To be considering cutting our family holiday short?

[Babybabybabyooooh]

We are currently in the Lake District (live in the south west).
We have three children aged 11mo, 1yo and 2yo. So far it’s awful, our 1yo is a total flight risk at the moment, the 2yo is acting incredibly difficult (which is definitely down to her routine being upset but it’s still making it very difficult) and the 11mo is being his typical baby self, but it’s much harder to accommodate him with the added stress of the older two and the holiday.

I’m not having fun, the kids kind of are but the location isn't having much of an effect on that, and they’re mad they can’t just run free like at home because it’s not enclosed, it was such a long trip to get here and we’ve only been here two days but the thought of staying until Monday makes me feel sick,

Would I be unreasonable to pack up and go home and just holiday from home? There are just as many zoos and parks a driving distance from our home that they would love all the same!

Can you attach them each to one of those extendable dog leads so they can run a bit without escaping? Kinda wrong but you sound desperate.

Can you IMAGINE the ensuing MN thread?

I’d do whatever you feel happiest doing. If that’s going home then do it. Could plan to use the days you might have spent there at the holiday park travelling back home at a more relaxed pace - plan your days going home around stopping most of the day at a less crowded ‘run free’ type stuff like NT properties or what have you and book a couple of Premier Inn family rooms along the way.

no way would i go home, its important for you all to get a break after the covid nightmare. Your DH needs to have more tolerance and you all need to embrace this as a break not a trial. Your DC will be enjoying it more than you realise-

Yes they are 11m, 20m and 2y 10m!

This is the rest of the plans for this week -

Tomorrow is Beatrix potter museum, boat trip, a picnic and take their little balls so they can run around with them.

Thursday is breakfast outside, pool party in the evening and a take away evening

Friday is a farm village with a soft play barn

Saturday they have pottery painting in the morning, an outdoor park with loads of different t options including a little splash park, then arcade and BBQ

Sunday is a wild boar park and then we were going to visit a free Victorian house estate and park with lots of open ground

Monday is when we are leaving, planning to leave super early so they nap in the car and go directly to Bristol zoo before heading home.

We have iPads with lots of movies and tv shows for all car journeys, we have audio books and nursery rhymes too. We have brought lots of toys fro them, although I’m considering getting a little paddling pool as they might enjoy it more than the pool?
I’ve got constant snacks as the weather is meaning they aren’t really enjoying big meals so I’ve split it down into lots of little meals…

I knew it was going to be a struggle but honestly I thought I’d planned it accordingly, boy was I wrong! 😂

It doesn’t sound fun but actually it also sounds like your kids need to be around other people and out of routine and realise that everything is still ok. Reframe it in your head as a healthy experience for them rather than a holiday for you.

As for hubby, I will talk to him tonight.
I know he’s by doing it on purpose, he’s just as stressed as I am, but I definitely doesn’t help!

Your DH may be a dick, he may be overwhelmed, I'd give it a couple of days at least for him to get into a rhythm with them. He needs to pull his weight though and accept that life with three very young children is frustrating, and repetitive, and not entirely fulfilling for adults. Things have changed, and they've changed fast, time to get with the programme!

Our first holiday after having DC1 we had an almighty row on Day 2 after DH had been sulky and crap and thrashed it out - No, it’s not a ‘holiday’ like it used to be, Yes, it’s a bit shit and tiring, No, you still have to do the boring crap, Yes, I wish we could switch off and relax too.

And once we’d acknowledged it was Actually Not A ‘Holiday’ - not a ‘break’ to recharge but just seeing somewhere new and parenting whilst there - we all relaxed and it was lovely in the end. Totally worth the row in hindsight.

@RealHousewifeofBarnardCastle

Holidays at that age are just childcare somewhere different but without your stuff. I’d go home.

Oh God, this a million times over.

OP, XH and I cut short a holiday once because it was just hellish. We thought we had planned it well (child-friendly, moderate drive from home, blah, blah). We stuck it out for three days or so then decided to cut our losses. Far easier to occupy the children at home, especially in nice weather.

Ps I’d give the Beatrix Potter museum a miss with kids that age - they won’t give a toss! Ditto pottery painting (you’ll have to buy the crap they splash paint over) and the arcade. The rest sounds great though. Just make sure you have plenty of down time. Plenty of kids (and adults - like me!) don’t want to be on the go all the time and get stressed out.

@onefortheroad74

GO HOME WOMAN

Yip.. go back to the comfort and familiarity of your own home. The kids won't even notice, in fact they will probably thank you for it.

I think with three so young it's just going to be the same shit in a different place as regards holidays for the next few years. There aren't many corners that can be cut - I wasn't physically able to bring enough clothing with me for all mine for a week at that age so had to fathom washing etc in new place. Often no easy child proofed places to leave children while you cook etc. It's just a load of stress that takes away from any pleasure the holiday might bring. I wouldn't feel guilty at all about calling it a day on this one and doing an "out for days" staycation where you're more in control this year.

Its hot. Try one more day with less energy and activities. Divide and conquer where possible.

@Hellocatshome

Sorry how do you have a one year old and an 11 month year old? Its simple maths really 11 plus 9 is 20 months old i.e still a 1 year old

Yes I dont do the whole months thing either once they're 1.

sounds like so much stuff planned

why not just stay on site and play there. Will they really appreciate the museums and stuff and it is worthwhile you visiting when they will get fractious

Id stay at the van and use the swimming pool and get them used to that, also by staying at the site and pottering about they are not being overloaded with stuff. The pool will also help them sleep

If anything @Babybabybabyooooh you sound a bit over organised , just chill a bit .

Wow. I haven’t read the whole thread but I have read your posts OP. I think that your problem is that having had three kids so close together (hats off to you), you did but have the chance to learn from the first child that, frankly, children under about three and a half do not give a monkeys about attractions and swimming pools etc. Holidays are just childcare somewhere without all your usual home comforts. Bin it off and (take it from me), don’t try to go on holiday again for at least 2 years. Possibly 4 and just take them on day trips when the eldest is able to enjoy stuff like theme parks.

"Tomorrow is Beatrix potter museum"

Sack this off, they're too young.

Same for the lake cruises tbh. Too young. Or just one of you take the nearly 3 year old.

Completely disagree with all the pps that say holidays with under 5s are crap. We've travelled the world with ours and loved it from them being tiny. All about relaxing and not trying to take on too much.

Hint: you're taking on too much (that itinerary at those ages is too much and not age appropriate).

Did NOT, not “did but”

Beatrix Potter museum is madness when the eldest is only 2. Seriously, they’d have more fun in Tesco.

I think you’ve got a bit over excited about fun kid activities and started about 3 years too early. I can identify with this, my son did not even KNOW he was in the Zoo until about our 15th visit. Lucky I like lemurs myself because I was the only one who cared.

It sounds like you're trying to cram in too much. You need to have some down time alongside the activity days. Things like pottery painting and boat trips toddlers aren't going to get much from and might be more hassle than it's worth.

Softplay and farm parks all the way, but don't expect to spend the whole day a few hours max and they'll be tired out. Cake and coffee stop in the afternoon.

Brockhole in the lake district is very good.

I wouldn't even bother trying to eat out with those ages, familiar food in the caravan/lodge with a takeaway and bottle of wine for you and dp.

Sack off the museum!!

Can you not do something that feels more familiar? There are lovely beaches all along Cumbria's coast.

Your schedule for the next week is crazy. I wouldn’t do that much with my 2 and 5yo. You need some time to chill at the camp and the pool.

Tomorrow is Beatrix potter museum, boat trip, a picnic and take their little balls so they can run around with them.

Ditch the museum and boat trip- both sound a nightmare with 3 under 3.

Thursday is breakfast outside, pool party in the evening and a take away evening

More likely to go well

Friday is a farm village with a soft play barn

Ditto this

Saturday they have pottery painting in the morning, an outdoor park with loads of different t options including a little splash park, then arcade and BBQ

Too much. Pottery painting won’t work that well with the ages you have. Splash park= good

Sunday is a wild boar park and then we were going to visit a free Victorian house estate and park with lots of open ground

One or the other would be better.

Monday is when we are leaving, planning to leave super early so they nap in the car and go directly to Bristol zoo before heading home.

Most of those activities aren't interesting for children as young as yours and you'll spend all of the time trying to keep them quiet/from touching things in a museum, away from the edge on a boat etc, stop them front and smashing pottery and so on p. The farm& play barn the older two will like but I bet there's one near to where you live. Readjust your expectations, weather is going to be nice just go for a bear hunt walk/picnic and take their ball, don't try and do multiple activities in one day either, get up leisurely let them play maybe have a toddler around the camp/park, then head of to an activity, come back early afternoon, trying to do 3 or 4 things in a day is asking for over tired ratty children at that age. You've planned a holiday for older children when you have two toddlers and a baby. Be patient the time will come when they will love all of those activities.

I remember going on holidays to Skerries ( outside Dublin) on holidays when we were children, it was 17 miles (but pre motorway probably took forever to get there.)

We stayed in a caravan that wouldn't have been out of place in Fr Ted, it rained and then it rained, some more, the low point was when none us three could sleep due to the noise of the rain. We did eventually.

My parents woke us at 5.30, the following morning the car was already loaded and they scooped us up and took us home to our own beds, they had another few days on the let so went back to finish off.

They felt like Superheroes that morning.