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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To never take my children on holiday again.

175 replies

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 30/08/2018 21:11

Argh. So pissed off. Kids are 7 and 4, have taken them to the Lakes for a supposedly fun week.

The 7 year has done nothing but whine, the four year old keeps dissolving into temper tantrums. They aren’t sleeping well at night but are still up early in the morning.

I’ve had enough, I normally take loads of pictures on holiday but there’s hardly any on my phone as there aren’t any I really want to remember.

I’m seriously considering no holidays for the next two years at least.

OP posts:

BellyDancer124 · 30/08/2018 21:13

Sounds dreadful, sorry OP.

TomHardysNextWife · 30/08/2018 21:15

Lots of long walks OP. Tire them into submission.

Holidays are a myth with kids. You merely transport the chaos of your life somewhere else for a week

User5trillion · 30/08/2018 21:16

Similar situation here, we came home early. Only blessing is it was a cheap camping trip and not a £4500 week in the sun

Original poster

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 30/08/2018 21:17

Lots of long walks OP. Tire them into submission

We’ve done that. They whined most of the way round. Kids have bags of physical energy but are clearly sleep deprived.

OP posts:

Needahairbrush · 30/08/2018 21:20

Sounds rubbish, I don’t blame you either. I’ve had the same with teens, I’m not going away next year with them it’s like a punishment for all of us 🙈

OpalIridescence · 30/08/2018 21:21

Holidays with kids are an endurance test. As PP said you transport the chaos of your life somewhere else, except you are not set up for it all in new location.

My kids do not sleep well on holiday so evenings are spent trying to them to go to sleep. Then up early in the morning leading to feeling exhausted whilst you shlep round spending a fortune, chasing off wasps and pretending its all lovely.

Does anybody have older children? I am hopeful that once they are over 8/9 holidays become actual holidays?

OpalIridescence · 30/08/2018 21:21

Coffeeisnecessary · 30/08/2018 21:21

It's hell isn't it? And then you look on social media at all these lovely holiday snaps of other people #soblessed and #livingtheirbestlives urgh.

Butterymuffin · 30/08/2018 21:23

Only go somewhere where there will be other kids / activities so you don't have to entertain them 24/7.

Original poster

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 30/08/2018 21:23

Thanks for listen to me whine - while I complain about my whiny kids

It’s just not fun is it?

And now I feel guilty for not “enjoying my kids”. I can’t wait till the little devils go back to school (or start school).

OP posts:

CripsSandwiches · 30/08/2018 21:23

God it does sound like a nightmare. With young kids it's always a bit of a tightrope weighing up the fun you might have on holiday with the stress the change of routine and location has on some kids! For what it's worth my MiL and FiL always talk about one camping holiday they had where the kids behaved dreadfully the whole time - they describe the whole thing as a giant nightmare. My husband doesn't remember any of that and has really fond memories of the trip!

BluebirdHill · 30/08/2018 21:24

I have a 9 yo and can confirm it's better now. Early years holidays were bloody hard work.

Want2bSupermum · 30/08/2018 21:25

Oh I hear you. I have a 7,5. &2 year old. My SIL is visit from Denmark. We live over the water from Manhattan so it's not like there is nothing to do. I've told DH I'm driving the kids to Canada tomorrow morning for the long weekend and staying with my godmother. My SIL is on my last nerve. Her passive aggressive bullshit will be getting its own thread shortly.

WhatAmISupposedToBeDoing · 30/08/2018 21:25

What did you do in the Lakes? I don't think that there are many small kids who enjoy holidays other than the running in and.out of the sea/jumping in and out of the pool kind. Going for Walks and Sightseeing just isn't fun until you're in your 30s at that age.

Onlyme100 · 30/08/2018 21:25

I had the same issue last year ...came back more stressed and certainly defeated the whole point of a holiday, however, this year, I threatened them both that severe actions would be taken if behaviour was not sorted. It worked a treat ... Good luck xxx

CripsSandwiches · 30/08/2018 21:26

For what it's worth two weeks ago I felt like we were the only family in the whole world who found travelling stressful - waiting at the gate first one and then other (who is old enough to know better!) shouting and crying over whose drink was whose aaaahhhh. Then the siblings behind us on the plane spent the entire time taking it in turns punching each other and crying to their mum "I didn't do anything to him/her and he/she just hit me" and I realised we're definitely not the only one.

Babybearsporij · 30/08/2018 21:27

Mine were the same the last couple of weeks of holiday. Plus started bickering and fighting with each other. I was so grateful when they went back to school this week!

Original poster

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 30/08/2018 21:27

I have a 9 yo and can confirm it's better now. Early years holidays were bloody hard work

I’m clinging to this. It’s the whining that really gets to me. I think I’m going to video the seven year old and play it back to her. Can someone please tell me the whining gets better with time.

OP posts:

Nanny0gg · 30/08/2018 21:27

^^This

ThePinkOcelot · 30/08/2018 21:28

I don’t know how many years I had said, right that’s it, we’re getting the next flight home!
They’re 17 and 14 now but still argue most of the time. 17 year old will be 18 next year and is going with her boyfriend 😪

MrsJayy · 30/08/2018 21:30

You need to take them to a caravan park with cheesey entertainment for the next few years just for some peace going on holiday with young kids is like herding cats! We used to do long weekends or tuesday to fridays when mine were that age or go to Haven

Original poster

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 30/08/2018 21:32

What did you do in the Lakes

The walks involved lots of pond skimming / making bridges. Which they really enjoyed.

They went to the Peter Rabbit play, the chocolate factory, Tree top walk thing & crazy golf. I threatened them with the pencil museum in Keswick but they said they wanted to go - weirdos

OP posts:

Thesearepearls · 30/08/2018 21:36

Does anybody have older children? I am hopeful that once they are over 8/9 holidays become actual holidays

Yes mine are adult now. This means they dont come on holidays with us and therefore we get a holiday :)

I'm only partly joking TBH. Although New York was fun with teens. DD would never get out of bed before midday and that was a bit painful throughout the 13-18 phase.

Plus with teens you can't do the walking/hiking them into submission. They just refuse lovely long hikes.

OpalIridescence · 30/08/2018 21:37

Tryingtogetitright · 30/08/2018 21:39

Sorry you've had a bad time. Mine are 3 and 1 and I dream of the holidays we used to have before them!

I loved the pencil museum!! Went because the rain was torrential and was surprisingly impressed!

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