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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder does this type of holiday exist

28 replies

onlyoranges · 02/10/2015 22:26

My dh has his own company and touch wood it's really taking off hence he works everyday, very long hours which I fully support. But I am home alone with the dcs a lot of the time and wondered about going away somewhere for half term either Oct or Feb. I know there are single parent hols but I don't really fit with that even though I feel like I do. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where we could go?

OP posts:
justaweeone · 02/10/2015 22:30

How old are your children,also what do you like on a holiday?

Asteria36 · 02/10/2015 22:32

Could you not get together with another friend who has a similarly busy husband?
There is always the all-inclusive resort option with children's club so you can drink cocktails and fry in the sun whilst the DC are having fun - but evenings get a bit dull when the DC have gone to sleep unless you are happy to turn in early or keep them up late.
My single parent holidays were always a bit rustic - we would go camping (not great in the UK in feb!!)

TalkinPeece · 02/10/2015 22:32

only
friends in London have a big gang of mums and kids who take over a camp site for three days of kids / girlie time mid week in half terms
if they do it, so do others
sound out your NCT / nursery / kidsclub and you will find the same
or just gather up old friends and go for it

Janeymoo50 · 02/10/2015 22:33

I work in travel, write the brochures, was a rep for years (a while ago mind you)... Can give advice if you give more details.....

Original poster
onlyoranges · 02/10/2015 22:47

The problem is I don't have any friends in the same position so it's just me really. My dcs are 10 and 13 which means we are out of the NCT etc perimeters really.

OP posts:
Jollyphonics · 02/10/2015 22:51

I'm a single parent and we just do the same kind of holidays that 2-parent families do.

Burnet · 02/10/2015 22:52

I am in the same position. I thought about going somewhere all inclusive right on the beach just to limit the work I'd have to do, no cooking, no packing them into a hire car to go anywhere, etc.
OR going to one of those French static caravan sites where they have a pool and a kids club, but I never actually did it.

I'm too nervous of the travelling. I think it'd be fine once there!
I'm not bothered about being lonely in the evenings. That's what books are for!

Mintyy · 02/10/2015 22:53

Of course this type of holiday exists! Yabu.

Burnet · 02/10/2015 22:53

(I know my travel anxiety isn't really justified but I still feel it!)

fourquenelles · 02/10/2015 22:54

When my children were the same age as yours OP we went to the Manor House Hotel near Okehampton in Devon. They have a wide range of sports and crafts (and treatments for mum). The rooms are OK (you can get family rooms). It is all inclusive although you pay extra for materials. Well worth a look. I never felt "odd" being there just with my children.

Walkacrossthesand · 02/10/2015 22:54

What's your budget? Would it stretch to a family cruise - Thomson have nice, straightforward cruises, the 3 of you share a cabin, lots to do together or for them in the teen club, and a safe, contained environment (ship is sailing) in the evening so you can go up on deck or whatever after DCs are asleep. I've done several, PM me if you'd like more info!

TalkinPeece · 02/10/2015 22:54

Aha, OK
in that case you need to head to one of the honeypot campsites and play it by ear from there
Mortehoe is the number one
West Bay is another
Ashdown forest is another
or somewhere like the sustainability centre or the CAT and let your kids learn how to make fire while you mix martinis with the other mums

annandale · 02/10/2015 22:55

I'd say go somewhere fairly accessible so that there's at least a chance that your DH could come for a long weekend.

Janeymoo50 · 02/10/2015 22:59

Honestly.....tell me what you are looking for? Overseas? Cyprus is great in October, so is Crete weather wise or Sharm el Sheik in Egypt (hot!!!).

Janeymoo50 · 02/10/2015 23:01

The Canaries are also good...plenty of AI hotels, water parks, teen clubs etc....

ilovesooty · 02/10/2015 23:02

I'm coming home from Crete tomorrow and the weather hasn't been up to much for the past couple of days.

MillionToOneChances · 02/10/2015 23:11

My kids are 10 and 13 and I'm a single parent. There were tons of cheap all-inclusive deals to hot places for October half term (triple or family room on icelolly.com) but we've opted for a gite near Paris with my daughter's best friend - my son loves having her around too. There are loads of options, you don't have to infiltrate a secret single parents holiday club (!), just go wherever you fancy.

FishWithABicycle · 03/10/2015 07:41

I'm in a similar position and regularly go on very large group holidays (usually at least 6 families, whoever is available from a wider circle of about 12 families) with university friends - we rent huge self-catering houses and per-room it tends to be much cheaper than renting a 2-bed place.

It didn't occur to me before that it is significant that the person who powers through the motivation to organise these things is a single parent. The holidays are great for everyone however many parents there are in the family but I guess if these group things weren't organised the dual-parent families would be just having a similar kind of holiday as a family unit in a smaller house, but those of us with just one adult available might not so often.

I did do a Butlins holiday once with just me at 3yo DC. It was good as we had a 5 day break where the normal "what can I find for us to do today" was replaced with "we can't fit in everything fun we could do, which of these things shall we not do". But it wouldn't be a regular holiday of choice for us.

OP at 10 and 13 your DCs are old enough to join in with organised group activities without a grownup - would a holiday somewhere that offers lots of activities e.g. watersports be appealing?

Wolpertinger · 03/10/2015 08:11

YABU - of course these holidays exist! You think about what you and the kids like doing, pick somewhere that does it, book and go.

momb · 03/10/2015 08:14

10 and 13? PGL family break...you'll be so tired you'll go to bed at the same time as them anyway and the ones we went on there were always lots of lone (not necessarily single) adults with their kids.

Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 03/10/2015 08:23

City break. If your dc are not big outdoorsy types, one of the Eastern European capitals. We did week in Warsaw when dd was 10, top hotel, cheap flights. Great fun.

PennyPants · 03/10/2015 09:00

I second a cruise. If it were only me and the DC that's what I would do. Beware though that your DC will make friends and you won't see them much on board, but there will be lots to keep you occupied too.

abigamarone · 03/10/2015 10:01

I'm a single parent and we just do the same kind of holidays that 2-parent families do.
As am I. We've done camping (in tents), caravan parks, city breaks and greek Islands. Work out what you can afford, what you'd all like to do. And do it. Sometimes I'm scared or intimidated beforehand but if I don't get on and do it we wouldn't go. My eldest has just turned 19 and still chose to come with me and his brother this year so I must have got something right.

It's about what YOU want to do, not an anonymous forum.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 03/10/2015 11:14

What is your budget like? If you are reasonably comfortable try the Flamingo Beach Hotel in Lanzarote or the Oliva Beach Hotel in Fuerteventura.

Both All Inclusive so no real work for you. Maybe kids clubs (depending on the season - think Oct half term is the end of the summer season so would expect then). Weather hot in Oct, warm in Feb. you get an apartment so 2 in the bedroom and one in the lounge and not have to pay single person supplements. Beach very nearby. Pools. Cocktails.

What's not to like. (Apart from the cost?)

strayduck · 03/10/2015 13:12

I recommend cruising as wel, especially the bigger companies such as Royal Caribbean as more activities for kids on the 'at sea' days. You can cruise out of Southampton as well if you don't want to fly.loads of entertainment in the evening. Shows, comedians.