Husband booked a holiday,I don't want to do,aibu?

[breadbreadwine]

My husband has booked a holiday for the half term.
I thought fab,just what we need...till he told me he has bought a 6 man tent and we are going away to Scotland for a week in a tent.
He's booked a parkdene tent holiday.
It was £155 for 4 of us and he has paid £700 for a tent.
He has bought sleeping bags,fridge etc
He said it's to save money.

Aibu here ?
A week in a tent in Scotland with 2 kids who don't sleep anyway.
I'm not high maintenance but I'm worried about the toilet /shower situation

I'm not happy

He clearly hadn't the first grasp of what camping with small kids is going to be like.

Make sure you pack stuff for you & the kids & leave him to pack his own stuff.

Roll up mats for the kids will be fine. My teens still use them without issues. I'd be tempted to buy dh one. He won't sleep a wink & his back will kill him after 1 night !

Make sure you bring flip flops you can shower in & a wash bag with a strap or hook that you can hang on the back of the door.

We've camped loads but initially didn't cook. Just brought breakfast stuff & ate out. Don't make it any harder than it needs to be.

We always get electric hook up & bring kettle & nice hot drinks & lots of alcohol to get you through ! Also bring iPad so we can watch Netflix at night.

I think this is bigger than a holiday. If your partner goes off and makes biggish decisions without consulting you that is NOT a good basis for a partnership.

Tell him to jog on,my worst nightmare.

Hello @breadbreadwine
had to reply even though I’ve only read your posts and the first page of replies (cannot read through 17 pages sorry....)

First of all let me say, I would also be pissed off if my DH booked a holiday without discussing first but it’s done now so I’d advise going and making the best of it.

Weather looks fine for camping for half term. You've got electric so take an electric fan heater for the main area (not sleeping compartments) and put it on for an hour before bedtime, to warm the space.
Get a tent carpet like this= www.amazon.co.uk/Eurohike-Tent-Carpet-Medium-Grey/dp/B01IP8OIX8/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=tent+carpet&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1621792859&sr=8-5
Makes it much more cosy & warm.

Practice putting the tent up at home before you go.

I refused camping all my life, I need my luxuries. 4 years later we gave in and went. It was quite good fun, we only did 2 nights. We had barely any kit but we borrowed from friends. We’ve been going ever since and am also going half term week. It is a cheap holiday once you have the tent but I also book to eat out in nice places, not just rely on a BBQ night after night.

If you have room, take duvets, pillows & onesies (you can use those vacuum bags to suck the air out & compress them to save space) we have an electric air bed pump which has a reverse function to pack them up at the end of the trip.

Our son is not a good sleeper and is awake with the birds usually. He was 6 yo on our first trip. The fresh air & playing with instant friends on the campsite knocked him out into a deep sleep and never wakes until 8am (normally 6am at home) in a tent.

Plus you have all the activities on a park etc. Dumfries is beautiful too - only been once but lots to do.

I say this as someone who loves posh abroad holidays as-well as nice hotels but honestly it’s just different and be prepared & you’ll enjoy it.

Let us know how it goes x

I am someone who is an experienced camper - which is why I haven't done it with my kids and am not likely to do it for more than 3 nights at a time even if I do.

oh just go and enjoy it nice hes took the lead, kids will love it, theres usually showers and toilet blocks at most campsites now , make some memories

What sort of holidays do you normally enjoy? I come from Scotland and sorry but Dumfries =snoozefest.

Hello @breadbreadwine
had to reply even though I’ve only read your posts and the first page of replies (cannot read through 17 pages sorry....)

First of all let me say, I would also be pissed off if my DH booked a holiday without discussing first but it’s done now so I’d advise going and making the best of it.

Weather looks fine for camping for half term where you are going. You've got electric so take an electric fan heater for the main area (not sleeping compartments) and put it on for an hour before bedtime, to warm the space.
Get a tent carpet like this= www.amazon.co.uk/Eurohike-Tent-Carpet-Medium-Grey/dp/B01IP8OIX8/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=tent+carpet&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1621792859&sr=8-5
Makes it much more cosy & warm.

Practice putting the tent up at home before you go.

I refused camping all my life, I need my luxuries. 4 years ago we gave in and went. It was quite good fun, we only did 2 nights. We had barely any kit but we borrowed from friends. We’ve been going ever since (4 nights a time now and am also going half term week. It is a cheap holiday once you have the tent but I also book to eat out in nice pubs/restaurants, not just rely on a BBQ night after night.

If you have room, take duvets, pillows & onesies (you can use those vacuum bags to suck the air out & compress them to save space) we have an electric air bed pump which has a reverse function to pack them up at the end of the trip.

Our son is not a good sleeper and is awake with the birds usually. He was 6 yo on our first trip. The fresh air & playing with instant friends on the campsite knocked him out into a deep sleep and never wakes until 8am (normally 6am at home) in a tent.

Plus you have all the activities on a park etc. Dumfries is beautiful too - only been once but lots to do.

I say this as someone who loves posh abroad holidays as-well as nice hotels but honestly it’s just different and be prepared & you’ll enjoy it.

Let us know how it goes x

Look, not bad weather at all...

The.attraction of camping has always eluded me. My idea of a holiday involves putting my feet up and relaxing! If I were you I wouldn't go.

Are people actually reading OP's posts? He hasn't taken the lead. He hasn't 'arranged everything'. All he did was waste money on a tent he is refusing to even check and try to put op. It's OP who is now organising everything, buying extra equipment, calling campsite, planning the drive - all for a holiday she does not want.

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2650798

6 Man Tent....? Scotland....? This weather? £700...? [Shudders]....

Nothing to add except to share your pain

YANBU

🤣🙈 I’m so sorry but he looks like a newbie in camping. By the fact that he just bought a tent and that he is going to Scotland 😖 - and with the whole family with children that can’t sleep.

Don’t take me wrong, I love camping and my children love it too. But after being stuck at home for a year all I don’t want is a tent. Also, not the perfect weather although Scotland is a beautiful place.

With the weather as bizarre as it is I would not trust going camping until I see the face of the sun burning my skin.. and yeah… with £700 he could easily at least have booked a caravan with this money :(
Return everything he bought and book something more comfy.

Good luck

I love camping, including wild camping but these days we've got a really good idea of what's important for any particular type of camping trip. Two weeks really isn't the way to figure out what works for you camping: hell it's not even the way I'd test out a new tent.

That said you're going for it (and Dumfries & Galloway is lovely), so:

• No compromise. You must have sleeping mats. Blow up are good but can be noisy. Thermarest are also pretty decent. This isn't just for comfort, but also warmth - the ground is cold.

• Definitely think about lighting. Fairy lights and whatnot might sound a bit naff, but if you're sitting in a camp chair reading a book while the kids sleep, it make the place much more cheerful and feels warmer. Also torches or head torches can be very handy if you need to go to the loo overnight.

• Warm clothes obviously. If you have a decent down or similar hollow fibre type jacket I'd take it.

• Midge repellent. They are not at their worst, but they are out there.

• Sort your camp cooking / kitchen in advance. Even if we plan to eat out, we also take e.g. instant porridge or some kind of camp meal we can boil in a bag in case of emergency.

• Some kind of camp shoes for everyone for loo runs / going to the shower block. Crocs work.

• Definitely recommend taking a couple of camping chairs. I always take these site camping. Great for sitting with a glass of wine reading a Kindle or whatever.

I'd buy bugger all else only a caravan or lodge at the site...there's some availability for half term

I’m not a great camper and very sorry that your first experience will probably be wet and cold. Loads of excellent advice here from seasoned campers. Definitely have rugs/blankets under you on an air mattress we found this one out the hard way waking up cold in the night. If you have the old lighter style plug in the car buy the dual electric air pump for blowing up air mattress. Definitely purchase a good chair for each of you. If you have space of an clothes airier I’d take one for hanging wet towels/clothes on. We have a mat by the door for wellies/shoes. I put food etc.. in a storage box that can double as a table for prep.
Flip flops for the showers and a wash bag with handle or plastic bag so you can hang stuff up.
Lots of layers of clothes. Good luck, on the upside you are going to a beautiful part of the country.

So he’s been an inconsiderate muppet spending money on a holiday and a tent (which he doesn’t even know is decent) without even consulting you, and you’re rewarding his shitty behaviour by now running around buying things to make the holiday better. He will never learn.

If you do a trial run and there's a part missing from the tent (hide one) you can raise a PayPal complaint and get your money back. Only kidding???

@breadbreadwine

The plan is to take 2 cars. Il take mine with youngest and he will take his car. Otherwise we would never fit it all in. Plus this way I get to stop half way at the services where he likes to drive straight there.

Great idea to take two cars, let him drive through with his non-refundable unchecked second hand tent, you drive to a holiday cottage, b & b, or honestly a divorce lawyer, and have fun just you and the kids. Why are you running around pricing fucking fairy lights for this man when he has shown no consideration for you or your children? Aren't you tired of being the only adult in the family?

Say it would be great for him and the kids but not for you. So go for it and enjoy it with them. I’ve got things I can enjoy at home.

I've only read your updates OP but firstly, don't be stopping at Gretna and flying past Tebay. Are you mad?

Also, get the kids a chair each with drinks holder. The adult size chairs and then everyone can just sit wherever. Take a crate for muddy boots. I have a crate the Asda man forgot as well as another for balls, bats and frisbees.

Thermals for all of you and two pairs of gloves for the kids.

Snoods that can double as masks. Kids over 5 need to wear masks in Scotland.

The chocolate factory place is fun near Kirkcudbright and gets you indoors for a while.

Picnic blankets and sheets to cover the floor inside.

Plenty of power banks! Wipes, tin foil, towels.

Stick the tent back on eBay, you will recoup all the money back.

Ask the campsite if you can up grade to a static.

If you don't do those two things, you will fucking freeze.

Scotland is often wet and cold in first week of June. Could you compromise and change to Devon or Cornwall where at least it is usually a few degrees warmer. What was he thinking not discussing it with you before committing. I would refuse to go to Scotland camping. We have been to Scotland before and stayed in Travel Inn. We had car and each day we drove somewhere different and stayed in a Travel Inn. You will need to book ahead.