To never take my children on holiday again.

[MyBrexitUnicornDied]

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.

I feel your pain, and have done exactly what you are considering..

The last holiday I took my DD’s on was in 2016, and I have no plans to go anywhere with them next year either. Our last trip - and the two in 2015 - were ruined by their whinging, demanding and downright ridiculous & ungrateful behaviour! so my DH & I decided they weren’t getting another holiday till they deserve one (still waiting).

Having said that though, my DD’s are older, yours are at an age still where changes to their routine can be very stressful for them - maybe stick to low-key UK breaks for a couple of years & then try again

DrWhy of course

Ours are 6 & 9 and mostly good about holidays now, I find the first evening/day is worst for whining takes them a bit to get into the pace of the holiday.

We just got back from a week camping and they both loved it - yes there was some moaning/whining but they were overtired for most of the trip (late nights and lots of activity during the day).

I'm lucky that mine love the beach and will stay there all day. Pretty happy at the campsite too with biking around or reading or colouring/playing games etc.

I am dreading the teen years when they become bored by everything!

When ds was an only - until he was 6 - we had great holidays. We just catered to him so he was always happy, one of us would play with him whilst the other had a break etc. Lovely times.

Now we have dd - 2- and have just come back from our first holiday abroad and all now 9 year old ds has done is WHINGE. Mainly that the hotel internet wasn’t fast enough. He wanted to sit all day in the room watching YouTube videos and moaned every time he was parted from his iPad. It was Hard Work. We were abroad but it was all ‘boring’. The pool was boring too. The beach was boring. Going anywhere was boring. It was all so boring apart from playing minecraft and watching YouTube.

I know lots of people recommend Eurocamp but the kids clubs/ noise : busyness isn't for everyone. We don't enjoy it. Our kids would but holidays are for the whole family so we find a balance.

You are over-simplifying the situation: Eurocamp have accommodation on a huge range of sites. We always went for some really peaceful ones, amongst others. It just means that children can have the freedom to wander fairly safely and make friends - not necessarily at an organised kids club, but just at the pool or play park.

This is a beautiful and peaceful campsite we have stayed at several times. Busy at peak times around the main pool, but very calm and peaceful overall, and with plenty of regional culture on offer.

www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/tuscanycentralitalyelba/in018-parco-delle-piscine/ataglance.html

You are over-simplifying the situation: Eurocamp have accommodation on a huge range of sites

No doubt. But that doesn't make it everyone's ideal holiday. I like to visit some European countries that do not have Eurocamp and if I'm on holiday I like privacy and a large apartment.

I am not saying Eurocamp isn't great, it just isn't for everyone and there are a wide range of things you can do for a holiday.

Mine were doing my head in the last few weeks of term before we went away, so I suppose my expectations were low, but I think our week in a Eurocamp-type place in France went brilliantly.

There was some whining and arguing, but there would be wherever we went and whatever we did in fairness. Ds2 is a fiend for tech and YouTube, but managed fine without it - much to my surprise. Pool was great, simple food went down well, amazingly in the case of quite-fussy ds2, and we did a cliff-top walk every evening, which sounds dull as shit, but I got round it by buying them a gum thing from the bar before we set off and that seemed to be enough of a draw for them as they'd never had stuff from those machines before(11&9). I loved the scenery, ds2 loved posing a la Ariana Grande on the rock formations and ds1 talked my ear off as usual. Every now and then I would say, 'look how beautiful it is !'and they gave a quick glance and said 'yeah.' Other kids we saw (not that many tbf) were taking photos etc while mine were doing as above or wrestling each other and grabbing each other's chins to form 'butt-chins', but we enjoyed it in our way I feel.

The major whine was the boat trip we took, which ds2 took against and spent whining that he didn't want to sit outside. I ignored him because I did. He was miserable as fuck throughout, but I caught him sneaking several furiously furtive looks at the puffins, so I'm sure he enjoyed it after a fashion and may well remember it.

What I mean is, some a lot of whining doesn't mean it was an unmitigated disaster and I really don't believe in sacrificing everything you want to do to make dc happy, as it may not even work out anyway. I'm betting most of the pre-teen dc who've had a moan and whine on their various holidays have basically enjoyed them.

It just means that children can have the freedom to wander fairly safely and make friends - not necessarily at an organised kids club, but just at the pool or play park.

@CharltonLido73 you're over simplifying it!! For people who have kids with disabilities / SN this just isn't feasible. There's no way I could let DS2 out of my eyesight. I'm sure it's a great holiday for some people but not everyone!

I agree that in among the moaning there's hopefully glimmers of "this is an Instagram worthy we all love each other" moment of wonderfulness.

I think it is about lowering your own expectations of how wonderful it will be. They will have good memories - they'll forget the whining, etc and remember some of the good bits.

Yes!! I was about to post something v similar myself. I love the lakes, lots of things to entertain little ones and It sounds like you’ve made a real effort to do child friendly activities with the fun walks and playgrounds etc and that your children HAVE enjoyed it (and hopefully you did too). At the same time, it’s ok for them to get a bit tired and Whingey and want a chill. That means you get one too!

Have you tried any divide and conquer? Each parent takes a child each to give them a bit of space form each other? And with individual parental attention, nicer behaviour may follow....

And just to throw in my holiday suggestions, another vote for Eurocamp! Definitely different things work for different people - I’d love a city break but it would be a disaster with my two boys.

Mozzchops: your Dd is the problem here. She is undermining you and geeing up the younger ones.

I would throw her out.

I always find the Disneyland/Paris adverts amusing

Happy smiling children and relaxed laughing adults what a crock of s h*t

Lots of children who are over excited = lots of whining and stressed miserable looking parents

I have always found the more freedom and less planned activities da has the happier and easier it is for me

@CharltonLido73 you're over simplifying it!! For people who have kids with disabilities / SN this just isn't feasible. There's no way I could let DS2 out of my eyesight. I'm sure it's a great holiday for some people but not everyone!

I'm sorry you are in this position. However, the OP may not be, and might like to consider such for the years to come. Up to their teenage years, my kids, and plenty of other families I know, loved this kind of break, for the reasons I outlined above.

We gave daughter the choice: to have holidays, or animals.
She chose animals. Dogs, ponies, fish, guniea pigs, chickens.
I think it's the cheaper easier option. Now she's old enough to pay for her own holidays (but still chooses not to go).

Knotsinmay are you joking?!

Ariela, so you've never had a family holiday?

Not since daughter was 5, no. Too many animals here to feed/walk/ride/look after now.
We do plenty of weekends away, and daughter has done various trips where we go away for competitions, pony club camp etc. Luckily grandparents house by the beach which meant loads of beach trips, relatives and friends around the country, but not holidays as such.
We don't feel at all like we've missed out! None of us are fond of air travel, and we still have masses of the UK to explore.

Ditto PP really not fun we have 7 and 8 year old D'S. We rent a cottage near beach and alternate days trips out. Afraid holidays aren't fun for parents but this year I can see light at end of tunnel.

BigSandtBalls I’m not sure.
I read MozzChops’ other thread. All week she has been really ill and made unhappy by the constant fighting of all 3 kids. Mozz has paid for her 22 year old Dd to go on holiday with her, and she has sided with her younger siblings geeing them up to behave badly all week, ruining Mozz’s holiday, rather than using her maturity to calm the other two down.

So yeah, a stunt like letting her 14 and 9 year old brothers have a good laugh over drawing a dick on their mum’s back? I would be very tempted to throw her out, yes.

Sympathies OP. Laughed out loud at Chocolateworshiper’s comment about teenagers on holiday. Ours in Spain a few weeks ago: used almost all their data within the first week, argued over whose turn it was to have the charging block. Would take hours to get ready for going out to dinner, and then ask to eat at the local McDonald’s.

Knotsinmay - can you direct me to mozzchops thread please? Can't find it.

Fattyboom: it’s in Chat and called ‘I have had enough of my DCs on this holiday ‘ . Last week of August.

Hang on in there OP, it does get better.......

DC are 8.5 and 10 and this year I finally feel like we ALL got a holiday! They didn’t struggle with late nights, different food and all that. We did a mixture of sightseeing and pool/beach time which worked well.

We had 3 days in Florence which was probably their limit for city type stuff (which they did actually really enjoy!) then a few days in Tuscany with a pool and loads of space to run around. Then a few days in Rome - we only did one big attraction a day then had gentle walks around, stopping for ice creams in a park etc. Although we went to the Vatican and saw all the amazing artwork and sculptures and when I asked my 8 year what his favourite bit has been he said “looking at all the bums”!!!! But still at least he was happy?!!

It does get better, OP. My youngest is 8 and our holiday this year managed to be relaxing, fun and enjoyable for all of us, but I know exactly how you feel - I remember it well.

Having said that, apart from a week in Haven, this year was our first holiday in 3 years, due to financial reasons.

When they were younger, it seemed really hard work - the DCs generally enjoyed it but us adults would rather have been at home.

Our worst holidays were in the transitionary period when our eldest DC was still legally obliged to come with us, but didn't want to hang around with younger siblings or parents(huge age gap).

Once she reached the age where she was old enough to stay at home, things started to look up.

This year, even the eldest would've joined us, and loved it if she couldn''ve got the time off work.

It's a phase, and will get better. But YY to all the photos on social media .

At that age holidays were all inclusive. Greece/Turkey.
Hotel pool with a waterslide.

Bliss. No cooking, no shopping and kids were always exhausted at bedtime after a day swimming.

I'm amazed no-one has mentioned festivals as fantastic holidays for everyone. When you say festivals everyone thinks of the big music festivals like Glastonbury and Reading but there are thousands of smaller festivals, family festivals, children ones - all sorts.

At music festivals the kids area keeps them amused all day whilst you sit chilling and glow sticks at night - lots of other kids to play with and no they don't get lost.

At small family festivals we pack a bag with sandwiches etc and our 9 year old goes off all day with other kids and comes back when he is hungry or it gets dark. These are by far his favorite events of the year.

3 year old does craft activities and plays with other toddlers on play equipment etc.

We went to 5 this year - total of 25 nights. Tickets cost £950 and we spent an additional £750.

You do need to own camping equipment though!! I know this is not for everyone but I took my children from age 2 &3 until they were at university - gradually switching to music based ones as they got older. They now choose these as holidays for their own children.