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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Pissed off at lack of support on family holiday

509 replies

Belleende · 26/07/2019 07:14

Some background. I am the youngest of 4 siblings. We are currently on a family holiday with my parents. I have 2 kids, 4 yo and 20 month old. The rest of the kids are all 10 and older.

Myself and DP have zero family support around, so very rarely go out, and as our 2 are vv early risers never get a lie in. This holiday has been particularly bad with neither of them sleeping well. I have been getting 2 to 4 hours sleep a night, with 2 totally sleepless nights. I have been on my knees.

In the time we have been here my siblings have offered only once to mind the kids so me and DP could go out and even then only after we had put them to bed. We have not been invited to any group activities. No one has even come to the beach with us.

Before my own kids came along I babysat regularly for both my sisters, have supported them unstintingly, dug my eldest sister out of numerous holes (including collecting her kids from the airport this trip just hours after we had arrived).

The final straw came last night when I discovered that everyone has booked a day trip today that is totally not suitable for my two, and it is our last day here.

AIBU to let rip and put a dampener on the last day of the holiday, or do I just quietly withdraw?

OP posts:
StroppyWoman · 26/07/2019 13:09

YABU, probably because you're so tired.

It's one thing to "cash in your chips" at home and have family have the kids for a day or babysit or something.
It's another thing entirely to expect your family to spend some of THEIR holiday looking after your baby and toddler. That's not a holiday, that's a punishment. Overtired, hot, fretful tiny people are a bloody nightmare on holiday. We're all relieved when we get past that stage.

The rough surf beach will be loads more fun for the teens. You presumably see each other at mealtimes and everyone does what suits them in the day. You've had a night to go out for a drink. You're not in a fit state for this day trip anyway (too hot, couldn't carry the baby etc etc).

Don't begrudge your family a good holiday because you're having a tough and sleep-deprived time because your children are so young.

It gets better. Ride it out, you'll be fine.

thedayofthethreeMagnums · 26/07/2019 13:09

Sadly nowadays there’s a lot of people with “I’m alright Jack” attitude.

and a lot of people have a very entitled attitude.

The others have kids themselves, did the OP even asked? Did the OP offer to babysit the older ones when the other siblings went out?

diddl · 26/07/2019 13:16

I can't help thinking that you being excluded is to do with you wanting to "cash in your chips".

Or that there are more older ones so most of the time will be spent doing what suits them.

If you're all in the same place, has everyone else also been disturbed by your kids?

SavingSpaces2019 · 26/07/2019 13:16

The final straw came last night when I discovered that everyone has booked a day trip today that is totally not suitable for my two, and it is our last day here
It sounds to me like you were used to finance a cheaper holiday for them.

I don't know how - or why - you've kept quiet.
They have blatantly took the piss out of you to your face - and they KNOW IT!
That sheepish look your sister gave - absolute fucking nerve of her!

They've happily, and knowingly, treated you like a mug and a doormat.
I bet this isn't the first time you've been on the receiving end of shitty treatment from them.
Keeping quiet only lets them off the hook because you can't really use it as an example in the future when you do decide to confront them over their current piss-take.

Witchend · 26/07/2019 13:16

I suspect that it's not them organising things to leave you out so much as sibling 1 saying "I'm going to X, anyone want to come" and those who have children of similar ages think "oh yes, mine would like that too" whereas you hear it as "we're choosing to go deliberately to something you can't go to."

Finding something that teens will find interesting and toddlers will be able to access is pretty hard. There's 7 years between my oldest and youngest and it's hard enough to find something that they'll all enjoy.

My teens love playing with younger ones, and would have been very happy to look after one of yours for a couple of hours. But not all day, nor two children, when they're on holiday.
I wonder whether they are feeling expected/pressured by you. That's actually really off putting. As I said, my dc love their younger cousins. When we're together they play with them, look after them-as I did with mine.

But there is one set of cousins whose parents have made it very clear that they are only interested in them as babysitters/to look after their dc while they gossip. It's a real turn down for them, and it really does mean that they don't enjoy being with them because the expectation is that they do all the looking after. If I say we're going round there, the chances are all three of mine will opt out, whereas the other cousins they'll be champing at the bit to go.

I have also been on the older side of this. Never again. We had children aged 2 through to 9. The others had a baby apiece. Because we had older ones who were more self-sufficient, we ended up doing most of the catering (self catered) a lot of the housework and a certain amount of the babysitting. Even going out for the day was a pain. We'd say we were going out to this place, others would decide they were joining us, and then we'd either be expected to fit round baby routines (and one was very rigid), not stop to do anything that was age appropriate for our dc, and we'd be left to do any carrying/fetching/general work as neither of the couples "could" as it took both of them to look after one baby..... For example on the beach they all decided it wasn't suitable for babies (fair enough) so spent the entire day in a café leaving us with all their things-and they'd packed as though they were expecting to camp for a week.
They'd literally just dumped the stuff by the walk down and left us with it.

I have said never ever again! And dh knows I mean it!

I think there is an aspect that when your dc are pre-schoolers it's very easy to look at parents with older children and think they have it easy, and have far more time to do things etc. Now I'm at that stage I know a few things.
Firstly, I love toddler stage etc. Before I had children I I had infinite energy to deal with them, loved playing with them-would go out of my way to deal with babies/toddlers. I still love them, but I don't have the energy or inclination now to do the full on play. I can if I have to, but wouldn't choose to. I've done that stage.
Secondly, parenting teenagers is hard. Far harder than the primary and below stage. You can't always kiss it away and hug it better. They need you just as much but in different ways.
Thirdly, teenagers have their own opinions and you can't tuck them under your arm and continue. We're going to a petting farm. "Wa! I don't want to" says the 3yo. "Tough you're going anyway" you say as you strap them in their car seat. They'll enjoy it when you get there. Teenager will say "boring, I'd rather stay at home and play on the x-box" and if you insist will remind you that at intervals. Moaning from a teenager who told you they didn't want to go is far more irritating than a toddler-and they probably won't sleep in the car on the way home to give you a break either!
On that note: Teens also need to have days out they enjoy. It's a difficult age, too old for petting farms and not old enough (generally) for walking round National Trust gardens. What they like is often more expensive than either too! Just as I would opt out of walking up Snowdon as I don't like hill walking, they know what they like and will have an opinion. And express that opinion.
Next: Bribery is great. I love it. However: What works for a toddler does not work on a teen. My dc as toddlers could be persuaded a day was great with the promise of an ice cream at the end of the day. That doesn't work on a teenager. They'd laugh at the idea that a day of being bored was worth an ice cream at the end of it.
Also teens need their parents. They might not like to admit that, but they do. They also need 1-2-1 with parents. That's what holidays are for. Mine all love to have time just with me or dh.
Lastly: Teenagers need their holiday times. They need to do different things; they need to have space. Yes, they can, and will help with chores. They don't need constant supervision to do said chores. But they do need time to do what they want without the expectation that they are anything other than children. No responsibilities, no time pressure etc.

You'll be looking at this list as a parent of pre-schoolers, and thinking "really?" I suggest you save it and come back and look at it again when yours are 16 and 13yo and see if you agree. You'll find your thoughts have changed. Smile

SinkGirl · 26/07/2019 13:18

I really can’t understand some of these responses at all. In this scenario:

  • You go on a family holiday for a week or more
  • Your kids are older and mostly self-sufficient, or at least much more so than babies and toddlers
  • Your sister, who helped you out when you had babies / toddlers is getting no sleep some nights and a couple of hours other nights
  • She is run ragged and having an awful time

You’re telling me that you wouldn’t take one afternoon from your holiday to give her a rest, or time to spend alone/with her husband? Not a few hours just to give her a break given you know how hard it is to parent small children? And you’d arrange things each day she can’t bring the kids to?

It’s not about entitlement. I think it’s actually cruel to let someone struggle like this and not help out at least a bit. I’d never treat someone like that, let alone a family member.

mummmy2017 · 26/07/2019 13:23

We got asked to join siblings and their in law's and my parents on a holiday, turned out my parents were not happy with being asked along to pay for a second building, so they invited myself and family.
We tag along for two days, then I said no,. Not going shopping again, when there were things to do in the area, my parents then used us as excuse to stay, suddenly the other family started join us .
Sometimes you need to own what you want.

Madfrogs · 26/07/2019 13:25

Was that the closest beach by any chance. Although I’m sure it would of been a safe as any other beach with correct supervision.

A lot of beaches have no life guards and go from shallow to super deep fast I remember such a beach from a childhood holiday.

You could of joined you didn’t want too as it would of involved watching the children more than you wanted too.

thedayofthethreeMagnums · 26/07/2019 13:30

SinkGirl
You can make-up your own story and paint things the way you want them to appear, but other posters don't have to follow your little drama to reply to the OP.

What did the family say when the OP asked for a babysitter?
What did the family say when the OP asked to go to her baby-friendly beach, why did they refuse to go there?
and so on...

DecomposingComposers · 26/07/2019 13:38

You’re telling me that you wouldn’t take one afternoon from your holiday to give her a rest, or time to spend alone/with her husband? Not a few hours just to give her a break given you know how hard it is to parent small children? And you’d arrange things each day she can’t bring the kids to

They did though didn't they? I thought OP said they'd offered to babysit once so that she and DH could go out.

What OP wants seems to be daily time off for her and DH to mooch around - that doesn't work when you have children unfortunately.

It's not on to expect everyone's holiday to revolve around one family in order to give the parents a couple of hours off.

Op says that her children have slept really badly and she's had 2 nights of no sleep at all - I wonder if this has affected everyone else too? Depending on the accommodation presumably 2 crying children during the night, and all night for 2 nights, would disturb others in the house. Maybe everyone's tempers are frayed and they are trying to avoid snapping by escaping as much as possible, rather than saying stuff that will cause arguments?

gonewiththepotter · 26/07/2019 13:43

@DecomposingComposers

Yes I was thinking that as I read this!
OP did say that they had taken her kids once for her and DP to go out.

But so many people are making out they’re monsters for ‘not even helping once’.

They did help once

bingowingsmcgee · 26/07/2019 13:47

I can see both sides of this. The thing is, your relatives have done the baby stage. They don't wish to do it again with kids that aren't even theirs. Holidays with babies and toddlers are just the same shit as at home but hotter, unfortunately. The fact that your kids don't sleep isn't anyone else's fault or responsibility. If it's really awful then sleep train them or co-sleep.

LittleLongDog · 26/07/2019 13:52

I made it v clear before we went away that I was cashing in my chips.

They’re not mind readers though. You need to be as specific as: “I was hoping at some point to be able to do Y with DH, what day would you and cousins take the kids so I we could do that?”

BarbedBloom · 26/07/2019 13:53

I think the issue here is different expectations of a family holiday. When my family go away we come together for meals but quite often different groups will go off and do different things as we all have our own interests. I wouldn't want to go on a holiday where everyone is together all the time. We don't expect teens to look after little ones, but they would pitch in with cooking etc. I don't think I would want a group of teens taking my little ones to the beach alone though, it is a lot of responsibility and you only have to turn you back for a second for something to happen.

My brother has children around your age. We will take one of them out for a wander, but not usually both and not every day. We don't get up with them, but I happily take them in the water with me if I go for a swim, but again one at a time if it is just me as they are so young. I would happily babysit one night though. But we would also go off and do our own thing as we wouldn't want the little ones with us all the time, it is our holiday too and we can't afford many.

I would have taken children to the unsuitable beach though and just kept them at the edge of the water with me or on the sand.

I wouldn't go on holiday with them again or if you do, find somewhere that has childcare services you can book

ittakes2 · 26/07/2019 13:53

I think it’s awful they have booked a trip on the last day you can’t go on - but sorry I think your baby sitting expectations are too high. I have 12 year old twins - I no longer can remember how to look after small children and I would feel anxious looking after young children the age of your children. Children at the age of 10 and over can’t be left at home by themselves on a holiday so your siblings also have childcare issues. I am sorry you are sleep deprived - my son did not sleep through the night until he was 4.5 years old so I feel your pain - but everyone who has had small children have all gone through sleep deprivation phases. We went on holiday with my sister who had two children under 5 and parents with very young children don’t realise how much impact this age of children have on others.

gonewiththepotter · 26/07/2019 13:53

I’d be more tempted to pop in ear plugs and let your little ones fuss and cry until they thourougly disturb all your siblings sleep and when they raise it with you (grumpily over breakfast) claim you’re trying to encourage self settling and can’t function in the day if you’re up with them all night!

Make it their problem!

DecomposingComposers · 26/07/2019 13:55

“I was hoping at some point to be able to do Y with DH, what day would you and cousins take the kids so I we could do that?”

Is that how you ask for a favour from someone - present it as a done deal?

Surely you should ask if they wouldn't mind or would they consider it, not just tell them what you expect and what day you could it expect it on.

madcatladyforever · 26/07/2019 13:55

There is just no way I would have gone on holiday with such young children especially not with family. I would have gone stark raving mad.

Lazydaisies · 26/07/2019 13:55

Undoubtedly, part of my feelings are also routed in the reality of holidays with little kids generally being same shit different place

Never a truer word uttered OP. Certainly in my experience but it does get better or at least the shit changes Grin

hereforasillygoosetime · 26/07/2019 13:57

When my DDs were toddler/baby I absolutely dreaded the holidays my mum would book every summer in the south west coast.

The stress of packing the enormous quantity of crap you need to take for them at either end of the week.

The stress of travelling with little people (arse holes).

I'd spend the entire week exhausted because the kids weren't sleeping well, out of their routine.

My mum took them off my hands a few times so I could have a nap, she even took the youngest who wasn't sleeping in with her a couple of nights.

But the fact remained that I'd be happier and less stressed spending the week at home with the kids instead.

'Holidays' with babies/toddlers are a fucking nightmare in my experience, end of.

zzzzzzzz12345 · 26/07/2019 13:59

I also wonder whether your kids, in no sleep, are difficult to manage during the day (which would be totally understandable. In this scenario your family simply (and somewhat selfishly) might want to get away from that. Grumpy 2 and 4 year olds are vile when they’re your own, never mind someone else’s. I remember my nephews at that age on holiday in the heat and they were a total pain in the arse. I love them dearly but was glad to escape them. My own grumpy hot holiday kids are easier to bear, but still hard work. Whilst my mum wOjld always offer, because she is wonderful, there is no way I’d expect my sibling, with her own kids, to help me out. I am the younger sibling and Did loads of nephew care before I had mine, but totally accept that this could not (and should not) be reciprocated by my sister after I had mine. The situation was simply not the same. I had no right to ‘cash in my chips’ and wonder whether it is thIs total lack of insight which has led to your family understandably distancing themselves from you on holiday.

Lesson learned. Family holidays aren for you. They aren’t for us either. We go with different groups of friends with kids around the same age. We each look after our own, but there is strength in numbers and the kids entertain each other a lot so you do get more down time.

HoppingPavlova · 26/07/2019 14:01

It’s not about entitlement. I think it’s actually cruel to let someone struggle like this and not help out at least a bit.

Maybe they are a bit perplexed at the set up. It’s not a case of a single mum going away with two kids but two parents with two kids. I totally understand that going away with young kids is NOT a holiday, extra work, kids more problematic as out of routine and in unfamiliar surroundings etc but the set up as described is hard to understand. Neither parent slept for days, both totally occupied with kids 24/7 etc. If sleep is an issue why not have one wrangle both kids for several hours one day while the other catches up on sleep then swap. I think if this happened and OP was out with both kids then likely someone would step in and help with them but with both parents there they would be perplexed why they would be doing this. I would help someone out if truely needed but wouldn’t entertain what I perceived to be lack of organisation/coordination making it necessary for me to step in and assist. Certainly not saying that is the case with OP as appreciate not all relevant info can fit in a a few posts but from the posts it’s not clear that this is not part of the issue either.

Armadillostoes · 26/07/2019 14:07

I think that a lot of people here have missed how much the OP has done for her siblings, including on this holiday. I think that this isn't about entitlement, but about someone assuming that there would be a quid pro quo which didn't materialise.

MrHaroldFry · 26/07/2019 14:08

Sometimes, the most powerful thing is silence. It is a hard lesson but a necessary one, that not everyone thinks as you do and is as considerate as you.

However, if asked I would call out that you are disappointed and are going home more tired than you were when you got on hols and why.

I had a similar issue on a family holiday. My twins were just over two years old and one of them was particularly fond of very early wake upsSad I have never agreed to another family holiday again.

Whilst I ferried people about to restaurants and shopping etc, got nothing not one thing back in return.

When I got home I just stopped. I stopped having others over for made from scratch dinners, stopped suggesting people come along (while I drive) to various out of town shopping places, stopped sending birthday cards (I got none or got them months (not kidding) after the fact).

I got calls saying things like "are we coming to yours at Easter" or "what's going on for Bank holiday" and I just kept saying no.

My life is undeniably quieter but on the flip side, so much more manageable and I don't have to factor anyone, outside my nuclear family, into my plans.

Fairenuff · 26/07/2019 15:00

When you say you made it clear that you were 'cashing in your chips', did the family actually agree to x amount of hours childcare or what? I think they gave you an evening to yourselves and you were expecting a lot more than that.

Also, you have said very little about your dh. Is there any reason why he could not have looked after the children whilst you catch up on sleep?

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