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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask for your honest experiences of holidaying abroad with toddler

122 replies

NoSandPlease · 29/04/2017 18:52

DH wants us to go on holiday this summer with 22 month old DD. The thought brings me out in a cold sweat!

It's a 4 hour flight, with a coach transfer. 5-star hotel all inclusive (beach resort). He thinks it will be relaxing and good for all of us. I think it will be exhausting and very stressful.

DD hates sitting still. She wants to run, climb, explore constantly. She's a fussy eater and will only sit in a highchair for 5-10mins. She wakes around 5am every day. DH is not good with early mornings and never volunteers to get up with her at 5am (he rarely gets up before 8).

I'm worried about how we'll keep her happy on flight, coach, in hotel room, how we'll fill the time during day. I feel exhausted thinking about it!

I suggested a week in UK but DH is adamant we should go somewhere warm. I feel we should wait until she is older. I'm happy for DH to go abroad without us if he wants a relaxing beach break, but he wants us to come.

WWYD?

OP posts:

namechangedtoday15 · 29/04/2017 19:37

Agree - its a change of scenery, not necessarily a holiday (as you know it). But its fun, I wouldn't use babysitting or kids clubs so full on, and long day. I do remember sitting on a beach at 6.30am with one of my 2 year old twins (had taken him out of the room so he didn't disturb twin 2 who'd had a broken night) and thinking "what the hell am I doing?"!!

But they slept in the pram / buggy in the shade in the afternoon for a couple of hours, so we got chance to relax, and then we'd have an early dinner together and put them to bed and have drinks on the balcony. A couple of nights we put them in the buggy to sleep (I know, poor parenting!!) at their bed time and put the buggy at the end of the table whilst we had a 'grown up' dinner!!

honeylulu · 29/04/2017 19:37

Your little one sounds like both mine! No it's not relaxing and i wouldn't have gone on holiday before the 2 year(ish) mark but then it was fine. we did expect it to be "work" though and it was. They get knackered from all the running/dancing/swimming/fresh air/mini disco and would often have an afternoon or early evening nap in pushchair. We also let them stay up late and omg they slept well.
Four hours is my flight limit with a toddler. Portable DVD player was a must! This was also useful in the apartment while we showered and changed etc and also gave us the chance to watch Breaking bad etc after kids asleep.
We did Eurocamp (which is great in that kind can have own bedrooms for little extra expense) or all inclusive with kids activities/clubs.
They were the sort of holidays we would have sneered pre kids but totally sold now.
Good luck.

CodLiverOil556 · 29/04/2017 19:39

We travel back to uk quite a lot and it's only an hour flight...with my 2.5 old it's one drama after another. I point blank refuse to go on holiday until she's at least 5.

I break out into a cold sweat if I even think about taking her on holiday

namechangedtoday15 · 29/04/2017 19:39

P.s. and I agree a villa is better in terms of sleeping / having a separate room to put them down for a sleep, but I wouldn't want to cook and clean on holiday - so unless you ate out every meal, I wouldn't consider that a holiday!!

honeylulu · 29/04/2017 19:41

Oh forgot to add you definitely need your partner to be fully on board with equal parenting duties!!!

manandbeast · 29/04/2017 19:45

I think holidays with young kids can be a bit more difficult than being at home, for example:

5am wake ups in a hotel room w partner asleep is a nightmare! Even if taking turns.. I've spent many mornings wandering around aimlessly between 6-8am.
Also, if you're going to be in a hotel - someone will need to be in the room to look after your dd as soon as she's gone to sleep.

NanooCov · 29/04/2017 19:46

Sounds like the holiday we took with my then 23 month old to Lanzarote in December. It was great. Not relaxing at all like pre kids holidays but great all the same. If it's all inclusive you'll find something she wants to eat (even if it's pasta and meatballs and melon every day like my toddler) and the pool and play park will be fun for her. Try to find a resort within walking distance of shops/sights to break up the days. Maybe being in the same room as your toddler for a week will help your OH realise he's being a bit of a toaster not parenting his own child?

SoulAccount · 29/04/2017 19:51

Self catering villa/ apartment in a complex with a pool. Much easier for sleeps, naps , feeding the toddler, 5am starts, you chilling with wine.

Take buggy. Walk her round in it till she sleeps, you eat out while she sleeps in buggy next to you.

bunnylove99 · 29/04/2017 19:53

OP I was in total agreement with you when I read your post. Now I've changed my mind after reading others success stories here. I never took mine abroad as babies or toddlers as I was worried about the heat. Go and enjoy!

Thatextrainch · 29/04/2017 20:08

My dd sounds very similar to yours (although thankfully wakes at 7-soz).we went away when she was 14 months. We knew she was car sick but it turns out she's also air sick and both take off vomited every where. She was a bit of a nightmare on the flight as she wanted to walk and hated being on our laps.

Have you booked yet? If not try and book one bed apartment/suite. Best part of holiday was dd going to sleep in bedroom and one of us going down to the bar for all inclusive cocktails, bringing them back to our room and watching films on laptop whilst we drank them and she slept.

She'll be 2 and a bit when we go again. Fairly optimistic she'll be better on flight as she'll have her own seat (I've refused to fly with her again before shes 2). Defo recommend private transfer.

Ecureuil · 29/04/2017 20:08

I would rather chop my own arm off than stay a week with little one in just a hotel room though.. no no no!

This. 100%. Self catering apartment all the way.

curlii103 · 29/04/2017 20:15

4hrs is too long. Just to Spain mallorca etc. Especially if yiubjust want an all inclusive hotel

ThePinkOcelot · 29/04/2017 20:15

It's not the same holiday as holidaying without kids, but it is enjoyable all the same. DD was 11 months when we first went on holiday with her and it was fine. Plus, she slept better there than she did here.
Give it a go. You'll never know if you don't try. Don't stress about it though. Just go with the flow.

Original poster

NoSandPlease · 29/04/2017 20:20

Yes it's family friendly. But I don't want to spend a week running between paddling pool and playground. We do that at home. There is a kids club but DD is very clingy and I couldn't leave her there.

OP posts:

HicDraconis · 29/04/2017 20:25

I took DS1 to Cyprus at 9 months for a week and to NZ at 16 months for 6 weeks. He learned how to walk on the plane to NZ 😄 Flights were easy - he watched cartoons on the seat back TV, read some books, did some simple jigsaws, ate and slept. We emigrated to NZ when he was 3 and DS2 was 18 months and they coped with the flights better than I did 😄

I'd stay out of the sun in the middle of the day because sunburned toddlers are a nightmare, but beach, pool, walks, not having to cook - sounds fabulous.

Helloitsme88 · 29/04/2017 20:26

Went with 2 kids. 4 hour flight. Half hour transfer. Journey was okay. Lots of kids in flight so all in same boat. Flew with Thomson and the crew were lovely. My 3 year old announced to the whole plane before we took off that she needed a poo. Constant watching at pool. But take it in turns (can't do that with 2 unfortunately)
All inclusive is a must as you don't have to cook and clean but yeah it is a struggle to keep entertained. Just eat and go.
We had room with sitting room and balcony- well porch as we were bottom floor. Didn't go out at night and only occasionally watched the evening entertainment. Just put kids down and played cards whilst have a couple of drinks.
Day time naps were bliss. Sat on the porch in the sun. Or one of us went for a nap with the kids and the other had some free time.
Did a bike ride one day and explored the coast others.
Depends what your expectations are. Our flight home was smooth and that helped a lot. I recommend it

Ecureuil · 29/04/2017 20:27

Mine get up at 6am at home. They get up at 8-9am on holiday. You might be lucky

ElisavetaFartsonira · 29/04/2017 20:28

It's possible you'll enjoy yourselves, but what it will not be is relaxing.

Original poster

NoSandPlease · 29/04/2017 20:28

We haven't booked yet.

DD is very active, excitable, loses interest in toys after a few mins. She runs off so is on reins mostly.

DH is very hands on but a night owl, he finds it hard to sleep before 1am.

I'm not sure how she'll be in heat as we haven't been abroad before. I'm worried we'll be stuck in the hotel room a lot if it's too hot.

OP posts:

honeylulu · 29/04/2017 20:30

don't want to spend a week running between paddling pool and playground
But that's what holidays with kids are like - sorry, it's not my idea of fun either! All I can suggest is share the parenting so you each get some downtime/gym time etc. Also book a couple of excursions to break up the week. And drink some wine, it takes the edge off, seriously.

Ecureuil · 29/04/2017 20:34

I was worried about the heat but mine barely seem to notice it. They cool down in the pool if they get too hot.

honeylulu · 29/04/2017 20:36

As for heat/sun the all in one sunsuits are fab, as is the pool/splashpark for the heat. At age 2 ours would need a sleep at the hottest time of day which worked well - whoever was in nap duty could have a drink and read a book.
Honestly I was feeling very negative about holidaying with ours when they were toddlers but it was ok and better than being at home.

Helloitsme88 · 29/04/2017 20:54

I would try and make sure you have an apartment. Bring lots of factor 50 and buy a wet suit type costume and hat. It worked for us and we all slept better from the swimming and the heat. Wouldn't have been so enjoyable if we only had a room though. The apartment made it fun as we had more space and could chill without worrying about the kids

Helloitsme88 · 29/04/2017 20:55

Both kids also needed day time naps for at least an hour sometimes 2. THEy both went happily to sleep about 9/10pm which worked for us. Both up at half 8. Usually at home it's 6

OhahIlostmybra · 29/04/2017 20:57

Sounds like my 22 month old DD. Including the early waking. You couldn't pay me enough to go abroad with her. So we aren't.

We didn't take our older one abroad till she was 3.5 - no regrets at all.

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