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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my holiday with 3yo and 1yo will be anything but relaxing?! Give me your tips please!

44 replies

Zara85 · 27/12/2018 20:55

Going abroad in June for the first time with DH and our 2 boys who will be just 3 and just 1.
Please give me your best tips. Are trunki's worth their money?
Do we need a pushchair for 3yo? Anything you would recommend we take?
We have booked a very family friendly all inclusive holiday in majorca with kids clubs, kids evening entertainment and kids splash pools etc.
Have tried looking for boards with this kind of advice but can't find anything!

OP posts:
MaraScottie · 27/12/2018 20:57

If you can borrow/rent a double buggy, I would. The heat and all the activities will probably mean your 3 year old will get tired and it's very handy for naps during the day.

iwillgetout · 27/12/2018 20:59

Loads of trunkis second hand on Facebook selling pages - we picked one up for £5 and my 3 year old loved it. Bring a buggy for the little one to nap in, you can take it through the airport first which is a godsend. Also set expectations REALLY LOW and you'll be pleasantly surprised how nice a time you have

MaraScottie · 27/12/2018 21:00

Also, a tiny paddling pool (pick one up cheaply in local supermarket) for your balcony (if you have one) is a lifesaver. Kids can play in the shade with cups/buckets/watering cans/boats during lunchtime when the sun is at its hottest while you sit and relax!

Milkmachine15 · 27/12/2018 21:05

Definitely a buggy, out baby carrier came in super handy too when we went away with ours at that age! You can buy little inflatables on eBay aswell that go in the footwell on the plane and they’re honestly a godsend as kids have a bit more room to move on the plane with them there!

EwItsAHooman · 27/12/2018 21:15

A buggy for sure, and the little paddling pool - it also doubles as a make-shift bath tub if your children don't like a shower.

Buy a bottle of your favourite booze at duty free and pack some cards/a game you and DH like then if the DC need an early night you can sit on your balcony with a drink and some entertainment.

If you have a fridge in your room with a freezer shelf, put bottles of water in the freezer overnight. They'll be solid by morning and will gradually defrost so you'll have cold water to drink all day.

Lower your standards and relax (some of) your usual rules. If the DC only want to eat chips for dinner, let them eat chips. If they're only interested in the pool and the beach, go to the pool and the beach. You're on holiday too so ask yourself if it's worth the stress to make them eat a vegetable or trawl round some ancient ruins,

CMOTDibbler · 27/12/2018 21:19

I think trunkis aren't worth it - if you are using it for a tired child their feet drag on the ground, if you have to carry them they are really awkward, and they don't hold much for the size. Take carry on stuff in a rucksac for you and dh instead leaving your hands free to deal with children.
Take two cheap umbrella fold buggys, then you can both push them and have more space for carrying stuff around too.

Member869894 · 27/12/2018 21:20

honestly my advice would be to stay at home and save the money until they can swim so you can relax on a sun lounger

Milkmachine15 · 27/12/2018 21:24

Also agree with pp about the trunkies!! Total nightmare and waste of money!!

Cranky17 · 27/12/2018 21:27

Just have really low expectations, and embrace it will be more of the same but hotter and you’ll be fine

StoppinBy · 27/12/2018 21:31

If you don't mind the idea of babywearing I would recommend buying a ring sling and learning to use it before you go away, they are so small that they fi in your bag and will help you to navigate areas that are really crowded much easier than when using a pram.

Structured carriers are great for lengthy baby wearing if you can back carry but you can't go past a ring sling for portability.

StoppinBy · 27/12/2018 21:33

As it's going to be hot I would look at something like the bali breeze, just pop a little padding under bubs legs as the fine mesh does tend to leave marks on them no matter if they are in it correctly or not.

Amanduh · 27/12/2018 21:34

I’ve only got one admittedly so it’s nowhere near the same but I HATE it when every ‘holiday with kids’ thread is ohhh it isn’t fun with kids, it’s not the same, you’ll need early nights, it’s not worth it, it’s a nightmare blah blah blah. Last two years holidays with a baby and then a toddler have been bloody brilliant. Enjoyed every moment. Laid on the loungers as I usually would, had more enjoyment in the pool, took him out every evening and drank cocktails. I agree with take a buggy, let them eat what they want, and relax! Don’t have low expectations, we never want to come home!

Fatted · 27/12/2018 21:36

Having a similar age gap with my two boys, I honestly couldn't imagine anything worse at that age! I'd consider it now they're 3 and 5.

trilbydoll · 27/12/2018 21:36

Too small for trunkis I think. Unless you have very chilled out dc don't attempt to recreate your child free holidays and expect to lounge round the pool all day, while drinking your AI allowance!

Our holiday looked like this:
Breakfast
Swim / beach
Walk somewhere for lunch
Dc asleep in pushchair for the walk back
Swim / beach
Dinner

We have had some lovely holidays and relaxed but I do consistently do 15k steps per day on them!

halfwitpicker · 27/12/2018 21:38

I'm with fatted

Original poster
Zara85 · 27/12/2018 21:46

It's booked and paid so too late to cancel!
We are really looking forward to it I just need some tips to help make it less stressful. The advice so far has been great. Love the small pool on balcony idea.

@milkmachine what do you mean about the inflatables for footwell of the plane?
Sounds intriguing!

OP posts:
IndianaMoleWoman · 27/12/2018 21:49

We took ours to Majorca at exactly the same ages.

It was great! Yes, not like before but still fun.

Definitely take a buggy, umbrella fold that you can take all the way to the gate and go through the fast lane at airport security.

Don’t make heaps of plans. We had two “poorly” days where our girls ended up just relaxing in the room/balcony. If you have iPads/phones maybe pre-download a few of their favourite shows just in case.

Make up two bags of new, cheap toys/crayons/snacks etc. - one for the journey out, one for the return.

Cheap UV tent off Amazon for the beach/pool, complete with cheap paddling pool inside.

Hand sanitiser he l is really handy to get greasy sun cream off your hands (you’ll be applying it a lot!)

For the journey, if you can I’d really recommend getting extra leg room seats. Ours just sat on the floor after take off playing with toys. Various other (CF!) parents were wandering up and down the aisles with their toddlers and stopping “for a chat” (so their kids could play in our space).

The issue I didn’t expect was sand in the children’s eyes. Mixed with salt water and sun cream it was a very bad combination! Invest in some goggles.

Relax and go with the flow. Enjoy!

Original poster
Zara85 · 27/12/2018 21:54

@indiana - amazing! Thank you so much

OP posts:
Milkmachine15 · 27/12/2018 22:17

Inflatable footrests :) I saw a pic of a friend using a jetbed for her kids and loved it but OMG the price tag!! So we improvised! We used ours this year for a 14 hr flight with Dd(4) Ds(3) and baby 11m and we wouldn’t have survived without them!! We had our row of 3 with and used them on the window and middle seat and put the arm rests up which meant baby could crawl/climb about and the other two could sprawl out a bit!!

RollerJed · 27/12/2018 22:23

I've taken both mine away since very little (including 24 hour flights). Take a double buggy, 3 yo will get tired and also might sleep in it early evening so you can go out.

Let the routine go! Enjoy just going with the flow. A swim in the pool can be considered as good as a bath Wink

If your dc are not used to staying up late, or not napped during the day, please don't go all Spanish and have them up waay past their bedtime, with them crying a miserable. Really boils my piss when I see this.

Enjoy some time in the sun!

PS would hate to have had the mentality that holidays with young dc aren't fun. We've been to lots of places and just had a different sort of fun.

RollerJed · 27/12/2018 22:25

And get a pram shade that covers it entirely and is UV protected. We had, I think, a little prince one, bought from Amazon. It means you don't have to faff with suncream and it's great shade.

Aquamarine1029 · 27/12/2018 22:28

Leave the children at home or pay to have a sitter come with you.

RomaineCalm · 27/12/2018 22:42

I wouldn't bother with Trunkis - completely impractical to open them on a plane and I've seen too many people at airports trying to carry them over their shoulders and push a buggy at the same time.

Go with the flow, we always found it easier to have a proper meal at lunchtime so it didn't matter if it's just snacky stuff in the evenings when the kids are more tired.

Even though you are AI it's worth packing some snacks. We always had raisins, cereal bars, fruit sticks and pouches just in case. They are handy if the children wake before breakfast or if you're out and about.

Plan for some quieter evenings in the room with the kids asleep while you sit on the balcony drinking wine and reading or playing cards. Best part of the day!

RomaineCalm · 27/12/2018 22:47

And yes, I agree with PPs who say that holidays with children don't have to be a terrible ordeal, they're just different. We've had some fantastic holidays with DC and whilst some of it is more difficult I would never have not gone away with them.

Canuckduck · 27/12/2018 22:49

No trunkis. I’d take a double buggy or two umbrellas. You can end up doing a lot more walking than you expect. 2 backpacks are the best in my experience. Bring books, I pads (if you have them),books, sticker books, a few new, cheap toys that can be lost / left behind. Tons of sun cream. Make use of all the kid friendly activities. It’ll be fun but you’re right probably not relaxing.