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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if you’ve had a nice holiday with your kids?

163 replies

sandytoes84 · 18/08/2019 09:27

Currently pregnant and naively thinking about lovely future holidays with child (children if I’m lucky enough to have another).

I feel like all I’ve read this summer on AIBU is how awful holidays with kids are and what a terrible waste of time and money mumsnetters are experiencing.

So I’d like to ask, did YOU have a a nice holiday? (I hope you did!) And what did you do/where did you go?

OP posts:

avamiah · 19/08/2019 02:53

My daughter is 9 (year 5 in September ) and we regularly go to Sandbanks as the hotel has the most amazing kids club ever .
I couldn’t imagine going on holiday without a kids club as she is a only child and I’m a single mum and the worst thing is to see your child playing alone so I never go to hotel without a kids club .

bookishtartlet · 19/08/2019 07:23

I have one 4 year old. We have usually 3 breaks away a year, but I'm usually off work for 12 weeks as I'm a teacher. I love, love love the time off with him. It's expensive and busy and fun, everything is what you make it. I took him to Australia at 6 months old, have had a variety of abroad and UK breaks. He's a great traveller, and likes new experiences.

There's not as much relaxing as before but I'll get that back when he is older. Enjoy the fun when you can!

RoseMartha · 19/08/2019 07:41

Yes I had a nice holiday. The kids and I teamed up with friends and shared a self catering in uk. We had a sunny hot week and spent most days on the sandy beach. The kids body boarded mostly. The dc are pre teen and got on fine. Used electronics a bit every morning before we went out but we were so busy doing things they mainly just enjoyed life.

Lucyccfc68 · 19/08/2019 07:49

I love going on holiday with DS. We have had some amazing adventures together, from him being a toddler to a (now) teenager.

We have done Haven, Butlins and caravans to European city breaks. Been to Brazil, America, Lapland, Abu Dhabi.

We had a fab week in Wales with family at the end of July and are going on a cruise this week.

It's just the 2 of us and he hates kids clubs. He always ends up meeting other kids to play with and we do stuff together.

On the cruise I will do all the fun 'kids' stuff with him and he will no doubt meet other teenagers when we are watching the football or playing pool.

I am going to miss our holidays together when he 'out-grows' me and goes away with his mates.

You have so much to look forward to OP.

georgie262 · 19/08/2019 07:54

I've just taken my 3 (8,4,1) yes it was hard work , yes it will be easier next year when 1 year old can take a little bit of direction but I genuinely had a lovely time. Being in our own villa with a pool helped because when it was too hot for the baby. There was still space for the children to play. I probably wouldn't take a baby in peak season again because it was just too hot most of the time for her.

Whichoneofyoudidthat · 19/08/2019 07:57

On the whole, yes they've been really good. Mine are young teenagers now. We've done quite a few beach/ski holidays. The secret is going with at least one other family. It's tricky to find families that like what you like, holiday wise, and who you get along well with, and whose kids get along with yours. But it's an excellent strategy if you can manage it.

Of course we don't do that every holiday, but we do it at least once a year.

notsohippychick · 19/08/2019 07:57

For the last three years we have been to a lovely seaside town in Kent. We’ve kept it simple. Beach, ice cream, board games. We were very lucky with the weather all three years which obviously makes a difference! However when they are little it is hard work, but a change is as good as a rest!

zafferana · 19/08/2019 08:02

We always have nice holidays with our kids, because our planning takes them into consideration. If DH and I just tried to have an adult-type holiday every year then it would probably be awful, because the DC would be bored rigid. So yes, we had a nice holiday thank you, even though it rained and our car broke down and ended up in a garage for three days. You just have to roll with it and be flexible and keep talking. Our DC are 11 and 8, so if they seem bored we ask them what they'd like to do and they're pretty vocal about telling us

Skinnychip · 19/08/2019 08:08

I love my holidays with my DC. They are 9 and 13 now and i can remember 3 holidays i didnt enjoy (out of 20, since having children). And the reasons i didnt enjoy them was nothing to do with the kids! One i didn't enjoy because a close relative had just died so i didn't enjoy anything at that time, 2nd was a really rainy/cold holiday and 3rd everyone got food poisoning. It does get easier though once they are 5+ i think

Passthecherrycoke · 19/08/2019 10:21

Yep we have a great time. We usually have an all inclusive med holiday specifically for families ie TUI family life. It has all you need. I found the baby/ toddler years easier, because once they want to be in the pool al day you have to be there too rather than sticking them in a buggy and taking them to see some ruins.

We always take them out for dinner and we will have drinks before or after. Even if they just have to colour or use a tablet, parents get time too. Then the hotel usually have a disco or show that keeps them going. We never go to bed early- they stay up until 11-12 sleeping in buggy or in us if they like. If they are tired and want bed (mine never do) you need to book a room with balcony or terrace so you can go out there with a-book and a glass of plonk

Salene · 19/08/2019 11:21

Took our 2 and 4 year old to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in February and we had a great time, it was waterparks and theme parks galore and we all had such a fun time we were away for 10 nights.

justbeingadad · 19/08/2019 11:22

I've got a 3 & 6 yo. We've done various long and short hauls over the years and have never had a bad holiday. You do need to reset your expectations of a holiday though. If you have the opinion that your child is interrupting your sunbathing time or that you just want to relax and have a drink, then you probably shouldn't bother going on holiday with your children! If however, you can accept that you've gone on holiday to spend quality time with your child in an environment you can't recreate at home, then you'll have a great time. Thoroughly enjoyable, maybe relaxing (depending on your children probably). It's nothing like going away without children and as ridiculously obvious as that sounds, it seems this is why people claim to have had an unenjoyable holiday.

BrunettesDoItBetter · 19/08/2019 11:28

We started talking ds abroad from when he was 3 yrs,hes usually better behaved on holiday and loves it.

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