Oh god! Little girl on holiday

[Cuppacoffeeinthebigtime]

We got here yesterday. So did they. We are both here for 2 weeks. She has attached herself to us so far. She is 9, our dd 7 and DS 4. We got our paddling pool out and she came over watching so we asked if she wanted to join in. She went and asked her mum and she has pretty much been here constantly ever since.We have to ask her to leave 3 times before we can eat. Then she watches from outside until we finish and then she is back. She was here as soon as we opened the curtains in the morning. Her parents have not taken her anywhere once so far. Yesterday, we were going to the park and she stood around looking sad so asked her if she wanted to come with us. She did but then moaned that it was boring and asked if we could do the activities instead ( this costs about 10 pounds per head and I can only really afford to pay for my own dcs so none of us did anything). The parents seem very kind,came over and gave my kids a pound each to buy an ice cream but grrrrrr, this is not what I was imagining when I booked my holiday.

To make things worse another neighboring family's 3 year old has taken a shine to dd and is left playing outside for a few hours at a time. They have asked dd to tell them if she does anything naughty or runs off while they sunbathe. I am a nervous wreck watching as no way dd can be trusted watching a 3 year old. I have so looked forward to this holiday, saved annual leave up, wanted to enjoy it with my own DC. I want them to make friends and learn to be kind as we are quite isolatory where we live but this seems too much.

[gerbo]

I disagree I'm afraid and I think the op is getting a tougher time than she deserves.

We have eurocamped for seven years now with two children. My children have made friends on these holidays but I have to agree that a child hanging around watching me eat is odd and wouldn't wash with me. Op, send the girl home when you eat, gently but firmly. I certainly would never take anyone else's children out with me on a day trip, say no firmly and leave.

We have always scheduled in a little friends time for the children, for example down at the pool for an hour or two before home for tea, with both sets of parents there and on duty. That's frankly enough for me. I'm not there to socialise with strangers!

I agree that children making friendships is important on these holidays but for us family time is the main reason we are there and other people's children don't figure in that. Doesn't help that I have a social butterfly of a daughter who always wants to be running wild with her mates!

But that's the point.....we are firm and clear with her about when free friends time is and when family time is, and the same goes for the other kids.

Be firm, kind, but firm. Send her home. As for watching the three year old- thats balmy. Don't do it. Go tell them that your daughter mistakenly thinks she's looking after him, but clearly that can't be right as no seven year old can possibly be expected to watch a three year old! Etc. Good luck op.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

Jeez totally there's a whole world of people out there doing things differently to you and hey that's ok.
Just unclench for a minute and think you yourself that maybe your way isn't the only way and hey that's cool
It's really quite liberating.
OP just ignore any sad face and do your own thing. Playmates for your dc's on holiday can be a godsend but set boundaries you are comfortable with

[RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime]

We take gadgets camping and just don't pitch in dry riverbeds.

[gerbo]

Unclear, sorry.....I mean I disagree with the people saying she has chosen the wrong kind of holiday. That's nonsense. Eurocamp holidays can be lower key too, some free play with friends around the site but mostly family time. Depends how you choose to play it.

[sanfairyanne]

totallybewildered

are you bear grylls?

[RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime]

Bear Grylls takes a whole film team with him!

[FarFromAnyRoad]

We take gadgets camping and just don't pitch in dry riverbeds



are you bear grylls?

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

The one Eurocamp holiday we went on, DS had nasty comments at the playground on the first day, so refused to go again - was a tatty junk heap anyway. The pool was feckin freezing so you couldn't spend longer than five mins there.
I'd looked forward to the SCs frolicking around with other kids, but they stuck around the tent the whole time. We ended up driving miles every day going on daytrips to pass the time.
Tbf, it was a tiny old site, but some friends had recommended it and went every year weirdos.
< misses point of op >

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

DCs not SCs.

[MrsWooster]

part of me admires TOTALLY's back to basics approach and a bigger part wonders how much that judgie chafes...

[doistayordoigo]

totallybewildered

Maybe you should get a better tent? We've had thunderstorms and our pitch has been flooded before, to the point that we needed boards to get across the lake to the tent door, but we've not had water inside the tent, so our belongings have always been okay. have probably jinxed this year's camping trip now by saying that

[Pagwatch]

"Are you Bear Grylls?"

[WhereAreMyDragons]

totallybewildered sorry, but that sounds to me like a fucking nightmare the kind of holiday I would avoid at all costs.

are you bear Grylls

OP, just send her away. repeatedly.
We have a little boy in our street who's mother doesn't give a shit and if he was at my door once he was at the door every 3 minutes. Until I lost the rag when I had to get out the shower twice to answer the door for him to ask if I could go out and tie his shoelace. lazy cow of a mothers front door is about 20 feet away

[cuntycowfacemonkey]

Pictish is right you just have to spell it out to them. So when she's out stayed her welcome you just say "Right it was lovely to see you today but it's time for you to go, we'll see you tomorrow"

We always seems to attract kids on the beach but we just wait for them to go back their parents for a minute and then re pitch else where!

[kali110]

Maybe op is on her phone? Using mobile data? Why not going on the internet for a few minutes, it's hardly spending all her time on mumsnet.

[answersonapostcardplease]

You need to put your big girl pants on... In the nicest possible way.

Tell 3 year old's parents that your dc won't be watching their child.

Go and do your activities, the 9 year old is not your problem, stop encouraging her by asking her to come places, even if she has put on sad face.

Her parents aren't kind, you are nannying their kid and being paid in ice cream.

[Donthate]

I hope OP has turned off her data roaming if she's abroad.

misses point of the thread

[mindthegap79]

totally you sound very poncy and judgemental. When I go camping, we get an electric hook up, and take lamps, phones, chargers... We even take an inflatable airbed which plugs in. We take a table, chairs... We even take the Marmite. I don't really give a flying wotsit if people disapprove. I suppose we're glampers. We enjoy it. I don't judge you for choosing to sit in a possibly flooded tent in the dark. Each to their own. Anyway, I'd be too busy playing Scrabble or bbqing.

OP that sounds irritating, but to be fair you've only been there since Saturday. Maybe your 7 yr old did misunderstand what the 3 yr old's parents said. I'd nip it in the bud, send them back to their parents.

[Alibabsandthe40Musketeers]

'Are you Bear Grylls?'



The parents of the nine year old probably go on this kind of holiday in the hope that they end up next to someone like you OP, so that they get their holiday time without having to entertain their child or fork out for the activities. Just don't take her places with you, her enjoyment is not your responsibility.

As for the three year old - surely you just take them back to their parents??

[pictish]

"Hello - I've brought your dd back. Sorry, my 7 yr old misunderstood and thought she was babysitting for you. I have explained to her that that couldn't possibly be the case, as she's much too young too supervise a toddler. You must have been wondering where she was! Sorry again. Cheerio!"

[EponasWildDaughter]

OP is obviously off enjoying her neighbors kids holiday rather than ''spending her holiday breakfast time on MN''.



totally, i have to say, the descriptions of your electronic device free, 'often flooded' camping holidays make them sound fab.

[whois]

Oh OP I think you need to toughen up a bit.

It is nice for kids t play out togehter on these sites, but oyu need to get a few boundaries in place.

The 3 year old - that's 100% easy. Take her back to her parents, make a small amount of small talk and then say 'I'm not happy with my children playing with your DD without your active involvement. Shes a little too young to be playing with my kids if you're not supervising."

The 9 year old is old enough to be told to go home. As long as your kids are enjoying playing with her that's fine, but as soon as you want her to go just say to her "We are going to have some family time now x, please go back to your parents. Maybe see you tomorrow" and obviously DO NOT invite her anywhere with you. And if she comes over when you don't want her to just tell her "A and B can't play with you now sweetie".

It isn't your job to entertain the 9 year old, but it probably is nice for the kids to play together roaming around some times. That is part of these trips isn't it?

[pictish]

It is.
My kids can play with whoever they fancy when we're on site, so long as they're not in our tent or anyone else's. We have never offered an excursion out with us or any food. We leave them to their own devices to socialise and when we say it's time for tea, or bed or to go out, they say goodbye for now and trot back.
I'm not up for taking on extras on holiday, but I'm glad they're around for the kids' entertainment.

[Anniegetyourgun]

Send the three-year-old back to the parents with an invoice for your daughter's time spent minding her.