Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a holiday with young children is not really a holiday?

48 replies

TravellingAlongWithYou · 06/12/2016 19:05

DC aged 6 and 4.
We're abroad on our first family holiday in two years.

I'm not enjoying it and I feel guilty that I'm not enjoying it .

It's just the same monotonous shit in a different place .

They still whine , they still moan , they still don't listen to me Hmm

And they still do silly pointless things that create more work for me - such as DC2 jumping up and spilling her milk - after repeatedly being told to sit down . FGS!

I'm now poorly with a cold. DC1 has a cold. I feel like I'm just snapping at them !

I'm exhausted . DH is exhausted so we are also sniping at each other.

Even bedtime in the same apartment is the same bloody nightmare of getting them to sleep !

I want to jump on a plane and come home !

Is it just me ? Blush

OP posts:
SausageD0g · 06/12/2016 19:08

Depends what you want from a holiday. My kids are similar ages but I love going on holiday with them, exploring new places etc. If you expect them to be site by and not heard while you sunbathe it's a bit optimistic.

Artandco · 06/12/2016 19:08

Depends on children surely?

Mine are 5 and 6 years. We love to travel and have been flying and travelling with them very regularly since newborn. We travel now roughly every 2months somewhere. They don't whine though, and sleep anywhere (in our bed usually). They usually take a siesta when travelling then happy to stay up late and we all eat out, go to shows or meet friends etc.

RockStonePebble · 06/12/2016 19:11

YANBU.

I have to do everything I normally do but with the added inconvenience of being somewhere unfamiliar and DCs being out of routine. Not fun really.

FinallyHere · 06/12/2016 19:11

Errr, no, its not just you. Holidays with little ones who have no idea where they are, is just the same sith without all the routine and comforts of home. Is there anything great? Are you visiting friends, is it warm and sunny. Otherwise, can you cut the holiday short?

dreamingofsun · 06/12/2016 19:11

you sound like you are ill. being ill anywhere is no fun, and on holiday there's the expectation that you are enjoying yourself to contend with. give yourself some slack. sounds like a nice large brandy for u and some tv for the kids.

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 06/12/2016 19:11

Not just you love. Maybe it's just our kids?! Wink
Will regale you with anecdotal evidence in a sec.
Hang in there. Wine

BarbarianMum · 06/12/2016 19:14

Well they're not just going to stop being kids just because you've gone away. Personally I always found a change of scene helpful. Is your dh having them by himself sometimes to give you a break?

issynoho · 06/12/2016 19:15

You are 100% right OP. It is not a holiday in any sense of the word I recognise. Not calm, not relaxing, not a break in any form. Heightened expectations of fun for all make it doubly bad, in fact.

Full time childcare in an inconvenient location, as someone on here once said.

I still remember the moment when I realised holidays as I had known them were over until the DC were old enough to look after themselves.

IME it is better if you can afford a bit of luxe, though. Give yourself as few jobs as possible.

Original poster
TravellingAlongWithYou · 06/12/2016 19:16

We're more in to active holidays rather than sunbathing .

It's just the little things .

For example , we went for a walk today whilst on our way to a restaurant - we had a table booked for 4:30pm.

DC were running amongst the sand dunes having fun - no problem.

However , it was taking an awful long time as they were digging etc as well .

I told them we needed to hurry along a bit more and asked them to do the last sand dune .

DC2 ignored me and carried on to the next one . I said no DC2 I've asked you to walk on the path now as we need to get going .

She ignored me again. So I was annoyed and as I went over to talk to her , she then tripped and fell over on the dune and started crying so that took more time .

That's just an example . It's relentless stuff like this .

Maybe it is my DC? Confused

OP posts:
MrsGB2015 · 06/12/2016 19:16

My expectations are always so low that sometimes I'm positively surprised. Smile

issynoho · 06/12/2016 19:16

And then book a solo or adults break ASAP

honeylulu · 06/12/2016 19:17

I agree. Same shit, different bucket.

GlitterGlue · 06/12/2016 19:20

No, sometimes it does just feel like childcare in a different location.

CoraPirbright · 06/12/2016 19:21

You are SO right. This is why we dont go every year but save up and then holiday in places with absolutely-bloody-brilliant-kids-clubs. My kids dont want to swim in the sea and then sit under a brolly reading Poldark. They want to do crazy golf, zip wires and surfing. This way, everyone is happy!

illegitimateMortificadospawn · 06/12/2016 19:21

YANBU. DH and I used to say: "same old shit, different location" (with added stress from not having the usual comforts & distractions). On the upside, it does get better as they get older.

rachyconks · 06/12/2016 19:24

I disagree actually. I think it depends where you go. We have been to Thomson Family Life and First Choice Holiday Villages with my 2 and 4 year old, and while not relaxing and chilled, we have had brilliant holidays that the kids are still talking about now. Mine are in full time childcare, so we don't get loads of time together.

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 06/12/2016 19:24

Ooh. Wait for a sympathetic response then four come along at once!
Sooooo
I have two similar ages to you. Plus a pissed off teenager.
They love going on holiday.
However, they...
....cannot travel > than an hour by plane/car without flipping out
still cannot keep their hands to themselves
still act like Duracell bunnies

Same shite, different habitats

Renting a cottage: tazzy devildom, worried about breakages, ended up in the park, mozzie central
Youth hostel: jumping from bunk beds, thousand decibels
AI: hellish travel, food poisoning from buffet
Center Parcs: just keep swimming
Caravan: four in a bed and little one said

Bottom line: window of opportunity between your youngest being 8 for two years only before teendom means they came on holiday by mistake.

My name is Kimmy and this is why I drink.*

Wine
  • ™doug Stanhope. Never a truer word.
thegirlinthecar · 06/12/2016 19:27

I think it's just a different type of holiday. I'm on holiday at the minute and think it's great, things are so much easier with dh around to help and dcs are really enjoying the change of scenery. Mine are 2 and 3. The cold might have a lot to answer for , everything is a bit more miserable when you're ill.

dreamingofsun · 06/12/2016 19:29

we used to do mobile home holidays in brittany. the kids used to wear themselves out making friends (and NOT coming back to our van) and playing football, whilst i read and drank wine. i can definately recommend, especially ones that have dishwashers

idontlikealdi · 06/12/2016 19:30

Same shit different location. This summer when dts were 5 was the first really good holiday we've had.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 06/12/2016 19:33

I have loved our holidays, even when DDs were tiny. Need good weather, a nice hotel and good food, and we are all happy. Have always loved exploring new places, and DDs have seemed to as well. Yes there were hard moments, but holidays have generally been just fab, and I think we have been very lucky to go on them.

Hope yours improves, OP.

dreamingofsun · 06/12/2016 19:34

maybe the difference of opinions here is whether you have paid employment or not. if you do, then looking after your kids is a lovely change. maybe those who are SAHMs should take paid employment for a couple of weeks?

SilentBatperson · 06/12/2016 19:38

Well it depends what you call a holiday. It's definitely not a break, though.

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 06/12/2016 19:39

honeylulu Grin

YANBU OP.

Artandco · 06/12/2016 19:41

See for me booking a restaurant at 4.30pm isn't holiday. Holiday is going with the flow. So if mine were happy playing in sand dunes I would just leave them another hour or so. They get to dig and play, they are more worn out so happier to sit at mela later, and Dh and I would get time to chat or read.

Maybe your trying to fit too much in?