To think there is no point going on ‘Holidays’ with little ones

[Thinkofallthestoriesthatwecouldvetold]

Back last week from a camping trip with 4 year old…first day/night exciting and v sweet…after that, just a load of hard work and basically a nightmare
I don’t expect to be sat on a sunlounger all day as pre kids…but do holidays with kids ever have any element of relaxation? When? What age?
I was more exhausted than when I left, loads of washing to do and paid a load of money for the privilege 🙈🤷🏻‍♀️

We enjoyed eurocamp at that age.
A caravan, a pool, mini-gym classes.
Trip to local beaches, eating outside. Lots of play parks, beaches.
Then bed in evening while we drank wine and ate cheese.
Before repeating next day.

I have had some great holidays with my dc, but none of them involved camping. We went to pontins a few times when our eldest two were small and they had a ball, once they were occupied and happy we could relax and enjoy ourselves. We went to Spain too from the time they were age 3 and 18 months and we had some lovely times. However it all changed when number 3 came along, aside from the fact that bringing 3 was really expensive she was a very tricky baby, cried a lot, never settled, so we gave up on holidays for a few years. So it just depends on how easy your dc are, and how high your expectations are.

YABU to consider camping with a small child. I love our holidays with our children but I would never consider going camping a holiday.

I opened the thread thinking YABU for your main question, then saw that you were talking about camping!! Of course camping with children isn’t going to feel like a holiday!

You went camping .....that is not a holiday.

I'm sort of with you OP, but I also want to give my children the experiences as I'm aware we only have a small finite number of 'small child' summers.

I've done a couple of short stay Air B&Bs with my eldest (5) but didn't go anywhere this year. We've bitten the bullet and booked a week in an apartment right on the Cornish coast for next year when ours will be 3 and 6 and then hopefully will venture to a really child orientated all inclusive resort in Europe the year after.

Camping can be fun but it's very hit and miss and you need the weather on your side. I wouldn't ever expect it to be relaxing. I'd plan things like the beach where there might be 20 minutes when a toddler is happy digging in the sand and that would be a chance to sit and chill. Caravan parks are good for UK holidays on a budget but still some level of comfort!

Group holidays are great. Other kids for them to play with-evenings basically a night with your mates once the kids are in bed.

I love taking the kids away and we do it as often as we can from camping trips, relative visits, weekend trips or abroad for a holiday.

I love watching my 3 Yr old exploring new places, we have definitely adapted how we holiday though. Everyone gets a turn to pick a activity/place to visit on a different day this helps a huge amount to cut out any moaning etc.
We go out for lunches rather then dinner and we make sure we have a bottle of wine available for the evenings once they are in bed!

I don't think of holidays as for relaxation so much as a change of scene, chance to see different things, spend time with the kids without chores/admin/work etc

If I want to relax, I take a day off when the kids are in nursery/school

@Thinkofallthestoriesthatwecouldvetold
YANBU

Everyone is out of their element, you are not necessarily in a child safe environment, vigilance is required all the time, everything requires a lot more work and planning, and behaviour can be challenging. Then you go home to face a mountain of dirty clothes which you are responsible for washing.

Haven’t RTFT but I had to answer as we’ve just got back from 9 nights away! I vote both OP, YANBU as it’s worlds away from holidays without kids. But YABU because DH and I definitely had a nice time, even with a challenging 6 and 3 year old who don’t play together all that much and bicker a lot, staying in a small static caravan. We do have good sleepers though, and my older child is a confident swimmer. Both love the pool and it was very child friendly so DH and I were able to sit on the edge and watch/chat on several occasions, and we enjoyed a drink by the pool every evening whilst the DC had ice cream too!

But parts of it were really hard work - we had an early morning flight and my youngest DC was beside himself with tiredness. My older DC is just challenging at home or away, but he is happy when entertained and luckily as mentioned loves swimming so as long as he was in the pool or eating ice cream he was happy. We even got to about day 3 or 4 without many sun cream battles as the novelty was so huge.

A week was enough though, I was looking forward to coming home by the end and I won’t go for longer than a week again whilst DC are this young.

Relaxing may not happen but is definitely possible to have a lovely holiday with babes, toddlers or children. We did with DD from her being very small and always had a great time. You do need to chose your holidays more carefully though.

To be fair though, for me camping is never a holiday. With or without children!

Try WDW instead of camping. Won’t seem pointless then, they’ll love it

Mine are older now but I'm a single parent and we've always done self catering holidays. Started off with UK places, and sometimes went with a friend and her son. Then moved on to trips abroad, and now we go with my partner.

My view of it was that is was 99% for the kids when they were young. I didn't expect a rest. We got up early and did day trips. It was hard work but I loved seeing them happy. Also, if we went away it meant I had fewer distractions (work, life admin) so was able to spend more time with them.

Butlins and Haven type holiday parks are the only way! Our DC loved the swimming pools, slot machine arcades, fun fairs and children's evening entertainment and if they were happy so were we. This year we went away with DS, DIL and DGC, AI to Lanzarote and had the best time. If you plan holidays around the DCs then everyone enjoys it.

It's definitely hard work! 🤣

I think you just do what works best for you & your family. I was very impressed/jealous of people that seemed to travel effortlessly with small kids when ours were at that stage. Haven Caravan Parks & Centre Parcs were our safety net 'go to' for years!! 🤣

Centre Parcs was our favourite - Hubby & I used to take turns to slope off to the Spa for some 'me time'!! 😆

Haven and Butlins work well for most young kids - my H hated them but I personally found them easier. Eurocamp was very good too and go for the top end of accommodation on a site with tons of facilities but near a nice town - we worked up from that by time son was 6 to lovely apartments in places like Majorca to the odd villa - last full holiday we had with our son was when he was 15 and we went to california - I do agree though up to the age of about 6 it tends to be hard going and not that relaxing- we learnt it was easier to have our son one on one , whilst the other person had some me time!

I don’t think camping with little kids is a great or easy plan.

I agree with PPs who say Butlin’s, or Haven, or Center Parcs and the like if you want to spend more. Also something like AI. Or one of those farms they have in Devon and Cornwall. Anything a bit packagedy seems to work!

Mine are a bit older now and can be taken on interesting city breaks which is quite exciting!

Euro camp as a pp just said also a good call.

Places with other children about, just other people in passing really, things for kids to do, but then proper beds at the end of the day.

The first time I had a relaxing holiday as a parent was when the youngest was about 9. Before then it was hard work. After that age I found it got easier and easier.