To think going on holiday with a baby/toddler is never fun?

[Makeupbabes]

Is it just me who finds this?
We went away last year only to Prestatyn but my god did I find it hard, so much so that we actually left a day earlier as I couldn't wait to get back to normality.

I found my 18 month old DS to be a bit overwhelmed (& wouldn't sleep well or nap) by being away & we did seem to struggle with ways to entertain him. It's actually put me off going away this year.

Also the thought of going abroad & taking a toddler on a plane makes me feel very anxious! Does anyone else find holidays with toddlers hard?

Yeah when we sc apart from breakfast we eat out mostly. If we do 'eat in' it usually consists of a pizza and some sort of oven chips which we don't have at home so it still feels like a treat plus it's minimal effort. Either that or a BBQ is always fun.

We eat out a fair bit even though we go all inclusive.

It's not just the cooking, it's the clearing up, the shopping for heavy stuff/ water/ drinks beer.
Children especially when abroad and have routines interrupted may not feel hungry when everyone else wants to eat, or eat earlier.
It's also all the drinks/snacks/ice cream outside of meal times that add a lot to the cost.
I don't want to wash a cup on holiday, that's a real rest for parents, and means I can spend more time having fun with my family.
Most AI hotels will make up a packed lunch for everyone if ordered the night before, so if you are having a day out- including having lunch at a restaurant - you have snacks and drinks for the day already organised.

We have done self catering, but even washing breakfast bowls and having requests for snacks/ drinks through the day is something I can live without.

Artandco

But others on here would pay for those trips as most of us don't travel for business

Lovely for you that you get so much practice for no money. Not the case for most people.

I loved going on holiday with my LOs. Beach holidays with lots of sand castles and paddling and looking in rock pools and playing games. It was just fun.

I always took dd on holiday and found it to be mostly fine, she was quite good at sleeping lots when knackered though.

She is 10yo and we have recently got back from a week in Menorca, she is so independent now I was able to read 3 books its great.

Maybe it depends on type of holiday and your expectations.

I took DS abroad from being a few months old. It was fine.

With Ex and then as a LP.

I've been going on holiday every year, just me and dd from the age of 1. It didn't start to get enjoyable until she was 7. Even now it just feels like I follow her around carrying everything and paying for everything but at least it's no longer stressful. I dream of a holiday on my own (in term time), but I'm going to have to wait another 8 years for that. I should feel lucky that we get holidays, but it feels more like a chore.

DD is 10 now and we have travelled a lot with her since she was born including several trips to different parts of Australia, Canada, Thailand as well as shorter haul to Paris, Budapest, Venice, Berlin, Palm, Ireland as well as UK etc. She has always coped brilliantly and we LOVE travelling. It IS different to travelling pre-children but we really enjoy it for what it is. Each place that we go we research good things to do with kids and then plan days around them, along with stuff we like to do too.

I fine self catering really works as dd likes to eat certain things and I like being able to lash them in the fridge along with sparkling water, juice, wine etc. I don't mind having breakfast there and either having deli styke stuff for lunch and a nice dinner out or lovely lunch out and snacky stuff (local cheese / cured meats etc) with wine in the evening.

I am already dreading the day when dd does not want to come with us anymore. We love that she has had the opportunity to see so much of the world already and there is SO much more to see!

Over the past 10 years dh and I have also had several short trips abroad by ourselves (and weekends at home) and they are more like the old days! We love them too!!

We had great fun. Just happy to be together for a bit

Fun? Yes.
Relaxing? Not so much!

We usually go to Crete (our friends have a place we rent so it's cheap for us)

The plane is ok with dd tbh, lots of entertainment and it's only 4 hours. The holiday is: fruit breakfast, beach in the morning, home for lunch, dd naps and we lounge by the pool, pottering by the pool and playing with some toys, dinner outside, more pottering, knackered dd in bed and we drink wine on the balcony watching the sun go down. Repeat x5. We've done it a few years and go with my mum, dad and granny which is lovely.

This year we decided on 4 days in the Peak District. It was cold, and wet, we spent a fortune getting into places that are very similar to places around here (we're lucky to live in a beautiful place of the country) OMG, it was such bloody hard work, I felt like I needed a holiday to recover from the bloody holiday! Definitely Crete again next year!

We had fabulous holidays when DC were babies/toddlers/little. Usually stayed in mobile homes on French/Italian campsites which were totally geared up for families plus the bonus of good weather which makes all the difference. Only bad holiday was in the UK when it rained all the time! Then graduated onto apart hotel holidays when dc were 7 and 6. Lots of places to play and other children to play with! Plus child friendly food and mini discos! Fab!

Depends on the type of holiday and definitely depends on the type of child/ren you have.

Mine are on the go constantly, they are nightmares for sleeping and napping anyway so on holiday it is magnified. Someone posted about naps and afternoon beers - my kids don't sleep when they are in an exciting/new/different place. We were/are walking them in the buggy at 12-1am every night with them still chattering away/screaming to get out, just the sound of a car will wake them up etc.

They also don't eat anything, so restaurants are difficult which means self catering, which means me shopping and cooking in different places for food they will eat. If we do go to a restaurant they wont sit in a high chair, lob food around and screech. We take it in turns to bolt our food and chase the children as they leg it or accost innocent holiday makers trying to enjoy a quiet meal.

Constant danger - nothing child proofed which means absolutely no chance of sitting down and relaxing for a second. Balcony/terrace doors always locked so sweltering heat. On the beach they just plummet straight into the water, or run into the road, or (my personal favourite) stamp on all the other children's sand castles, or splash strangers with water/sand etc. After 2 hours we are exhausted from chasing and carrying heavy screaming children away and apologising. (they on the other hand are not exhausted at all).

No toys. No internet. No tv. No entertainment. Which equals boredom and destruction.

Very tiring and not much of a holiday.

Center parcs was fine but felt like no kind of holiday i would really want to go on. I can spend hours in our local pool and cook at home if i want that kind of experience.

We are doing Eurocamp in July but i'm not optimistic. I don't mind the holidays being shit, i just mind them being shit and costing a fortune. I came back from Majorca last year and cried at spending 3k on 10 days of hell.

It's all just groundhog day in a worse location with less help.

We've been lucky this year with our UK holidays, we had good weather during both weeks away in different locations. That's the main downside with going away in the uk, the weather can be a bit hit and miss, but when it's nice you realise how beautiful Britain is. North Wales/Snowdonia literally took my breath away at times. Just lovely.

Am um ing and ah ing over a holiday we've got a 4 year old and an 15 month old. Pre kids hate hate hated all inclusive now considering majorca Thompson all inclusive with good pool near beach am I deluded? My mate reminded me that when we returned from holiday 2 years ago I vowed never again till ds was older. He unlikely to opt for kids club and I'm not much of a drinker so wudnt wanna get pissed every night. Any advice please

I loved/love staying in child friendly hotels

YABU! DS is a crap sleeper but we've been away abroad and in the UK and had a great time! I'm planning to take him for a midweek trip to northern Scotland soon (just me and him, DH will be at work) - even if he sleeps poorly I can drink coffee and sightsee for 3 days and really enjoy myself, and he loves to be out and about.

P.S. he's 6 months old so maybe not comparable to a toddler

I love it. I have a 4yo and a 2yo. We've been to the Canaries, France, Spain, Italy, and various places in the UK. Flights are ok but train travel is best. Sometimes it's a challenge but always an adventure. Happy babies on the beach. Nothing better.