at.

Gymnopediegivesmethewillies · 28/08/2025 16:21

Holidays with young children can really amplify stresses and when you can only afford one holiday a year and it’s a let down, or you come home more exhausted than before you left it can be really deflating. I think you probably should have asked to move after the first night, even if it was a faff. At least you wouldn’t have been so overlooked.

What sort of holiday would you have enjoyed? Until ours were old enough to appreciate hotels we stuck to Center Parcs and villas and even cruises were a huge hit until they hit around secondary school age and became self conscious.

Millionsofmonkeys · 28/08/2025 16:27

When our kids were young we used to go every year to Anglesey to a caravan park and have the same caravan. This worked really well for our (neurodivergent) kids. It was both a holiday and familiar. As they got older we stayed in a few holiday houses on the island and began going to more exotic destinations, but they remember those Anglesey holidays with such fondness now they are young adults. Anglesey remains one of their favourite places on earth.

ginasevern · 28/08/2025 16:28

So sorry OP. I hope all your future holidays are everything you hoped for.

Pinana · 28/08/2025 16:30

As others have said, chalk it up to experience and try and learn from it. We camp every year and I think it can be a great holiday with kids. However, we never go to campsites with 'entertainment', and much prefer quiet sites that don't allow music, don't tend have a pool, etc, because we prefer peace in the evenings. It's much easier to give your kids a calmer bedtime routine in these circumstances (although my two have always been night owls, and enjoy a lie in if they've had a late night, so personally we've sacrificed adult evenings but get a quiet childfree cuppa in the mornings instead! All depends on your kids).

Hopefully you can have a nice evening out, or similar, soon, to allow you to feel like you've at least had a short 'break', even if it wasn't the holiday you'd planned.

nonperfectparentsplease · 28/08/2025 16:31

Friendlygingercat · 28/08/2025 16:10

I can never understand taking really young children on holiday abroad. They are too young to really appreciate it and probably wont remember it. Why not leave them with someone and go with your partner if you want a rest?

Yeah; we all have people willing to have our children for a week, silly OP for not remembering that Hmm

BuzzYourGirlfriendWooof · 28/08/2025 16:33

Ah OP, that sounds shit for you and I would have left too. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve stayed in hotels with the children where our room was right above the entertainment area (I.e. I don’t necessarily think camping was the problem). Same situation….kids up until 11, but still getting up at the absolute crack. 11 hours of parenting on my own each day (I usually take DC away for a solo trip each year as I have the summer off work) in the heat was SO hard.

I don’t love holidays as we all seem to sleep so much worse. It’s easier being at home TBH and not subjected to other people’s noise.

Original poster
indigopoodle · 28/08/2025 16:33

Yes it was a eurocamp not a tent luckily.
Will chalk it up to experience and research a bit better next time that’s for sure.

OP posts:
citygirl77 · 28/08/2025 16:34

We put too much expectations on holidays. I am sorry you had a stressful time. At least you didn’t pay several thousand for an All Inclusive and have a dreadful time. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Things will get easier when they are older.

Careeringallovertheplace · 28/08/2025 16:36

We had a rough holiday this year with a 5 and 2 yr old. I got over it by:

  • Searching for similar experiences on mumsnet (the general vibe was 'it gets easier every year')
  • Trying to figure out where it went wrong and how to avoid it next year
  • Starting to research where we'll go next time :)

Sounds like you could also do with some support for how you've been feeling.

Also maybe some support for your 5yo's behaviour - no idea what level of behaviour youre dealing with, but could be good to start with 'how to talk so kids will listen' or similar.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon

WingBingo · 28/08/2025 16:37

I’m currently in Tenerife with DS 11&10. You’d think they’d be having a ball but DS has been floored by an ear infection and can’t go in the water.

we are having to take turns taking out DS11 to snorkel. At least he is having fun. When he’s not fighting with his brother.

Parenting isn’t any easier when on holiday.

crackofdoom · 28/08/2025 16:41

ChopsyHatesFungus · 28/08/2025 15:59

Ugh, camping. Say no more! I’m not surprised it was awful. 😳

We always booked holiday cottages when DS was younger and I’d probably consider Airbnb these days too. You can still eat out and do minimal cooking and it gives you plenty of flexibility.

Adult DS booked a fab Airbnb in Scandinavia recently and we stayed in a comfy hotel nearby. The flat he rented had plenty of toys for the toddler so she viewed it as a home from home and it was near to a lovely park and playground.

Quite right. Have you tried not being so poor OP?

doodleschnoodle · 28/08/2025 16:52

Ah that’s a shame, we love Eurocamp but perhaps this time it just wasn’t meant to be! If you’re feeling low then sometimes holidays can make things worse I think as they pull you out of routine and going with the flow is harder when you are feeling more delicate.

Not all sites are equal too. We were at Domaine des Ormes in Brittany with my 6yo and 3yo this summer and they absolutely loved it but there was so much for them to do and they spent hours in the pools and did the mini discos in the evenings and stuff. Even just going to the play park like we would at home was more exciting there! Some sites have a lot less going on though.