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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU, cheeky fuckers - a holiday edition

353 replies

HolidayCF · 27/05/2018 19:24

On holiday with all my DC (5 of them), ages 15-3. Single parent. So a busmans holiday really.

2 days ago kids came back trailing another random kid. Happens every year, always kids with no siblings. No problem in theory, 5 kids 6 kids doesn’t make much difference. Then kid would NOT go away. Knocking on the chalet door at 8am, (parents smiling and waving from their decking) 😒, we left for the beach at 10am. An hr later kid turns up with his parents. They sit 50ms away and kid comes over to play.

So now in effect I’m watching their kid plus mine as they sunbathe and read all day. Sent him back at lunch. He comes back the second we stop eating. I send all kids over to his side to play. Mum then brings them back as her husband is asleep!

Again same thing today, kid came to the pool. Didn’t see his parents all day as presumably I’m supervising him? Asked him if his parents knew where he was, he said yes. I went back to his chalet (left teens watching kids) and asked them if they knew where he was. Parents sunning themselves on their deck. Mother at least had the good sense to look embarrassed and said ‘oh he’s loved playing with your lot, send him back if it gets too much’ WTF?! I kind of laughed and said well there is a lot of them, not sure I can supervise him too! She said oh he’s a brilliant swimmer don’t worry

Just finished dinner and he rocks up and starts playing outside with the younger ones. Got ice creams from the shop and couldn’t leave him out as he went with them. I can see the CFs sat two decks over drinking wine and reading.

AIBU to send all kids over there and lock my door for an hour 🤔. How long before they send them back do you reckon?

OP posts:
LagunaBubbles · 27/05/2018 23:18

Bloody hell he is 7 and there doesn't seem anything wrong with his behavior. I feel so sorry for him. A 7 year old is his parents dont give a fuck and your horrible nasty kids are laughing at him. What a horrible family you all seem

Congratulations Eatalot there is always someone who twists the post and tries to stick the knife into the OP no matter what. They dont seem horrible at all, she just wants a FAMILY holiday with her own FAMILY. She is not an unpaid childminder. What dont you understand about that?

Singlenotsingle · 27/05/2018 23:21

Poor kid's lonely.

GreenTulips · 27/05/2018 23:24

Poor kid's lonely

He has 2 parents
He's in holiday with new places to explore and new experiences to be had if his parents could be arsed

It OPs problem

GreenTulips · 27/05/2018 23:25

It's NOT OPs problem

SmallBlondeMama · 27/05/2018 23:25

Poor kid. Not his fault and he just wants to play with his little friends. Just keep sending your kids over there lol.

Original poster
HolidayCF · 27/05/2018 23:28

@Eatalot, ffs your his mum aren’t you? ShockWink

My teens are laughing at ME not him. They’ve all been playing with him for two days ffs. DS taught him how to dive yesterday and the rest of them cheered him on.

Sorry to burst your bubble but my DC would never sit there and laugh at some lonely kid 🙄

OP posts:
siwel123 · 27/05/2018 23:34

Well done OP.
See she isn't an evil lady.
What she wants is equal share of tasks. She has looked after this kid for days while his parents don't even loom after him or hers for a few hours.

tiddliewinkiewoo · 27/05/2018 23:35

I would be really annoyed at the parent's OP and would definitely ask for 'spends' if you were taking the child somewhere - I'd also tell them in no uncertain terms it's not OK to come knocking at 8 o'clock.

I see a little boy who is desperate for company - no it's not your job to provide it but I really couldn't begrudge him x

Eatalot · 27/05/2018 23:36

Leguna. I'm not twisting anything. I will ALWAYS empathise and stick up for the innocent child in a situation like this. Ues his parents are dicks. This is not his fault and to laugh at him being alone is deplorable. Send him home. Dont let him play with your kids. Just dont laugh at him. THIS IS NOT HIS FAULT!!!

Filzma · 27/05/2018 23:37

Shameless placemark Blush

deadringer · 27/05/2018 23:38

Of course he wants to play with your lot, it's not surprising is it. This happens to me all the time, (I have 5 DC too) it doesn't bother me at all but I don't take any responsibility for the random kid, wouldn't dream of putting sun cream on them or feeding them, and I wouldn't let them come into my holiday home either. They can play with my lot but that's it.

facelessvongorgeous · 27/05/2018 23:38

Oh my god, I can't believe someone suggested letting a small child get sunburnt because OP didn't want him to be there all the time. I completely understand her POV, but sunburn as a solution is fucking sickening.

Filzma · 27/05/2018 23:40

@Eatalot relax. OPs children were laughing at their mum not the young boy.

siwel123 · 27/05/2018 23:41

@eatalot. Maybe read Ops replies before accusing her again and again.

greenlanes · 27/05/2018 23:44

I'm a single parent of an "only" who struggles to make friends. So I am always so pleased (I mean tearful) if they make friends. But then I go over the top. I buy them and the buddies ice creams, sweets etc, let the kids play on and out of my garden, water fights, all the mess etc. Favour never returned. It is very hard when you have one to then deal with the chaos, noise, fighting of the more than one and siblings.

This has only been 2 days. Not long enough surely for the OP to get quite so worked up. The little boy sounds lovely. I just hope he manages to have a good holiday. PS I do agree about the pool and water. It is not appropriate for anyone to have to supervise another child then.

Eatalot · 27/05/2018 23:45

No op I would never leave my child alone. I play with my dc on holiday and have adopted many a new best friend on holiday. Funny enough it doesn't interfere with family time as I see family time as inclusive. Seeing my dc interact with other kids, particularly those from other countries, and learning new words etc is lovely to see. So no definitely not one of his parents.

Cheeseislife · 27/05/2018 23:49

With 5 dc you were hardly likely to catch a break though were you? So in the grand scheme of things how does 1 more ruin your hols? The parents are CF no doubt but I fail to see how this poor little sod deserves to be ostracised.

KeepServingTheDrinks · 27/05/2018 23:50

I totally agree with yorkshireyummymummy.

I also only have one child. We've totally changed what we (parents) would like about a holiday to suit her: We used to go to what the brochures described as "small and friendly" places, but now we go to fuck-off-huge resorts, where most people there are doing AI, where there's entertainment and organised games and - best of all - loads of families to befriend. But it's a MUTUAL thing. Their children (who usually squabble) all start getting on really well because of the altered dynamic. We all take turns to supervise and we've (on more than one holiday) ended up staying in touch with other families and keeping the friendships going.

As a different experience, we've always loved camping, and what we've found with that is that all the kids tend to go quite feral and disappear all together and come home to their separate tents for meals, bed, tlc, etc. (we go to quite basic campsites, though).

When I started reading this thread, I was a bit uh-oh... have I done this? but I honestly haven't, even though I HAVE read and drunk wine. I've never taken the piss like this couple do.

For example, when they sent the ch back (because a baby was sleeping nearby) a non-CF would be to come over and say "we're sending them back because there's a new-born next to us, but we'll take them to play cricket/have lunch/for an ice-cream/play on the beach tomorrow. Because they blatantly HAVEN'T done this, they are, I think CFs.

CCFs - Camping Cheeky Fuckers.

Or Campzillers!

Original poster
HolidayCF · 27/05/2018 23:58

Yes KeepServing, you’ve got it in one! As a general rule, I don’t mind an extra one running with the pack (and don’t expect other parents to watch all of mine at any point). But the general shooing over to me and lack of any CF acknowledgement is too far

OP posts:
KeepServingTheDrinks · 28/05/2018 00:01

There's great advice upthread, Holiday. You just have to be brave enough to channel some of it.

Good luck!

And here's some of the Wine that the CFs left for you. x

buckeejit · 28/05/2018 00:07

Let's get some more catchphrases in the bag for OP shall we for next time?

Return poor child & say 'surely it's not me turn to provide your family's childcare again today is it?'

'Perhaps you'd like to take your ds & 2 of mine tomorrow for a few hours so they have a change of scene from me?'

If they don't take the hint, go over en masse with

'So, we thought we'd all join you on your side for a while...'

Seriously shit OP, hope it improves. Love the French window girl story though! Grin

zzzzz · 28/05/2018 00:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhipItGood · 28/05/2018 00:36

With 5 dc you were hardly likely to catch a break though were you? So in the grand scheme of things how does 1 more ruin your hols? The parents are CF no doubt but I fail to see how this poor little sod deserves to be ostracised.

He’s being ostracised by his own parents. Not the op’s responsibility to entertain him just because she already has other dc. Anyway one constantly there more can alter the dynamic of family time and be a strain if they never want to go back.

GreenTulips · 28/05/2018 00:41

but sunburn as a solution is fucking sickening

Trained school staff aren't allowed to apply suncream - why should OP?

FWIW one of mine is seriously allergic to some creams and I wouldn't want her to suffer because someone decided to apply cream

Same will any allergies so feeding would be out of the question - not to mention medical needs.

Don't be afraid to get rid of the CFs I'm sure he can find a single play mate to entertain him. You didn't have 5 kids to make some ransoms holiday better.

icelolly99 · 28/05/2018 00:55

If he's only 7 why on earth is he allowed to go to the pool unsupervised by his parents?! Shock Poor lad. Enjoy your holiday with your children OP.

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