To want to throw myself off our hotel balcony?

[Cisforcat]

We are on holiday with our normally reasonably behaved 3 yr old and 4 yr old and in our second week.

First week one set of grandparents were here and there were a few tantrums but nothing too major which we put down to tiredness from heat and being active all day.

They normally sleep 7-7 so as they are going to bed at around 9.30 ish we have enforced a 2 hr afternoon nap so getting reasonable amounts of sleep as they aren't waking until around 8-8.30 am.

The last few days we have had tantrums galore. Defiance at EVERYTHING , back chatting and general feral behaviour. It was my birthday one day and I didn't get any dinner as had to remove one feral animal from the dining area for absolutely unacceptable behaviour and a full on tantrum on the floor where literally everyone was watching. Queue me ending my birthday in tears and at my wits end. That's not to mention the toilet accidents they have seemed to have everyday. No idea where that has come from!

AIBU to feel like my children are the only ones to behave so unusually badly and never want to go on holiday again?
I'm embarrassed but most importantly so disappointed that they are ruining the one event I look forward to every year where I don't have to wash/cook/ clean and work on top of spending quality time with my family.

You have my sympathy Op, it's not easy. I didn't find it any easier as teens. They just seemed to want to sit in the hotel room playing on their laptops etc. At £500 a week it was infuriating!

Thanks for reminding me why we only book adult only resorts as a child free couple. 😂

We have one DS age 2, this year our holidays will consist of one 4 night stay at center parcs with friends, a four night stay in Dorset with PIL (Sun holiday, caravan park, cost about £100), week at Center Parcs with PIL and my DM.

My DH is a hideous traveller, no way I'm dealing with the pair of them on foreign soil for at least 5 years and then it will be Eurocamp, France or Spain until further notice!

I agree Lilliangish - have always loved my holidays with my kids. They are teenagers and I know I don’t have many left with them. I love the quality time just sitting around with them, in the pool, puddling, wave jumping, jumping in the pool etc. I will miss my family holidays.

Alanamackree your first paragraph sums it up so perfectly there is nothing more I can say!! Thanks for making me chuckle!

Aaahhh chocolateworshipper I feel your pain re holidays with older teenagers.
The lack of reliable WiFi, always staying in the room, not wanting to come for meals, not wanting to 'join in', being moody, making friends with other older teens and hanging out til early hours so you are searching hotel grounds at 1am for them, jumping into pool late at night having drank some lagers fun - cause your too old to remember fun.....😒

We won't try a sitting round the pool holiday in a warm country for a few years. We have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and just got back from Butlins. Perfect for the children and we enjoyed a drink in the apartment when they were asleep. We spent most of the time on the beach, at the funfair and on the playground. We kept their bedtime fairly normal. There was still a few meltdowns and my eldest had a few accidents but it was great.

Blimey - am I the only person to have actually enjoyed holidays with my dcs?

No. Far from it. In fact I can't understand why you would think that.

I’m secretly hoping they’ll still be up for the odd family holiday because they are such good company

I have great family holidays even though the children all have their own children now. Last year it was 10 days away - about 27 of us all under the same roof. We even had in-laws with us. Not everyone was there for the whole time though because of work commitments - but everyone got to where we were all based (a 9 hour flight away from home) for at least 4 nights. They also have their own holidays but quite often they'll go off with another sibling and their family as well as with friends. And I still love to take my 3 eldest grandchildren away on holiday as well - the others are still too young.

This is us on a normal day 😂😂 but everyone says after a holiday with kids you need another holiday ha ha. Get some consequences in, they piss about... no pool! No fun! Nothing! X

Two weeks def too long at that age.
They’re prob missing grandparents
They’re tired & want to get back to routine
Bored round the pool every day
Mine didn’t like kids club at those ages esp ds. We tried!
You don’t have to holiday in the uk, but I would recommend self-catering as much more flexible.

The first time we took dd to an AI holiday abroad she had just turned 5. It was a lovely time and she had a wail of a time. I think the differences were she’s an only child so more parental attention, we had a family afternoon nap every day and she accepted this to enable her to stay awake for the mini disco and because she has always listened to me. She’s one of those children you could always have an adult conversation with. That’s not to say she’s a pushover, she’s very challenging at times. She’s nearly 10 now. I don’t think holidays with her in terms of difficulty have changed much. She still needs to be watched in the pool from a safety perspective due to a medical condition.

Holidays with children are a lot of work and tiring. My dh has been a star on that front as I’m chronically ill and took the lions share of the childcare although I was a bit better back then and we did all have fun as a family.

JustDance
Good point. We only went for a week at a time.

And now mine are mid-teens we are braving long-haul for the first time! I know ds will have his moments on holiday as he still likes a good moan at age 14, but it should be ok.

Why change their bedtime routine just because you’re on holiday? If it works normally then stick with it. As others have said, holidays with small children are just parenting in a different location so do what you usually do but with exciting daytime activities

It was a lovely time and she had a wail of a time

A really apt typo 😊

aw I'm sorry you've had a crap time away. I quite like taking my DC away but they have their moments and relaxing it's not, but I do value the change of scenery. They are 3 and 5 now and we are going away next week but have done it twice a year (shorthaul) since the littlest was a few months. To make it easier we:

Get a two bedroom apartment (kids share but not with us!) with a shared pool and a pool bar where you can buy sandwiches and ice cream. Ensure said apartment is as close to the beach as possible. There is nothing relaxing about being in one room in a hotel!

Only go for a week - they have had enough by then

Load up the ipad / phone for the aeroplane journey

Go self catering - for us this is less stress. They can have their usual cereal and toast for breakfast as soon as they get up - no waiting around getting hungry and grumpy.

If you're out, be prepared to come back for a couple of hours in the middle of the day for some down time. take a few little toys.

Be very near a strip of restaurants which are geared towards tourism to a certain extent - in these places the kids can have pizza and pasta every day if they want and DH and I can still choose something local. Eat early, like by 5pm so they are winding down by 6ish and not overtired and miserable before sleeping.

Go on boat trips! They seem to be entranced by these and are always quiet!

Our best holidays have been in family friendly locations on Greek islands - the Greeks love children and are very tolerant of normal child-like behaviours that can feel embarrassing to the parents.

Oh yes, brain not working properly at all! .

I think I read this on Twitter once about downtime with young kids being about ‘as relaxing as showering with cats.’

Courage, OP. This Too Shall Pass.