To holiday the other side of the planet with an 8 year old?

[Wanderlust1984]

When I was 16 I went to stay with family for a month in New Zealand. It was AMAZING! I have quite a lot of family members out there, they own multiple properties, beach houses and campers (yeah how the other half live ay ) and they're constantly saying we could stay in any of them if we ever wanted to visit. I'd love for my daughter to experience it but I've felt she's been too long for the flight times, associated jet lag etc. But she'll be right next year, should I drag her over there? She's not keen on the flights but you get your own TV on the plane etc and I'd split it with 3 nights in Thailand or Koala Lumpur there and back. My exH (dd's df) isn't too keen and says she'd hate the flight... but surely 3 weeks in NZ would make up for it!! What ya reckon??

She'll be *eight next year... damn autocorrect!!

Yes, go. The flight is just a tiny bit of it, you will both have a fantastic time.

Definitely.

Ours did similar flights frequently all their lives.

A visit to Koala Lumpa (!) or Bangkok is worth it too.

God I'd do it in a heartbeat. Long haul flights aren't like the shitty budget short haul ones. Especially when you break it up with a few nights in the middle.
I went to India when I was about 11 so not quite as far (about 11 hours with a stopover) and I bloody loved it

Do it. 8 is plenty old enough to watch stuff/ ply games etc. She'll never forget it.
I'm doing it at Christmas with a 22 month old (😯) and no seat for him....

Of course take her! I just took my 3 (10,6,3mo) for a month. We were so happy there and they want to move over

I took my 2 and a half year old to Perth on my own, took a night flight and was super thankful for the films on demand. It's an adventure with a fabulous holiday at the end, go for it!

No contest: go.

I wouldn't bother splitting the flight, unless you want to count the stopovers as part of your trip. I'd fly in one go - like ripping off a plaster or fly 24hrs there, break up the journey homeward bound so it isn't such a depressing thought at the end of your trip.

Sounds great! Have fun. Her DF can take her on another trip to his liking, he shouldn't get to vote on this one, nor pour BS in her ear about being tired on the journey. All journeys are tiring!

Eek, I'm so glad to get these responses, just what I'd hoped for!! a week or two staying in a beach house in Piha and another 2 spent touring in a camper van thanks lovely ladies!! X

Do it! Just had three year old nephew over to the UK from Australia with minimal drama in scheme of things. Just be organised x

HerRoyal, that's definitely an issue, I know DD will want to stay forever and if I had it my way we would!

8 is a perfect agte for this kind of trip. The flights are part of the adventure. Took my DGS on 6 hour flight last year and was sad it was so short - we never had time to use all the 'distractions' I'd so carefully planned and packed

I

Go! My parents took me for 6 weeks when I was 3 and I'm going for 3 weeks later this year and I'll be 22 weeks pregnant. The flight is part of the experience.

I've been flying long haul with my dd since she was a baby and never had any problems. We did Australia when she was about 2 and she was fine. There's so much individual entertainment on planes these days that it's easy to entertain children.

And at 8 she'll still be small enough to lie half on you and half on her own seat and sleep really well (my now great big 14 year old dd can still manage this - although it's no longer quite so much fun for me when she does)

Go go go. Jealous, i LOVE NZ

We did a long haul flight (13 hours) and 7 hour time difference holiday for 6 nights with 7 yr old DS recently. The jet lag was a pain but the flight was great and DS slept for about half of it each way. I would def do it again as it was such an amazing experience and DS loved the fact he'd gone somewhere so far from home.

3 weeks in NZ would be plenty of time to get past the jet lag.

We have taken DS on long haul (Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia) since he was 3. As long as you plan for the flight it'll be great.

Decent airline, think about landing the times and it'll be a fabulous holiday.

I think its a great idea and a great age.

Koala Lumpur

As a New Zealander missing home I say do it!!!!!!

We last went to NZ when the DCs were 7 and 10. It was superb and incredible memories were made. Rotorua is a must - lots of Maori culture and volcanic parks, plus the luge and Rainbows Springs for kiwis.

I'd do it with our DD who is 8 but her brother is much younger so we are waiting a couple of years.

DO IT. Feed her lots of hokey pokey ice cream.

I'm ann expat. My kids have been flying long haul since they were weeks old. I have one with a serious medical condition. I still fly long haul and live in a developing country. The excitement of the flight will become a bonus part of the journey. I can practically guarantee it!

I've been doing that flight a couple of times per year since I was born -it's absolutely fine! Go for it

We are Aussies who lived in the Netherlands for 8.5 years. My youngest two were 2.5 and their big sister was 4 when we went there. We frequently did trips back and forth across the planet and I can assure you that your kid will handle the jetlag MUCH better than you will. They are old enough to remember the trip. I can't see any down sides.

We've been to Oz many times with the kids as babies, toddlers and now older children - jet lag takes 3-5 days to recover fully and the flight will be fine as she is iPad/film-able! Do it! I'm Aussie so this is one way they get to see their grandparents and their heritage and they love it.