AIBU to be sitting here crying (I know I am)

[malibuthru]

I'm sitting here in a caravan that I booked for this weekend. I'm crying because I am seemingly completely incapable of having a nice time with my DC.

I find it so stressful, a 3 hour journey turned into 5, toddler was sick in the car, teenager heaving cos of sick. 6 pints of milk got dropped and split open on the caravan floor, toddler doesn't like the smell of the caravan and keeps gagging (she's sensitive to smells), having to spray body spray ever time she goes into a different room, then teenager slopes off to the bedroom to watch her iPad with headphones in. Toddler slept in car, so didn't go to sleep til midnight. Wake up today, thinking new day, fresh start.. starts well, had a reasonable time. trying to get toddler ready to go out, she doesn't want to, wet herself after I got her dressed. Teenager just doesn't listen to me, takes me asking several times for her to do anything, gives me this look that makes me feel like the worst mother ever, always manages to turn everything round on me.. always has excuses. Now it's all come to a head, me and teenager crying, toddler oblivious, I just want to go home. Christ knows how we are actually going to eat tonight as I'm clearly not capable of getting these two out of the door and other than sandwich stuff there is nothing in.

I know this post is completely full of self pity, but I genuinely just wanted to have a nice weekend with my children and I really don't feel like there is any way to recover this. I just want to be like the other families that are enjoying each other's company and having a nice time.

Oh trust me, this was me on our last holiday. Sometimes they just turn out shit or hardwork!

Can you do pizza express for lunch tomorrow?

Oh and on your next one bring a friend for teen!

Yanbu, it's sounds like you've had a nightmare of little things going wrong! A holiday keeping a teen and a toddler happy at the same time, in a caravan, is going to be hard.

Don't let it put you off your next holiday though! Keep on keeping on etc etc.

I'll let you into a secret - when we go on holiday with our 3, there are always plenty of tears, tantrums and niggles between DH and I. The photos you'll see on FB, however, are carefully selected and make us look like the perfect Instagram family

Ha ha @ShoesHaveSouls it's people like you that have made me like this!

Teen did mention bringing a friend, but wanted to have some nice family time, next time (if there ever is one) I will bring a friend for her.. lesson learnt!

Ahhh hope you a bit more sorted. Put the telly on and just chill out tonight.
I can't tell you how many times I threaten to book the first flight home when we're away! Every year!!

Tomorrows a new day OP, wait and see what it brings. 💐

Camping holidays as a kid, ah yes. It always took at least 3 days for everyone to find their groove I think.

If it helps one day you'll look back on it all nostalgically because you'll have wiped the rubbish bits

Big big hugs to you. Sounds so difficult, trying to get all those needs meet, toddlers and teens, the hardest age groups. And the smell of sick and milk. My god I would SO be crying.
Do whatever is going to work for you tomorrow, don't worry about his your ten remembers it.
X

Nice lunch at Pizza Express will be good for a rainy day tomorrow. We found bringing a friend made our teens much more pleasant and quite often the friend was happy to do family time stuff like board games and crazy golf, even the "coolest" ones. It is the Mrs Patterson effect

I frequently used to scream "I am never going on holiday with you two again" to my DH and dd.

Trust me, not everyone else having a better time.

I'm taking 11 (going on 15) DD and 3yo and 10mo camping on my own next weekend.

WTAF was I thinking?

We never enjoy the first few days of our family holidays! I did think that was just us so I'm surprised to hear most other people are the same, but like ShoesHaveSouls our Facebook pics are insta-perfect. I don't know why I do this, I know it serves no purpose but maybe it's my subconscious.

Your toddler sounds a bit like my 4 yo, he seems to take a while to adjust to different places and not in a cute, quiet way. He gets loud and almost hyperactive, wets himself and generally can't sit still. He always settles eventually though and goes back to his usual self.

Don't give up yet. Could you maybe take the toddler swimming whilst the teen watches uses iPad ? Teen might benefit from some space so that might work. If it's raining and there's no where to go how about finding somewhere that sells craft things? Or there must be a soft play or an aquarium somewhere nearish. With the teen, focus more on conversation and having a laugh. Both of your DCs will enjoy this holiday more than you know, once everyone has settled down.

Good luck for tomorrow

I got a teen and a toddler - I wouldn't dream of doing a caravan holiday with them on my own. Hats off to you for being a lot more brave than I could ever be!

Don't worry if it feels like it has all gone a bit wrong, your toddler won't remember it and your teen will probably laugh about it in a few months time. Come her 18th it will be -a "remember when...." moment.

Finding things that interest them both is difficult - I really struggle. Usually find the beach is the easiest place - we all get stuck in with making sandcastles (or in toddlers case - destroying them). Bowling can also be a good wet weather alternative if you can a)afford it b) your toddler doesn't mind the noise.

Teen will also happily relive his childhood in a soft play too for an hour - he plays with toddler and zooms down slides with her etc.

Actually my young adult kids only remember our camping holidays as amazing fun. Believe me we had some miserable times. So many times DH said "Never again". Mind you, he has the memory of a goldfish and was always enthusiastic by the time next summer came around.

Does the caravan not have evening entertainment? We go out every night on our caravan holidays, have a great time!.

Don't cry over spilt milk OP.. (lol)

My eldest child is 12. This is the first year we haven't booked a holiday.

Why? Let's just say that last year I ended up crying in the holiday cottage master bedroom, Googling trips abroad for ONE person. Me.

Sometimes my DCs are appalling and, at the moment, do their worst on holiday...

Aww op bless you . Just realise that the other families you think are having a perfect time are havin Similair stresses . My life seems to be a series of disorganised , clumsy ( hence the name ) disasters 😂 As cheesey as it sounds just try relax enjoy their company and go with the flow it doesn't need to be "perfect"

Firstly, Well Done you for even attempting to take a toddler and a teenager on holiday on your own!

Secondly, I wouldn't give up and write the weekend off just yet, tomorrow is another day and it might be a good one.

Thirdly, don;t put pressure on yourself over meals, McDonalds breakfast will do and pizza/pasta or something similar for lunch (kids will love you for it).

Finally, don't believe everyone else has a perfect holiday! My friend has a 10 year old and a 20 year old, they went sightseeing in London for the day, she had a row with DS before they left home because he made them miss the train, they then get to London and her DD had the hump over where they were going for lunch and it resulted in a huge row and her DD storming off back to the train station....anyway the photos that were put on FB show the most perfect family day out and it wasn't at all.

I think holidays are very stressful and I only have 1 child. It's much easier and nicer to stay at home.

I hope your holiday improves.

I remember a caravan holiday as a child. It rained, we were all bickering and my mum got so stressed she threw a plate of spaghetti at the wall.

I still have fond memories of it though.

@Zafodbeeblbrox10 that really made me chuckle!

So I think I will stick it out! Will swim with toddler in the morning, have our pizza express and then bowling or something after.

Thanks everyone, you've brightened my mood.. I really thought it was just me! I guess I read too much into people's fb pics!

I remember going on holiday Whitsun week as a child with bro. I was in The middle of GCSES and dbrother A levels. The caravan was cold and Irma rained. Let's just say we drove out poor mum mad. Not sure what she was thinking .

Hope tomorrow is a better day op.