Parents of young kids, how much couple time do you get on holiday?

[dockspider]

If you have young kids (preschool and early primary years sorts of ages) and don’t use kids clubs, how much time do you and your partner get as a couple on holiday?

DH has just said that he feels sad we didn’t get any proper time the two of us on overseas holiday. I think it’s a bit unrealistic to expect that with small kids, no childcare and relaxed/late bedtimes for kids (latter is both of our choice/fault but does mean we tend to head to bed not long after the children).

AIBU?

This is why we used kids clubs, otherwise it would have been next to none.
No one ever took them for the day just because, whilst we were at home, so those few hours over that precious week were the only time all year we were alone, didn't have the DC and weren't at work whilst they were at nursery.

None at all.

I was in bed reading at 10pm as my "spirited" 7yo was still wide awake every bloody night and she'd have been up even later if I'd not gone in with her.

We have 3 (9,7 and 4) so we're well used to it.

My DD is 11 and just been away for a week with my partner (not her Dad but she likes him). We got maybe half an hour to an hour each morning and maybe the same after she went to bed in the evening - if that! I assumed that was pretty normal, no kids clubs. We had a great time!

I think it’s unrealistic to expect any alone time really if you aren’t using kids clubs.

The only thing we do is maintain normal ish bed times so we can at least watch a film or have a quiet drink alone.

I had plans pre-kids to use kids clubs a day or two but my boys are autistic so not likely to tolerate one.

We also have 3 - slightly younger than yours crunchymum - and were also, I thought, used to it! That’s why DH’s comment surprised me a bit.

None.

But you can swap around so you each get some time to yourself.

Roll with it. There’s lots to enjoy.

Alone time from 8pm to 630am just like home! On the odd occasion we could get them
to nap we all stayed out late and so no alone time as a couple.

We didn’t do a resort so no kids clubs etc. We might do it next year so we can have some down time.

Some days we solo look after the kids half a day each so at least one adult is able to go to the beach and read a book.

very little when they were small (just after bedtime). Even less when they are older. He’s being unrealistic.

Ha ha, bugger all. Just been away with ours aged 5, 2 and 2, they absolutely loved it and were up way later than normal. We were visiting family so we had some nice dinners out but still with the kids. Barely an hour together at the end of the day in our AirBnB and we were pretty knackered by then!

Alone time from 8pm to 630am just like home!

To be fair I think this is what he was expecting. Not time during the day. But the kids weren’t down until 9/10pm and I was too shattered after days of running around on the beach, hiking, kayaking etc to stay up after them for more than a few minutes!
We did both get alone time during the day and we both had an absolutely fantastic time with the kids.

As others have said.... kids club!

None. It's a family holiday. We can go away for an evening out just the two of us at home but not on holiday.

Me and my DH once laid on the bathroom floor in a hotel room, with the light off, watching Netflix on a phone with NO sound. Just so ds would go to sleep.

We had to SUCK on our crisps, lest ds hear a crunch and realise we were still awake.

Kids are worse on holidays 😂

Another "none' obviously" from me!

None whatsoever, same as at home - HTH

Hah yes there was once that glass of wine sat on the toilet lid while he was in the bath and the baby slept in the hotel room. Good times, good times.

...we put ours to bed earlier on holiday so we get more evening time to ourselves!

@Cheerybigbottom 😂

We book hotels with kids club. (Kids 3 and 6.) Mostly because I can't relax when they are around a pool as they can't swim.

3 hours of kids club the rest of the time together so a nice balance for everyone.

We don't but holidays away from home is family time really when were all together and not at sports/music/school/work.

Its a huge adjustment to becoming parents isn't it - but we've loved the chance to spend time with the kids in new environments and enjoy seeing new things/activities with them.

I would have loved a night away with my husband if we has childcare though!!

Very little. Kids are inevitably in bed a bit later than usual and I am too shattered for anything other than crap on Netflix and falling asleep. This year we got interconnecting rooms for the first time and that wasn’t too bad. We had a glass of wine once they were in bed.

None really, just after they go to bed (late). But as pps have said, self catering makes it easier. But we really don't expect to with primary aged dc.

This