To not want to go on holidays with DC?

[NearlyAlwaysInsane]

OK so here goes. We are potentially planning to go with DD1 (6) and DD2 (3) on a week's holiday this December. We actually have some flight vouchers we could potentially use somewhere in Europe.

But: when I think it through, it all just seems stressful. The idea of decamping abroad for a week, just seems heavy and a right PITA. The DC are not that age yet where we can really do more than 1-2 days in a city (AirBnBd this summer and two nights was more than enough.....DD1 doesn't have much attention span for museums yet), and we've otherwise been doing self-catering in the UK with the car (pros: the car means you can just leave and come back, no stress; cons: self-catering basically provides zero rest of any kind, so it's a bit like being at home, just somewhere else, and the routines come with us of course).

So: AIBU to think sod it, stuff the vouchers, at these ages it's just too heavy to get going with overseas holidays?

Yanbu. Where would you use the vouchers to go? A week in December in Europe with tots doesn’t sound fun. Unless you could use them to see friends or family or they’d get you somewhere warm or bright it doesn’t sound worth it. Can the airline extend their validity? Any friends who could use them? Could you and DH go away for the weekend leaving dcs with dgps?

I think perhaps you just need to research your trips a little more. We travelled a lot from when dc were small.
Once we'd decided where we'd like to go we'd book an apartment as close to the centre as could be found.
I love that sort of research so would spend ages picking the right one.
We favoured serviced apartments over hotels as it gave us a bedroom for dc & a living space for us in the evenings to relax once dc were asleep. It also gave us a fridge to store snacks / fruit / milk for dc as well as all important wine & beer

We never cooked as such but it was v handy to be able to give dc cereal & fruit whilst one of us ( usually dh) went out to get coffee & pastries to bring back. We could eat in our pjs etc

Once all that was sorted I'd research the top 10 things to do in that city with children the age our children were at the time.
Playgrounds, special museums for their age, walking tours with a 'spot the lion' or what ever theme -lots of cities have these!
Best pizza place, best ice cream parlour, best chocolate shop. Some cities have botanical gardens or zoos etc swimming if your kids are into it

Then I'd figure out an itinerary based on interspersing the kid activity - so one day might be walk to a lovely park, admiring the architecture etc along the way, a big run around the park, then off to the best pizza /pasta/ burger what ever place for lunch.
Another walk to find the best ice cream place but again meandering through the city as you go.
Maybe take in a market or food market. Coffee / wine / ice cream/ cake breaks as & when an opportunity arises
Home at a reasonable time & they were usually wrecked by then so showers; & into bed. Takeaway & wine for us.

Another day might involve a trip to a toy shop for a small new toy & a trip to a museum seeking out the interactive parts suitable for them

Aquariums are good if there is one

Basically use a carrot on the stick approach with them - you're out & about because you're going to do the thing they love but you incorporate the things you want to do an route

We've always had a great time travelling with ours . Hope you have a great trip if you go

Can you use them for Canary Islands?

I would only take children of that age to an all inclusive family resort type place, preferably with a set of grandparents in attendance to help out.
Going on a city break will just be a whole set of compromises to keep them happy and they still won't be.

Leave dc with other parent and go on your own or with a friend?

I agree it’s too much hassle, but I’d have a week in the Canaries at that time of year if I was going anywhere.

Disney? I think you’re getting to the point where travel will start to become more fun with the younger one. You could do a Christmas market and take it easy and do other child/focused things.

You could come here to Copenhagen girls 4 nights ( we live there) .you have Tivoli in the centre of the city which is amazing( like a nicer Disneyland) fantastic aparthotels with nice bars, great city xmas markets, tons of boat trips ,beach if sun is shining ,superb child friendly metro to get around and the best hotdogs and ice cream in the world, plus some superb indoor shopping centres if it rains, I think its a great city to take children

We just came back from a week in Europe with children that age (but 3 nearly four and six nearly seven in terms of maturity) we had one day that made me think - why did we bother! But the rest was great. We walked or ambled a lot, stopping to look at sights and buy pastries in bakeries and stop at playgrounds we passed. We were out from 10 to 1 or 2 each day, then came back to our Airbnb for a rest and the kids watched cartoons, then we went out again at 4.30 to have ice creams from various ice cream places. We tended to have lunch out at pizza places so easy to please children. They found everything quite exciting - going on boats and trains. So yes it was hassle in a way but worth it as our first trip abroad in nearly 2 years. I think it depends where your younger one is in terms of development? Are they out of nappies, travel cot and a good walker? We also took them a backpack in each with sticker books/colouring/word searches/dollies/Frozen magazine etc! We didn’t take books as too heavy but I got ebooks and audiobooks from the library on the kids’ tablets and that worked very well!

I think you are confusing self catering holidays with your DC.
It doesn’t matter who goes, self-catering is more work.
Many of our best holidays were when the children were young.
Go for a family resort with all inclusive. We went to one in Greece several years in a row because the children loved the kids club and we were able to easily get trips off the resort to see ancient ruins and such.

I've been taking DS abroad on my own since he was 2 (single mum). Never found it hard work at all. Never did self catering though, it was all inclusive, big pools and plenty for kids to do. To me a self catering holiday is no fun, if I wanted to do my own cooking and tidying up I'd stay at home.

Copenhagen sounds wonderful! We've never been but it's on our list

A few years back we went to Lisbon in December & it was 18 / 19 degrees perfect for being out & about & we LOVED It

Other cities we've visited in winter include Prague (twice), Berlin, Krakow, Gdansk, Florence, Paris.

@Crikeyalmighty

You could come here to Copenhagen girls 4 nights ( we live there) .you have Tivoli in the centre of the city which is amazing( like a nicer Disneyland) fantastic aparthotels with nice bars, great city xmas markets, tons of boat trips ,beach if sun is shining ,superb child friendly metro to get around and the best hotdogs and ice cream in the world, plus some superb indoor shopping centres if it rains, I think its a great city to take children

I'm hoping to do this with DS next year!

We have done tons of city holidays with our kids (pre COVID)
As someone said, Google the kiddie friendly things to do. Most museums have kid’s trails etc.
Plan to do one thing in the morning, one thing in the evening. If there is an adult thing that you want to do, one parent takes the kids and the other sneaks off to do it.
We used to prep the kids as well. Read up about the country, currency, food etc. Learn some basic words.
We have done and would recommend: Amsterdam, Brussels, Zurich, Paris, Lisbon, Nice, Berlin, Salzburg, Vienna, Barcelona, Madrid. We also did Geneva, Munich and Copenhagen and Lyon with a four year old (aka just the one child).
All of these are lovely cities to do a 3-4 day break with kids. If you can take the Eurostar that’s an added bonus.

@Blahdyblahbla

I would only take children of that age to an all inclusive family resort type place, preferably with a set of grandparents in attendance to help out. Going on a city break will just be a whole set of compromises to keep them happy and they still won't be.

That shows a spectacular lack of imagination! We had some great 3-4 day trips to places like Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin and Munich when mine were similar ages and had some great times all round. Granted it was summer which does make a difference in terms of parks, playgrounds etc but many European cities can be magical in November/December with trees, lights, markets, lots of places to stop off and have hot snacks and hot drinks. Some museums might be a bit dull for them but in Munich for example, there is a fantastic and really interactive science/technology museum where you could spend most of a day, theres the BMW museum and you could go visit Bayern Munich. I think there's a museum of childhood too. That's just one city, all will have their charms.

Of course YANBU - if it seems like too much hassle then don't go. There's no point using destroying our planet with all that extra carbon for something you're a bit 'meh' about. It's a easy environmental win to skip something you're 'meh' about. In fact if we all restricted ourselves to the climate damaging activities we really loved (for me sadly this includes flights as I love going abroad) and concentrated on drastically reducing the 'meh' ones (for me it's much less painful to avoid day to day car driving, and reduce my meat intake), we might actually make some progress on it!

YANBU

I avoid holidays with my children at all costs

A week in Europe in December with two very young children will be no kind of holiday at all. It’s difficult when they’re so young. You basically end up doing the same amount of work in a place you’re unfamiliar with.

I guess it takes all sorts but I have zero interest in all inclusive resorts & in 16 years of being parents we've only ever done 1 straight up beach holiday in Mallorca & even that in corporated 3 days in Palma.

It would be an immense waste of money & time for me to go to resort after resort year on year as it simply holds no interest for us.

Cities we've been to with dc & really enjoyed - Paris, London, Madrid, Venice, Florence, Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Gdansk, Malaga, Toronto, Sydney, Hobart, Brisbane, Bangkok, New York, Berlin, Lisbon Dublin, Tallin

I would look at it like this: people who live in these European places with children find ways to occupy them, right? Don't just look for tourist sites, look for the best local playground or hot chocolate shop, are there boat taxis or cool trains, in December there will be Christmas markets and fun fairs and ice skating.

You don't need lots of things to do, I agree with getting an AirBNB and doing one thing in the AM, one thing in the PM. Go out to eat or get takeaways, don't cook all the time. Get a place with a nice living space so after the kids are in bed you can chill out with DH and have a nice time.

BUT if you really don't want to go then don't, and don't feel bad about it -- I don't miss those days of holidaying with young DC at all : )

Week in the canaries or Disneyland Paris. You can stay in a hotel or apartment right by and dip in and out as you choose. When my 2 were that age we stayed in a Disney hotel so we could use the pool and they loved the Disney magic. Stocked up on snacks etc at the ship by the station and a garage. Kids had an absolute ball and it was so Christmassy! You can get the train into Paris or the big shopping centre nearby to get some Christmas bits or cheese and wine to have in your room when school are sleeping. My 2 still talk about it in their late teens!

I bought them sallopets (not sure how to spell! - skiing dungaree things) on eBay so they could go out in rain, snow etc and stay dry and cosy to go on rides, watch parade etc. Just dress for the weather and you'll love it!! I also bought Disney outfits off eBay and dd was regularly spotted in a princess dress over her waterproof gear with wellies on! I didn't care as she was happy and dress only cost a few £. You can't easily fill a day on rides, a swim, lunch/dinner, shops (kids live the Disney stuff) and a chill out Disney movie in your room.
Or get a babysitter and go to Vienna!

You could come here to Copenhagen girls 4 nights ( we live there) .you have Tivoli in the centre of the city which is amazing( like a nicer Disneyland)

I spend a lot of time in Copenhagen, and Tivoli is beautiful with the lights but it is nowhere NEAR Disneyland or Disney World! 😂

I’d go to Copenhagen any day though, with or without children!

Personally part of having children is making memories with them .....their enduring memory will be that you preferred to holiday without them 🤷🏻‍♀️

You could go to somewhere like the very south of Sweden, a small town/village near a beach. You could then also go to Copenhagen just for the day if you wanted to.