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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you go on holiday during the school holidays(and if so where?)

49 replies

Cuddler · 29/06/2012 15:07

My 3 children ages 4,3 and 2 are all starting reception and pre school in September.

Until now we have just gone on holiday whenever we fancy it(eldest never went to pre school and im sahm),dh runs his own business so as long as hes not busy then we just book and go whenever-taking advantage of the fact holidays are half the price in term time!

I have been looking online at our usual destinations,including places in this country and im shocked at how much more expensive it is.

Do you take your kids out in term time?or do you pay the extra and go during the holidays?

Also has anyone got any ideas of places to go during the holidays which are under 1k?even centre parcs was over£1200 for 4 nights in october,it was only £400 the weeks either side of that,it all feels like a huge con!

OP posts:
dinkystinky · 29/06/2012 15:09

Yes - we always go during school holidays since DS1 started preschool 3 years ago. We try to book well in advance (just booked our October half term holiday flights) to get good flights and accomodation - in october we're going to Portugal but have previously been to Tenerife and Lanzarote then. If you book well in advance going abroad is often cheaper than staying in the UK..

ginmakesitallok · 29/06/2012 15:11

Only 3 more sleeps until we go to Bulgaria (hurray!!!!) We usually visit friends in Spain, or in N Ireland - this is our first family beach holiday

Original poster
Cuddler · 29/06/2012 15:13

I would like to take them abroad but so far the only family holiday we went on abroad wasnt that succesful,we went to Fuerteventura (which was probably our first mistake!but it was november and the canary islands were the only places nearby that would still have decent weather)and it was a bit benidormy,if that makes sense,and i also felt like everyone was looking at us because we had 3 small children under 3.Maybe it was me being paranoid though.Where is child friendly but also still has a bit of culture?

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 29/06/2012 15:15

I am one of those dreadful people who will take DS out of school for holidays....not for much longer though as only another year and he will be going up to secondary school so we wont take him out then.

we go to Turkey or Spain usually although went to the Dominican last year.

Gumby · 29/06/2012 15:15

We go self catering in this country in the holidays
You can get a cottage from about £400-£500 in Wales for example depending on how many bedrooms you want

Gumby · 29/06/2012 15:16

We use www.cootages4you.co.uk

Mumsnet also offers a discount Grin

Gumby · 29/06/2012 15:18

www.cottages4you.co.uk/

fluffyanimal · 29/06/2012 15:18

We also only ever do self-catering in this country. We are not bothered about constant sun and beaches, there are always nice places to explore and things to do. This year we are going to Northumberland; last year we went to North Yorks coast; the year before Somerset and the year before that Norfolk. I'd do them all again. Somerset cost us more than £1k but only because we went for a fortnight.

bitofcheese · 29/06/2012 15:19

betty - out of interest, if your kid(s) get a suntan, how do you explain that to the school if they were to ask? do you phone in and say your child is ill? dds school is really strict about taking time off during term time. we have a thing coming up that i would LOVE for dd to have gone to in denmark but i don't have it in me to phone in and say she was ill when she wasn't plus taking her out of the country is risky ie what if there was an airport strike etc etc. just curious

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 29/06/2012 15:23

No I dont lie...I fill in a holiday form :) Our school allow 10 days per year. Actually, I have phoned in sick once and that was when we went to Tenerife....we went on the friday before half term so he just missed that one day.

We were in Tenerife in 2010 when the volcanic ash situation happened.....actually, that was easter so technically he shouldnt have missed any school but 7 nights turned in 18!!! Obviously out of our control though so school were fine about it :)

bitofcheese · 29/06/2012 16:29

you are so lucky, dd's school won't let you take ANY time off in term time unless 'serious' reasons ie death in the family (v close member), etc. if i had gone to dh (lied) and then an airport strike etc i would have freaked, good things always seem to happen when she can't take time out. dd's school is obsessed with ofsted & reports etc (although they do fuck all re nits & stealing...)

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 29/06/2012 16:44

I don't feel we pay extra, we just pay what it costs to go away in peak season because that is when we are all available to go.

I wouldn't take my dc out of school to get a discounted holiday, I'd just save up and go once every two years instead.

AngryFeet · 29/06/2012 16:48

We aren't allowed to take any time off for holidays in term time at DCs school. We haven't been able to afford anything but camping since we had kids so we do that every holiday for a few days. This year we are camping for a week at the start of the hols then going to the Isle of Wight for a week in August. Sharing a big house with my parents so it doesn't end up being too expensive. To be honest while my kids are young (they are 7 and 5) and still not bothered about where we go I begrudge spending £2-4k on two weeks so we just stay in the UK. I don't care where we go as long as we are away tbh.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 29/06/2012 16:54

Kids dont care..my ds has been to load of places (my fault, I love going abroad), he's been to the caribbean for 2 weeks and still his favourite holiday ever was a week at Butlins with his friend......

Yes am very lucky regarding school, will just have to be more organised when he is at seniors.

Vagaceratops · 29/06/2012 16:59

We are renting a cottage in Northumberland for a week. Not as expensive as Cornwall but just as beautiful.

LindyHemming · 29/06/2012 17:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fluffy1234 · 29/06/2012 17:11

We only go on holiday in school holiday time. We go on a long haul holiday ar Easter or Feb half term and a Med holiday in the summer, usually cruising. The key to not being ripped of too much is to book early.

GnomeDePlume · 29/06/2012 17:18

We have never taken our 3 DCs out of school for holidays. This is our last year of taking all 3 as DD1 will be 17 nearly 18 next year so will stay home to look after the cat.

When DCs were small we camped in France. Now they are much, much bigger (and we are much, much older) we still stay on campsites in France but now stay in mobile homes or chalets. We always drive, it is just so much easier than flying. We never holiday in Britain (too many horrific childhood memories!)

To get this year's August holiday I booked last August. Mainly this was because there was a specific place we wanted to stay.

If staying in France you will find the second half of August cheaper than the first half.

It is really a case of supply and demand. The price is the price.

If you want to go on holiday during the school break - and TBH you will have to eventually anyway as they get older - you will have to change your mindset about holidays:

  • plan and book early otherwise you end up with the last turkey in the shop
  • everywhere is busier than you are used to
  • many places may be hotter than you are used to
ItsjustSue · 29/06/2012 17:21

Camping. Usually Cornwall, sometimes Devon, Dorset and Isle of Wight.

That said camping has hiked its prices considerably the past few years. Some sites in Cornwall want £45 £50 per night in August - 4 years ago they were £20 odd.

For us though camping is the cheapest option.

iseenodust · 29/06/2012 17:27

Go to Scotland after they have gone back to school at end of Aug & had lovely beach weather ! (last 2 years).
This year going to Northumberland coast Aug bank hol week. Looks like v naice cottage £500.
Took DS out of school in Yr R for week on Majorca.
Took him out of school in Yr1 for Florida trip.

BackforGood · 29/06/2012 17:39

Yes, I always have to - as I have been a teacher for far too many years. Grin.
When ours were that age we would go to firstly caravans, and then cottages at the coast. We've been to Pembrokeshire (2 times), Mid Wales, North Wales, Norfolk (2 times) East Anglia,, Yorkshire Coast, Swanage, Bournmouth, Teignmouth, Weymouth.

So many lovely places to stay in UK, and, depending on what you are looking for, you can spend £400 - £650 ish on a cottage. Up to you then how much you eat out / get fish'n'chips or self cater.

BTW - I laughed when you said "even CentreParks" -that has to be the most expensive way of going away in this country. I looked once and decided it was FAR too expensive, and that's when I thought the price they were quoting was for a wekk, but it was for just Mon - Fri ! Shock.

LOADS of much more affordable options with a bit of googling.

Original poster
Cuddler · 30/06/2012 10:55

I have been looking at booking now to go to greece for next summer holidays,its not actually as bad as i thought if you book early,i mean its no bargain and its more than were used to but i do love getting away for a bit.

I think i might ask about holidays in term time,maybe some of the other mums will know if the school is mega strict or not.

OP posts:
marriedinwhite · 30/06/2012 11:43

Just be aware Cuddler that even if your school allows holidays in term time it's something that might still be included on a reference to a secondary school. A long way off but if there is competition for places, every point counts.

And no, I don't think children should be taken out of school for holidays. They have 12 weeks holiday which is more than sufficient. You just have to cut your cloth and self cater, caravan, camp in France and Italy, etc., if that's what you have to do.

Mrsjay · 30/06/2012 11:54

I have taken mine out 4 times once to a haven park just after mil had died i felt the children needed away ,
we have been to Florida twice and took them out t in may then last week of scottish holidays, and one year DH could get no summer holidays so went to france beggining of june
, Dds are older 1 is at uni other still in high school so not loads of times over the years,

Mrsjay · 30/06/2012 11:57

I have flown from england and it is much cheaper to do that middle of june as it is nowhere near the english holidays,