To resent wealthy friends holidays

[Catlover78]

I dread school holidays. Mostly because everyone we know has way more money than us resulting in an endless stream of Instagram or Facebook posts of skiing, Dubai, Thailand, whatever. I know I should feel happy for them, but I just feel like a failure that I can’t give my kids these experiences. I do my best to avoid social media, but inevitably this topic crops up in conversation and I find myself feeling small and ashamed that we just go to Wales for a long weekend. I know there are people me with far bigger issues than this, but I’m a bit worn down feeling skint and jealous.

Camping isn’t for everyone. I hate it. I don’t think I’m doing it ‘wrong’ (is there a wrong way to sleep in a tent?), it’s just not my idea of fun. We’re all different.

I mean, for christ sake

My child aged 8, looking for stones/shells/anything in the mud beside a Scottish loch on a foggy rainy morning told me it was the best day of their life.

You don't have to go abroad to 'make memories'. Most of our best holidays with DC have been in the UK - Northumberland, North Wales and Shropshire.

There were castles, beaches, boat trips and small train rides. Loads to do and not too hot. Damp sand to build castles and boats with, not the silky dry stuff abroad.

Camping is like Marmite however mine loved it when we went in a group with friends. Less so when just us. They definitely grew out of I by secondary school. I was the only one that still wanted to go!

With teenagers we did short city breaks to Rome (April) and Florence (February). Cheap flights and cheap apartments. Lots of fun without the price tag.

Are you joking? I’m not doing camping wrong. I’ve camped in the U.K. wales and abroad and quite frankly found not one iota of pleasure in it. You don’t get that people enjoy different things. Patronising much???

whiteroseredrose - you don't get damp sand abroad? Only in the UK?

The damp sand in the UK is world class. I am not sure why anyone would need to travel elsewhere for that particular pleasure.

Because the UK is often cold and raining.
I spend all year in woolly clothes, I want to sit on a beach in 30 degrees, not 15.

I took my DD on a luxury trip to Turkey last Summer but she definitely enjoyed the lockdown mini break we did to Clapton On Sea a lot more. Lesson learnt, it was a fraction of the price. This year, am planning U.K. breaks again. I do sympathise, but those holidays you are seeing are edited highlights. They definitely may well not be anymore fun than your trips to Wales.

Always be someone better off than you
Always be someone worse off than you

My mother told me this when I was a child complaining that so and so had such and such and it stayed with me as the wisest thing she ever said!

I’m currently on holiday, somewhere pretty nice - should I be feeling ashamed of myself? DH and I both work, so why shouldn’t we do things we enjoy?

Not ashamed. But not proud either.

@mellicauli proud? God no. It’s never acceptable to take pride in working hard and doing reasonably ok, is it?

When I was a child I visited the same place every year (family had a caravan, uk) and I used to feel sorry for children who went abroad to different places because they didn't get to see their holiday friends to if they found a good den/ had a good game they couldn't go back next year and play.

I also thought people were idiots for not going to the farmers field we had our caravan on.
We didn't even have lights in the toilet, no entertainment, no road! But it was the best and occasionally you'd wake up to a tractor or a sheep outside the window.
It was the best. Don't worry!

We went to the sun holidays for £9 too but I much prefer farmer Frank's field.

That’s your passion OP. Your friends are passionate about holidays.

Fine to be proud for working hard and doing reasonably ok is fine.
Being proud of going on holiday, not so much

@Coffeepot72

Do you genuinely think that everyone who works hard gets the same rewards as you?

Do you genuinely think that everyone who works hard gets the same rewards as you?

@Coyoacan i have no idea, but I genuinely believe that inverted snobbery is rife, and it’s always a cheap shot to knock someone who appears to be doing ok

well I'm jealous of your trips to Wales! We spent most summers in Singapore not because we are rich it's because I'm from there. And with my parents ageing, I just think I'd have many more years to make these trips, have them spend time with grandchildren.