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

Someone saying no mates means teenagers do not enjoy holidays, what the heck are those teenagers going to do when going to uni. they cannot take their mates there.

zafferana I think I read long ago that Jane Austen's family did just that!

Just searched online and it is quoted that they sent each child to a local family to be fostered between the ages of 3 months and 2 years!

what the heck are those teenagers going to do when going to uni. they cannot take their mates there.

as Uni is the best place in your life to make new mates, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

What's wrong with inviting a couple of friends on holiday anyway?

We have tried to invite mates on holiday their parents declined preferring not to spend money on their children when they were not there. Rather wanted to spend it with their children.

I loved holidays with my toddlers. We chose self catering places with the eqipment we needed, so it was the same as at home but better weather and a change of scene. I was lucky that my husband was an engaged dad. I loved watching our kids experience new things for the first time.

Very wise @SummerSeasoning

What's wrong with inviting a couple of friends on holiday anyway?

As a single parent with one child, this is my plan when ds reaches the teenage years. I love my mum and son time but honestly we do get fed up of each other in the end. I imagine by the time he's a teenager he'll want to kill me if his friends don't come along

My husband is an “engaged dad”, but if we’re all sharing a room and the best way to keep our son quiet (to avoid waking the rest of the house on holiday) is to bring him in with us, then he finds it much easier to go back to sleep as my son wants to BF and I find that hard to sleep through. So holidays like that are hard on me sleepwise. At home we have different setups / strategies to maximise sleep for all of us. I do then get some rest during the day, and do be assured that I enjoy the time with my son and family, so holidays overall are worth it, but it has a negative impact on my sleep

When my DD was that age I felt the same way, but now that she is 18 I wish I could rewind the clock and go back to those days. I would have enjoyed that short time had I known just how quickly it goes. If you can't tell I'm feeling a little sad that my girl is all big now.

I agree it's no break, but we've done lots of caravan holidays, easy meals or restaurant, separate living room when kids asleep, separate bedrooms for each girl and us, so early waking dd2 didn't disturb dd1.

took a fold out paddling pool for when dd2 was 1 and dangerous in the sea, warmed up and kept her out of mischief.

I'm not even bothering to take my toddler on holiday! (Alone...). We have done a few trips with his grandparents but tbf he's just as happy in the local park or our garden so not worth the hassle or expense! YANBU.

Currently on holiday abroad with theee children, one of which is about to turn two years old.

He makes everything so much harder and stressful and this is not my idea of a relaxing holiday.

Me and DH we’re ready to go home after about 4-5 days and as our departure date looms closer we are both feeling relieved.

Definitely NBU, I just find holidays stressful now. For context, because I have a disability our toddler goes to nursery four days a week so basically a holiday means I get far less rest than I would at home. I told DH I wasn’t going away again until she is old enough for holiday clubs

YANBU. I’ve always enjoyed our holidays with young DC but it’s a world away from pre child holidays. I’ve always made sure we go self catering and we have never holidayed with them out of the U.K. yet. The thought of taking them on a flight makes me want to break out into a cold sweat. To be honest, the worst part is the travelling and spending all day in the car. For the last year or two, we’ve just done centre Parcs which is ££ but the advantages are so worth it. Only a couple of hours down the road, no need to go in the car once you are there, soft play in restaurants, almost everyone else has DC so you’re all in the same boat.

However, I agree with those who says it gets easier. DC are 4y 5m and 16 months now, and the 4yo has suddenly got easier (just before he goes to school ). I can see the light at the end of the tunnel in a couple of years time...

From an early age i took my DD on euro hols, Austria - camping, Ibiza, France, Paradors in Spain, absolutely fantastic times, esp the Spanish ones, late night fiestas and meals at midnight, playing with local children and trying toddler Spanish.. kids just find things to communicate over!

Funnily enough UK trips to the beach always ended in disaster, sand filled cars, dogs, worrying about rip tides and yes sand eating :(

Of course its a holiday...ok not as simple as child free but its a holiday as you away from home. Ive a two year old and just been on holiday. Lovely days on the beach no house work, two people looking after dd

Yeah - gets better when they turn 5.

We’ve just come back from holiday with our 15 month old - I feel like I need a holiday after this ‘holiday’.

I wanted a change of scenery while on mat leave, so we went to Cornwall when DS was 6 months in a nice hotel. We ate out at about 6, had him in bed by 8 and then read/watched low volume TV. It was less stressful than home as there were 2 of us but it took days to pack and I could only do 3 nights!

I can tell you that the parents of the toddlers on the 13 hour flight I’ve just got off didn’t look like it was a very restful start/end to their trip.