AIBU to think that a holiday with a toddler is not s holiday?

[shesellsseashell]

We've only been away to English seaside for a few days but I'm absolutely exhausted. Today he started the morning by trying to eat a large handful of sand, and hasn't sat down since. Non stop charging about, towards the sea, towards the rocks, chucking his ball in the sea for me to collect x 1000. Struggling to sleep away from
Home, taking ages to settle down and get to sleep. I'm utterly exhausted.

Is this what it is always like with a toddler? I thought things got easier once they started walking

I'm off to Australia with my little girl who will be 14 months when we go, I've got my fingers crossed she takes after me and isn't walking buy then, I was 18 months 🤞

*by

Agree. It will get better I promise. For now can DH take toddler for a couple of hours to give you a break?

Can’t think of anything worse than taking my 2.5y to beach or on a plane for a couple of hours as he can’t sit still - We were exhausted after a week in a cottage in England with day trips, walking, parks and we missed our toys / tv and garden. I know from older children it gets a lot easier x

A holiday isn't a holiday with a toddler, it's just surviving in a different place

When mine were very young I bought a book by Jill Crawshaw, a travel writer, called, I think, ‘Holidays with Children.’
The first sentence was something like ‘holidays with children is a contradiction in terms.’ She was absolutely right.

I am currently in menorca with a 1 year old and 3 year old and a 10 year old.
It's not remotely relaxing

Kids love it and we have resigned ourselves to the fact this is just how it is for the next few years

While they were toddlers, a holiday was just like being at home without all the usual equipment that made my life bearable. Oh, and also with hot and light evenings so they wouldn’t sleep. And the constant danger of drowning/falling on hard tiles. It was shit. I stopped bothering for years.

I think it got better again about 2 years ago (6 and 8), when they could both swim and I didn’t give a crap what time they went to bed anymore.

Yanbu

I used to dig a big hole and then put my toddlers in it.

They loved digging around in it, and they couldn’t escape.😈

Paddling pools are good too

I remember finding a Center Parcs holiday with a 2 month old and 2 year old particularly hard. Baby dd2 cried all the way down the motorway. It was ok with just 2 year old dd1. I remember seeing a family with baby twins and toddler twins 18 months apart at Center Parcs!

We didn't take ds on holiday until he was nearly 3 for this very reason

Yanbu. Holidays with small kids is basically like packing up your life and just parenting in a different place.
We usually go on a weeks camping holiday every year, as that’s pretty much all we can afford. Kids are now 6 and 4, and it’s got a bit easier. But there were definitely a few years where it was just a hard slog!!
But to reassure you, every year it’s getting a bit easier. That’s all that keeps us going back!

I love holidays with my 2.5 yo. We get to do all th fun stuff like zoos, beaches, theme parks that you dont get to do as an adult in the same way. I have DH there all the time so two of us to look after her rather than by myself (as I am much of the time). Can be more lax about bedtimes and eating healthily. I love it.

But I am used to having her 24/7 so maybe its trickier with kids who are usually at nursery or older ones in preschool where you have a break from them, which you dont get on holiday.

I must be odd because I love holidays with our toddler - he’s almost 20mths (been walking confidently since 10mths) and since 10mths old has had 10 days in Majorca, a week in Paris at DLP (18mths) Glamping trip in this country (19mths) and numerous hotel stays. We’re going to London next month and CenterParcs in September.
Yes he’s boisterous, has tantrums, he’s a climber and a runner!! But he’s also so funny, and just such a little character atm. We’re very lucky he travels well too and always sleeps on the plane ✈️

We only really started holidaying when ours were 6 and 3, it was largely financial to be fair but I never felt I was missing out on much, the thought of taking a baby or toddler abroad brings me out in sweats. LOVE holidays now.

Agree. We're only going away this year because my parents are coming too so will be able to help out with the chaos of a 2 year old and a 5 month old. And we're staying in the UK because there's no way I'm attempting international travel with 2 little kids.

IMO the easiest holidays are smaller cruise ships.

Kids clubs that pick up from the cabin to allow you a lay in. Not sure it's suitable for very young children though.

All inclusive so children can help themselves.

A la carte evenings

Fully equipped laundry so all the holiday washing is done during sailing time and repacked ready to put away at home.

Different destinations most days.

Kids club, did I mention kids club?

We have travelled extensively and by far the most mum friendly was the smaller cruise. It's the only time I felt I actually had a holiday too rather than being mum the organiser, mum the entertainment and mum the sandwich maker.

When mine were that age we did the canvas camping holidays in France and Italy. It was great as they could play outside on the grass when we were at the mobile home, plenty of other kids their ages to play with and they got so knackered during the day they slept well and went to bed a bit earlier giving us adult time to have a drink! I always booked a baby bath or took a paddling pool which helped and they loved skiddling in it!! They were easier in the pool rather than the beach although when dd was 2 she didn't her entire time sitting in the foot wash at the entrance to the pool saying 'hiya' and beaming at everyone! Was thrilling fun for me (not!) but I then just moved a chair beside her and sat there while she dashed and made friends.

Was feeling bad about not bringing my kids abroad. (4 and 15 months) today we went on a tractor ride at a pet farm and the 15 mo screamed blue murder at being up in my arms and not bring able to run around . Just shuddered at the thought of a plane journey... no guilt anymore!

Going on holiday in France with my 14mo next week. Staying with helpful family, which means that I will get a break, and perhaps some time with H too, but the nights will be spent facilitating everyone else’s sleep to the detriment of my own, so it evens out tbh

I am howling laughing at digging a big hole and popping the toddlers in it! Brilliant!

We've travelled lots with the DC since they were very small and the absolute worst we've ever had was a long-haul flight with DS1 who was 2 and a couple of months, who from the moment we took off to the moment we landed (11 whole entire hours) sang "twinkle, twinkle, chocolate bar, my dad drives a rusty car" on repeat. It was like creeping death spending two weeks trying to stop him throwing himself off/over/under/into things and by the end I was fully prepared to leave him there.

That's right op and whilst you pretty much know the downfalls of your own environment your at the mercy of new lurking dangers.
I wouldn't do it again for all the tea in China.

I'm hoping this year will be fine, dd is 18! Seriously holidays are stressful, I always went where I wanted to visit so at least I got benefit from them!

www.huffpost.com/entry/vacation-or-trip-a-helpful-guide-for-parents