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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Holiday clubs abroad ?

79 replies

hatter69 · 10/06/2019 20:24

Hello.

We are due to go to Spain this month with our 5 year old . There is a kids club there. I personally don't like the idea of leaving them with strangers in a foreign country. I personally think a family holiday should be just that!
Am I being completely over protective, paranoid and unreasonable ?

I would love to hear some of your experiences/opinions !

OP posts:

Sonicknuckles · 10/06/2019 20:27

I'm the same. I usually go with them for a little bit and stay with them if they are only little and would only leave them for a short period when older.

Original poster

hatter69 · 10/06/2019 20:29

'@Sonicknuckles thank you, so you mind me asking what age you would leave yours ?

OP posts:

Ragwort · 10/06/2019 20:32

Maybe your DC would like to go to a holiday club?

My DS is an only child & he loved holiday clubs, really enjoyed spending time with other children & doing different activities.

We had loads of ‘family time’ and as a SAHM it was actually a break for me to have a holiday from childcare .

DS is 18 now & last year we went to a Neilson resort (he was 17), obviously he chose what he wanted to do and he went to the teenage Club every single day and night .

FakeTanandProsecco · 10/06/2019 20:32

My DD is two, and we've recently been on holiday to a resort with a baby club. She had a settling in session with me there and then she had two morning and one afternoon session (on seperate days) by herself. The staff were LOVELY and my DD loved it! I wouldn't have left her if she was any younger though, especially if she wasn't used to being left at nursery. But she enjoyed it, and we enjoyed a few hours peace and quiet by the pool!

Imustbemad00 · 10/06/2019 20:34

I couldn’t do it. Mainly beciase my child is challenging, anxious and unpredictable. As much as he would want to go, I couldn’t take the chance of him having a meltdown with strangers who would have no idea how to deal with him. He’d be more likely to have a meltdown in an unfamiliar situation too.
When my daughter was younger I probably would of left her for an hour or so at the age of 5+, but only in a secure environment. I went somewhere before where they had a soft play area ect and it’s was really secure nobody could get in our out without codes.

FartMachine · 10/06/2019 20:34

If you don’t want to leave them at a kids club, don’t. Yanbu at all to do whatever you want on your holiday (within reason obviously!). Its one less thing to look for when considering which hotel to book.

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 10/06/2019 20:34

Kids like the company of other kids. It’s part of the magic of a holiday meeting a new best friend. You don’t have to shove them in a club all day everyday. I remember kids clubs fondly as a child.

mindutopia · 10/06/2019 20:35

No, I wouldn't use a kid's club on holiday. It's a bit sad to go on a family holiday and not actually spend time with your family. I think if you want time as a couple, fair enough, but I would do it on a night or a weekend away for the two of you and leave your dc in the comfort of their own home with family/friend/babysitter.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 10/06/2019 20:43

We use Ski school on Ski holidays. This started when they were four and five. They love it. It was 10-3 (including lunch, we could have collected them 12-1 but decided lunch session was better for them). We still spent plenty of time with them- I was in adult ski lessons, DH on the big slopes during that time.
This winter going to a different country so ski lessons are morning only so DH will do more skiing with them, I can't keep up as they are far better than me (at 6&7).

Holiday clubs can be fun but if you don't want to use them you don't have too.

icanthelpyou · 10/06/2019 20:45

Yes usually the youngest makes a friend at the pool and they go together. Nice bit of crafting in a cool room, right up her street for a couple of sessions. Then she enjoys 'knowing' the club staff. Eldest never a fan so he didn't go and now he's older he'll go to the footy kick about or archery...
so for us, it depends on what they fancy doing!

kenandbarbie · 10/06/2019 20:49

My kids love them! Still plenty of time to spend together as a family. They like to make new friends and do the activities.

Mac47 · 10/06/2019 20:54

Mine loved them and as a pp said, being an only child loved meeting other children. First time I stood in a bush like a crazed stalker spying on her, but she had so much fun she couldn't wait to go every day. First time was 4, went every year after that till 11.

Mac47 · 10/06/2019 20:55

Oh and it made the evening children shite much more fun for her as she knew staff and kids and loved joining in with the games and disco after dinner.

PrincessMargaret · 10/06/2019 20:56

Mine always loved most of them. Only ever 2 hours at the most so enough for us to read a book in peace for a while. We did go somewhere she hated it, so we left it at that. It's worth a go, and I hate this attitude that they should never be used ever as "we want to spend every minute together" . It's what works for you. We stayed somewhere where they had an evening chocolate and disco party. We went for a pizza and dc came home raving about it. There is Europop I still can't get out of my brain 😂

Mummyshark2018 · 10/06/2019 21:03

Mine loved it. First time we used it she's was 3.5 and this year at 7. This year she went with a younger cousin. They both loved it. Came out with their face painted, pictures, junk models 😳. We just did some relaxing by the pool.

Mummyshark2018 · 10/06/2019 21:04

Also if it's hot, going into a cool room to play is a nice break from the sun

azulmariposa · 10/06/2019 21:05

I agree with you op. I don't see the point in taking children away if you aren't going to spend time with them.
If you want to send them to kids clubs, might as well leave them at home with the grandparents and save some money!

Sonicknuckles · 10/06/2019 21:09

I left my 7 year old but only for half n hour because he wanted to stay a bit longer and we were going back to the room to get changed then came back to pick him up as we were going for lunch. I'm with you OP though. I think I was probably one of the only parents who stayed in there with the kids.

sleepylittlebunnies · 10/06/2019 21:10

If you aren’t personally comfortable putting your child in a kids club abroad then don’t put them in one. My 3 kids have been to several and enjoyed some more than others. It will also depend on the child whether they will enjoy it. I’ve never been to one where the kids club is compulsory.

A family holiday is different for every family. So don’t base your decision on what you think it should be. Go with what you all enjoy including DC. No 2 days of a holiday have to be the same.

My kids even love going to Ikea for the play room. DH and I usually just go and have a peaceful coffee while they are in there. Only our youngest would ever go to clubs happily on her own, the older 2 would gladly go as long as they had a sibling or cousin present.

Mamabear12 · 10/06/2019 21:11

It depends what kind of holiday. For ski holidays we put them in ski camp and they love skiing plus get to use the French speaking skills so a double bonus. They did it from age 4 and 6.

Mac47 · 10/06/2019 21:11

Azulmariposa - guess we can't all love our kids as much as you love yours, absolutely the same as leaving them at home.

rookiemere · 10/06/2019 21:33

Some of us don't have grandparents that we can leave a DC at home with. DS is an only and when he was younger it was nice for him to play with other DCs for a bit and it was nice for us to have a break, particularly as I had some health issues when he was small.

However we wouldn't make him go if he didn't want to and only for shirt periods, also wouldn't let them do anything we weren't happy with, like in Sardinia they were all whisking them off to the beach and I didn't feel comfortable due to his age and ratios of young untrained staff to DCs

hotcrossbun83 · 10/06/2019 21:41

Depends on the hotel. Mark Warner have all British staff and I was very confident in them and the facilities. I wouldn’t leave them in a small back room with someone that didn’t speak English. It’s only 3 hours a day though, still another 10 hours a day left for family time! My two adored it and made friends they then saw at the pool every morning too

UnicornDust9 · 10/06/2019 21:49

I wouldn’t leave mine in a kids club abroad either and I’m baffled at the people that do.

My kids can make friends around the pool where I can see them and make sure they are safe. We are on a family holiday as well so why would I put them in a kids club.

When we went to Mexico last year they had a kids club and I took them every day but I stayed and watched them so they didn’t miss out but I’d rather keep on eye on them then leave them in a foreign country.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 10/06/2019 21:52

No, never used them and wouldn't.

Holidays are precious, we want to spend them together. Plenty of time for couple only holiday time before and after children.

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