do you put your children in kids clubs while on hols?

[goodbyemrschips]

As in the title ''do you put your kids in kids clubs while on hols, if yes why and if no why?

Some of you are being a wee bit sanctimonious going on about spending precious quality time as a family whilst on yer hols! You can let your child/ren enjoy a couple of hours making friends and doing fun stuff AND then spend the rest of the day searching for pebbles, gazing into rock pools and eating fish and chips!

Dcs asked to go on last holiday. It was only for an hour. They enjoyed the activities and being with other children.

I'd never make them go and I certainly wouldn't rely on them going

no never would, holidays are family time

hiding this thread now

Yes, we have used them.
In fact, dd has been dragged kicking and screaming grommets kid's club so we could spend time with her. She is 10, and an only child who loves the company of other children.
Once or twice she hasn't enjoyed the particular club at a resort, so hasn't been more than once.
Usually she loves it, especially in very hot weather when she can have fun with other children indoors where it is cooler.

Last year in the Dominican Republic we hardly saw her. She made friends with loads of American children and took part in activities most days, archery, drama, body boarding etc. Some nights she shunned us to eat with her friends in the restaurant or go for ice cream on the complex.

She was happy and enjoying herself, and is still in touch via email with the friends she made.

Not sure what's so shockingly poor about it

Grommets? Ffs.
from the kid's club

I must tell her she is neglecting her daughterly duties and impress on her the importance of family time

And there was I thinking holidays were a time to relax and enjoy doing whatever pleased you. Will enforce family time next year

Only for one session for the spa or some craft thing at CP - otherwise not.

We have never been to a resort type hotel abroad and am not sure that I would be happy with the lack of ofstedness iyswim.

If we went somwhere that had them and the dcs were really keen then fine for a couple of sessions.

It is one of the very few things I am judgeypants about though - one of my good friends goes skiing and puts the dc in the creche all day and I think its a bit mean especially as they are at ft nursery anyway - I would leave mine with gps instead in that case or go on a more childcentred holiday.

Arf at "lack of ofstedness"

i have never used them as DS is only 2yo, but i would definetly use them from what i've seen they are only a cple of hours per day to paint/do activities etc, so you still see your kids the other 9-10 hours in the day.
holiday with a young child is exhausting like someone said before you have to sit like a hawk at the edge of the pool to make sure they don't fall in etc.

also helps the kids to make friends while away so other friends to run around disco with at night etc.

I don't think it is sanctimonious to say that I want holidays to be family time. My children have lots of opportunites to make friends and do all sorts of activities in their day to day life. For me one of the special things about holiday is that we are all together all the time. I love thinking of fun things for us to do and I enjoy their company. Having said that, I also enjoy the evenings when the children are in bed and I can have a glass of wine and some quality time with my Husband.

lofty - dont think there was any need for a you know exactly what I mean about the lack of regs sometimes abroad.

No, mainly because we've never been on holiday

Though I think if we were too they might go if they wanted to.

Yes - my DS LOVES holiday clubs - we have plenty of 'family time' all the time - DH works from home, I am a SAHM, as an only child DS loves to meet other children and get involved in all sorts of different activities.

No, but we've not been on holiday yet. I would if DD wanted to.

One of my friends told me how her DS had been invited by his dad's family to go on a sailing holiday. He was a toddler and wouldn't be allowed on the boat so effectively couldn't spend any time at all with the family but could go to the kids club from waking up until bed time?! She said no.

Then they go on other holidays that would be fine for him to go to and doesn't get invited.

Fimbo - you don't have weird DC, I'm sure. I think some DC are accustomed to, and enjoy, spending a lot of time in group settings being organised by adults, and other DC (while perfectly sociable) prefer free play. My DD is definitely in the latter group - her tolerance for very large children's parties with entertainers is low (though she adores the sort of party where there are a few special friends and low key activities/free play).

No because we always holiday in a villa with own pool if abroad...i couldnt say if we would ever use them ...would judge each situation when it arose, but I dont think so....

If they want to, yes. Last year in Greece they opted in for most of the week but whenever they wanted out, out they came, but they were 11 and 13 then.

But, when we've been skiing in the good ole rich not-so-tight days, we've explained that childcare of some kind would happen in the mornings: either ski lessons or nursery (when they were younger). You can't ski with a non-skiing or not very good skier child if you are serious about getting some pistes under your belt.

We try and choose somewhere where the kids club is included and relaxed enough not to need pre-booking, etc, etc - because then the DC can choose when/if they go. Yes we want to spend time with them, but sometimes they don't actually want to spend that much time with us .

They spend quite a lot of time in holiday clubs when DH and I are working, so if told they had to go to kids clubs when on holiday they would resist - but that isn't how it is at all - they can go if they want to, and sometimes they do and sometimes they don't

Yes I have.

Last year we went to a hotel with a fantastic kids club that did things like mini disco and teddy bears picnics.

We were there for two weeks, during which time DS attended about 4 sessions - two on a very stormy day when it was hard to get out and it kept him occupied, the teddy bears picnic and the sports day activities.

The rest of the time we did lots of things as a family, but he really enjoyed that extra bit of variety and the friends he made at the kids club he played with on the beach / playground.

Not our cup of tea at all, so no.

Though when the staff at a hotel we stayed in organised an impromptu beach volley ball game, I was happy for DC to join in.

Yes, because she loves them & the decision has always been hers not our - we do check them out very thoroughly though are they run by the Holiday Co, & to Britishs regs etc etc - even more so after a nightmare situation at a Thomsons Hotel in Cape Verde (horrendous place all round)

First day there, we passed the club on the walk back to our room to pick something up, DD wanted to go in, & as it saved her the walk, we left her there for 20 minutes....came back to get her - no-one there at all, nobody had bothered to tell us they had moved to the stage area, thankfully another Mum spotted us & told us thats where they might be.....we got there to see staff & other kids - but no DD - thankfully another Woman had found DD & another younger Child by the pool & brought them back - turned out the younger girl kept wandering off, DD was worried fr her & followed & tried to bring her back NONE of the staff had even noticed they were missing - the other Girl had also attacked DD & gouged big scrapes of skin off hr stomach with her nails, because DD had tried to bring her back poor DD was sore all week - Thompsons weren't in the least bit interested - that was when poor Maddeline Maccann was still fresh in the news

That said we've also experienced some really lovely ones, but it pays to spend a bit of time hanging around & watching how they are & ask plenty of questions

My kids would be mortified if they thought we had booked a holiday and they had to spend the entire time with me and oh.

The first thing they do when we get there is make sure their names are down and grab their free t.shirt and sunhat (I make sure to remind them at least 10 times before we get to the club to make sure they get their free t shirt.)

If they do not want to go for some reason we certainly don't force them. We just make they lay on a sunbed all day without moving so they will want to go tomorrow. Nah I am only joking .

Mine are 10 and 14 so if they ask to go we let them but we have never put them in to the kids clubs.

They are happy in the pool on the beach or seeing the sights with us

DS1 went a couple of times last year (Thomsons) but thats because he specifically asked to go.

I haven't had a holiday since DD was born, she's 21 months old (having said that, DH and I have only had one holiday in the 6 years that we've been together and that was our honeymoon!) .

But I think I would leave it up to DD to decide if she wanted to go to a holiday club or not if we went to a resort that had one. She is an only child and will likely stay that way so she may want the opportunity to play with other children. Alternatively she may prefer to be just with us. My Mum was an only child and was incredibly lonely on her holidays with her parents, she would have loved to meet other kids and play.

So it will definitely be DD's choice when the time comes.