To never go on holiday again?

[IfyouseeRitaMoreno]

Too much heat. Too much waiting around at airport and various add on transports. Too much money spent. Too much responsibility. Too much trying to entertain technology addicted DC.

Too much time spent learning foreign language only to be responded to in English.

Admittedly having injury hasn’t helped. But really AIBU just to stay the fuck home next year and save my money?

The Isle of Man is lovely.

I sympathise, my first attempt at a proper abroad holiday with six year old dd has actually been a suc

Success but bloody hell, holidays with kids are so much harder aren't they? Maybe look into a different type of holiday next year?

I suppose it depends on where you live.
I rarely go on holiday because I live n a clearing in the woods just outside a popular tourist destination.
I just go out back or down to the beach with a good book and put my feet up.

Cruise but go Royal Carribbean. P&O definitely a bit like a floating holiday camp, Royal gives you lots more chances to avoid the joining in stuff and just enjoy the stuff on board at your own pace.

We paid £1k per person for a week in the fjords but this was a balcony room, so one of the best you can get without going into fancy suites etc.

You can book to dine just the two of you if you don’t want to do the communal sit with whoever turns up dining but I have always found everyone makes friendly conversation as everyone is in the same boat (no pun intended, honest...).

There will be two types of days; sea days where you are out on the ocean all day. No phon signal, definitely no wifi, spend the day enjoying the ship (ice rink, climbing wall, table tennis, pool table, gym, swimming pool, sports courts, reading on deck, either to do with the kids club or together as a family).

On port days definitely get off the ship. Will have phone signal and wifi here but also plenty to see and do so do research on each port and either book the organised excursions or go it alone. Tend to find that in major cities going it alone is cheaper, easier and you see more but some of the smaller ports, an excursion will help you get to see and do more.

@IfyouseeRitaMoreno

"Thanks for reminding me of that."

You're welcome. Sounds like it is necessary.

"I’m sure you’re the perfect parent, Little Miss Smarty Pants."

I don't think so. I bet I have my flaws. Letting my children ruin a holiday because of poor parenting isn't one of them though.

Thanks for the biscuit. I'm starving.

Letting my children ruin a holiday because of poor parenting isn't one of them though.

He hasn’t ruined my holiday. He’s just been hard to entertain that’s all. I don’t think that’s a sign of poor parenting.

Thanks to the many other more supportive posts. I’ll definitely look into Cruises for next year

I just hate holidays at all!! They make me anxious, I get bored and always think everyone else is having a better time than me.
I’ve compromised since we had dc and we go to a yurt in Wales and do lots of festivals instead.
Now DH is life limitingly ill it’s our first holiday like this... may not work but as he can’t fly it’ll have to.
Re. the tech addicted dc. Your honesty is refreshing. Never mind the haterz. 😏

Sulflower that actually sounds worse than Kos and I never thought I would say that

I'd love to go on a cruise. But as a single person (no kids) it's simply not affordable.

I loathe flying, and have only done it three times and I'm 44. I couldn't do it on my own, I need someone's calming influence. Not too bad on the plane, I found last time, it was totally the hanging around airports ages before the flights. Especially when the plane we were due to get on was 90 minutes late arriving which just made me wonder "what's wrong with it?"

..Travelling is culture it doesnt have to be the usual drivel of boring all inclusive holidays it can be all fun and totally mind opening journey of learning and letting then use their young brilliant creative minds to entertain themselves, going to museums and exploring different climates and way of life for others and benefiting from the sun at the right hours doing all kinds of activities and using their imaginations to expand their mind in meeting other kids from different backgrounds in a new setting. Gosh glad I grew up in the 80's and yes I have an older child who is now working in Abu Dhabi. Being addicted to anything is very unhealthy for future so get him out of that 😁been abroad with all of mine and they loved it. As for the airports all part of the fun.

Lol at the airport in some countries being part of the fun. They are so not.

DS also has 'aspie based paranoia' about children his age and as a new teenager is also now mortified by us on a regular basis It is very very hard to find something that we will all enjoy so we haven't really cracked holidays either .

What does work best though is to let DS have technogy. We have bought his PS4 to the cottage we are ib, though he still has to leave his phone out of his bedroom at night ( this is for everyone s sanity.) We all suffer if DS does not get enough sleep.

He is expected.to come on any day trips but we consult him as to which ones he would like to go on. Most of them he enjoys though not all admittedly but on the whole we don't nag about technology and it makes life easier all round.

To be honest often the biggest problem is DHs need to be out of the house from morning to night doing stuff whereas I like to alternate a busy day or two with one doing very little and lazing around a bit.

We generally keep the holidays short ( not my ideal as the packing and unpacking is a faff but needs must).

This year we are in the isle of man in a cottage for a week, though we do have family here. We spent 5 days in an Itallian city visiting my family in April and are going to Amsterdam for 5 days at the end of August.

@Shatnerswig I'd love to go on a cruise. But as a single person (no kids) it's simply not affordable.

Have a look for last minute deals, there are quite often good ones out there - we've just come back from a cruise and they were selling tickets up to 2 days before with either credit towards trips, free drinks packages and so on.

@fartyghost I've looked into it several times. Generally a single traveller pays the same price as a couple would. I have occasionally seen them at about 3/4 of the couple price, but that's still expensive. Best I ever saw last minute was a single person paying 2/3 of a couples price.

I don't drink much so I don't care about free drinks packages. I just want to pay a reasonable price for the cruise itself, and not have to basically pay for an additional person.

shatners most ships have a few single cabins but they get booked the minute they go on sale so unless you want to plan two years in advance it’s going to be expensive. How old are you? Sorry to ask but Fred Olsen have no single supplement on loads of sailings but it’s definitely a certain age range that they cater for

@EnglishGirlApproximately Yes, but even those single cabins that get snapped up two years in advance are STILL considerably more than the per person price of a couple. Been looking at this for years and regularly check up on it. I'm 44. And I loathe flying, so we're talking sailings to and from Southampton.

You can't really compare a NT teen with an aspie teen though. So many of these posts are not taking into account that the OP is a lone parent with a DC who has social anxiety and other issues that need to be taken into account. OP I would ask for recommendations on the SEN boards too, because cruises aren't for everyone and those singing the praises of cruises seem to have DC who enjoy the kids' clubs and activities, whereas you've said your DS doesn't like hanging out with other kids.

Wow! Thanks for the continuing replies, and the understanding from Juneau.

Re the techno thing, I’d say as an aspie who finds it hard to relate to kids in RL it does more good than harm. He is not afraid to communicate with people as part of his internet community and the stuff he is “addicted” to isn’t gaming but ..bizarrely.. political and current affairs videos, as well as geographical facts and linguistics.

It’s actually the only thing we have in common and when I catch him on a good day we’ll have amazing chats. But he has a fear of speaking in public because well social anxiety as Juneau noted.

Well that was an outpouring! You really have made me feel so much better with your replies. Thank you

The french are very good at making you feel shit when you attempt to speak their language. But as you said non-touristy areas they're friendlier.

I’m all for keeping holidays as easy as possible. For us that means food on tap, a good pool / beach and activities.
Find what does it for you and no guilt

Although airports do mar it slightly in return but I try to block it out

shatners Fred Olsen really aren’t that much more but at 44 you’d be the youngest on there by about thirty years!

I have never taken my kids abroad. I have no need to, no desire to. Plane delays, hot sweaty weather, my eczema itching like mad, sand everywhere, 3red head kids in factor 50 (why pay for sun if they cant be out enjoying it), DH sitting in the shade.... i can go on.
Give me the UK any day. Within 5-6 hiurs drive of home. Bliss!

Why leave the country? U.K. Weather had been amazing this year. Even April was sunny. We've an airbnb booked for a week, seaview apartment thats cheaper but much nicer than a caravan.

We tour. Go over on the ferry. Use municipal campsites and travel where on Earth you want. No airports, you can do a Lidl shop in most European countries for stuff to cook for dinner. You can still get local delicacies for treats without the restaurant prices and you aren’t tied down to one scheduled trip.

Having a quiet laugh at the parent of a 5 and 7 year old telling a mum of a teenager how it's done. Come back in ten years and say sorry.