To not travel until they're older ?

[desperatehousewife101]

Kids are 6 months and 2.5. Just pricing up even a last minute trip abroad to Spain , looking at sky high prices plus flights plus 2 passports for kids , as well as all the formula , nappies , kiddy tat we would need.
Aibu to say, we are not going abroad until they are at least 3 and 5 so the older one can have a longer lasting passport and my stress levels can be reduced !
I'm not used to travelling abroad much but dp is a seasoned traveller but hopefully can wait a few years.

t*

It was fine. We avoided the being outside during the hottest hours, took a sunshade with us, put her in a UV suit and hat plus factor 50. It wasn't the most relaxing holiday ever but I think with 2 of you you can take it in turns entertaining them while the other relaxes for a while.

Thanks, I guess I’ll have to appreciate the extra rest while we’re still a family of 3.

Jeez. What misery grumps. Travel is an amazing gift to give your dc and I think has really impacted on my DCs food tastes. DS went to SA France Spain and Mauritius before he was 2. First trip to Sa he was 12 weeks old. DD went to Abu Dhabi at 8 weeks and they've both been again to SA, France, Spain, Italy and we're in the process of booking Greece for this summer and dubai for October half term.

I just can't imagine not travelling and am so pleased my children love it too. They remember loads (more than me!) and they eat any food. Especially shellfish which they developed a love of in Italy.

So YABU in my opinion. But each to their own!

Think it depends how confident a traveller you are. If all you’ve done is lay by an all inclusive pool in Spain it’s probably not easy to take a little one abroad. But if you’re prepared to do something different al I think travel can benefit any age, even if they don’t remember the actual trip itself. We have a 5 year old and we’ve done city breaks shorhaul, medium haul 4 times, long haul for USA, Caribbean and Mexico and 3 cruises. We’ve also done some uk holidays. I’d say each time we’ve gone abroad our ds confidence and speech has grown massively as he’s mixed with all nationalities, had to cope wit things being different to home/uk. Having the opportunity to use kids clubs which has massively improved his independence and social skills. Travel is easy with kids and to benefit they don’t have to remember the trip. Just don’t expect the same holiday you had pre kids

I go with neices and nephews; short haul, long haul, it’s all manageable if you are organised. Being well travelled as a child is important.

I agree with @life. It’s so, so valuable for kids to have quality experience of other cultures and countries when they are young.

I think kids who are more self sufficient would be fine and abit easier than babies and toddlers.

I’ve been going on holiday abroad every year since I was 4 and loved it and remember it so never even considered not going abroad with my own kids. We only go within Europe so 2-4.5 hour flights, making sure it’s a fairly short transfer too.

DS was 3 months on his first holiday to Spain, we were out and about in the evenings so he wasn’t going to bed till 23ish and would take 2 good long naps a day when we could chill by the pool. One holiday DS was 4, DD1 2 and DD2 was 6 weeks. People there thought we were mad to take a tiny baby but she was ebf and was happy to lie under the parasol kicking her legs and slept loads too while one of us was in the pool with the other two. We always did HB or AI; self catered for the first time last year. No cooking, cleaning or laundry means it’s a relaxing break compared to being at home. We make sure there’s a kids club, playroom or playground and kids disco or evening entertainment and they are happy. Just don’t compare family holidays to pre kids holidays.

DS is autistic and is not too rigid with routine on holiday. He knows each step of the journey; drive to airport, bus to terminal, check cases in, go through security, eat, toilet, boarding gate then take off. DVD on the flight; maybe a nap depending on time, then once we land it’s bus or walk to security, collect luggage then get coach to hotel. On holiday as long as he knows what we are doing each day he’s flexible.

We don’t just go on holidays to make memories for the DC but to enjoy ourselves in the moment but possibly due to autism DS remembers holidays from around 2-3.

I think a key factor is how good they are at sleeping! Mine were both dreadful until about 2 and any holidays we went on exacerbated that. I didn't see the point of paying money to be even more tired and miserable than I was at home. We didn't enjoy it at all and half the time was spent splitting childcare so we could nap and try to catch up! It's much easier now they're a bit bigger and we have the energy to explore in the day.

If you think that it's expensive now and are planning on waiting until your elder is 5 you're in for a rude awakening - the jump in holiday costs from term time to school holidays is obscene; the same holiday will cost three times as much, as will the flights.

We've holidayed every year with our DC - travelling is important to us so we just took them with us. If it's not important to you or you're not fussed, you don't need a reason not to do it. But if you do want to even vaguely, then I'd look at it now, before you're tied to school holiday time. It's mostly same shit, different location in my experience - being abroad doesn't make that much difference to the parenting experience.

Mine are 2, 4 and just 6 and we've stayed in the uk every year since having them, sometimes a luxury stay in St Ives other times a sun holiday which is 3 days in a caravan. They have loved every single holiday and sometimes with young kids 3 days away from home is enough.

UK can be very overpriced. We have had lovely holidays away, including when kids were similar age to yours
Only worth it if you want to go isn't it?

They're amazing sleepers and have been from the beginning so I'm not worried about that.
I find the price Of holidays obscene in term time and holidays also, I rent so feel aggrieved to be paying for 2 different locations at once!
I think I feel pushed by my MIL to travel with the kids as she managed 3 small ones from
When they were just weeks old on her own, jet setting around the world.

Kids passports only last 5 years, I don’t think it is any different for under 5s.
We too eldest DS abroad when he was 13 months and again at 22 months but he was a very chilled out toddler. Second DS a very different child and we waited until he was 8 before taking him on a plane- couldn’t face the constant fidgeting and leaping around, it would not have been a holiday for us at all. We did nice cottages/apartments in Uk instead, very relaxed, no flights/ insurance (or sun cream lol) to worry about.

Ive taken dc abroad 2-3 times a year since they were 5m old. Elest now 7.

We domt stay in stupid priced AI hotels. We go with family and friends to spread the burden. Theres still a lot of the usual domestic work but lovely scenery, nice weather, great food, dc get so excited.

I have a stressful job so staying in the UK not sufficiently relaxing. Id end up working so i prefer to ring the changes and go abroad.

UK holidays are expensive and weather ruins it. Its jyst as much travel for me to go to Devon or Scotland driving as it is to fly to Spain.

I stick to shorthaul and minimum 10 nights to justify all the stress of packing.

Fair enough if you would rather save up to go on expensive hols when your dc are older thats your choice.

Im hoping to go longhaul and skiing again once both dc are over 8.

Love holidays. Life is too short not to try and have fun. Op must get their jollies a different way.

@ZenNudist we don't get any jollies that's kinda the point! The last 2 years (particularly the past 8 months) have been very hard on me and I haven't been able to leave the county barely.

Took DD4 and DS (18 months) last year to an all inclusive Med resort. DS would have been just as happy anywhere but DD adored it and has honestly spoken about it every week for the past year. Not the sort of holiday we used to go on before DC but we had a good time. There’s a lot to be said for a big resort with pools, restaurants, kids club etc right there when you have young kids. And a buffet restaurant with lots of choice is great if you have fussy eaters.

Did self catering the year before and it was a lot cheaper but cooking and cleaning just felt like the same drudgery as home

It's completely up to you and what feels best to do for you as a family OP. Personally, my DS was 9 weeks old when I took him on holiday for the first time (lone parent - went with my parents) 2.5 hour flight (Spain) for 10 days. It was lovely. He's been 4 times and is only 15 months now. I totally get where you're coming from tho as he's got older, most recent one being March this year wanting to walk around and be independent etc was much harder than when he was a baby. Breaks away in this country can be just as nice as somewhere that takes you a whole day of stress just to get there!!

Would be great to go with inlaws but my mum died recently and my inlaws are not keen on childcare.

I'm hoping to take DS away on my own in May/June (9-10 months old). Packing and travelling will be hard work but I'm hoping once there it will be much easier than being at home. All inclusive hotel so no cleaning or cooking. Daily visits to the outdoor pool (DS goes swimming classes so I know he will love it). Walk along the beach. Yes he won't remember it but he also won't remember the baby groups or day trips we do now. Doesn't mean I don't want to do nice things for him that he will enjoy in the moment.

I also want to take advantage of not having to pay a flight seat for him and being able to go in term time before he's 5. Then it really will get expensive.

DD was just 3 when she went abroad but has made up for it has we mostly went three/four times a year.
As we had previously enjoyed loads of holidays as a couple to far flung places we stuck to holidays in the UK for a couple of years.
This year she's going abroad with her boyfriend a week after her 18th. It's her first time going without us we're back to doing some holidays as a couple and going on a cruise. Might have a family holiday later on in the year.

Entirely up to you. Stay home if you want, travel if you want. Some children don’t go on holiday, some go to Blackpool, some to the alps and some to Thailand.

My DC, 4 years old has been to Malaysia at 10/12 weeks old, travelled the islands, and then shanghai and New Zealand. Think we will return to New Zealand and go to Borneo this year.

Debating Rome next weekend if I can find a deal because the weather is crap!!!

Aibu to say, we are not going abroad until they are at least 3 and 5 so the older one can have a longer lasting passport and my stress levels can be reduced !

Yanbu to take a few years off foreign trips if its no fun for you. The dc passport lasts 5 years from when you get it regardless.

Do find something else you can do to make your life feel fun again and you can look forward to. Having young kids is tough.

@Llanali sounds expensive !