To judge these parents

[BaggyJumpersandLeggings]

Currently on holiday abroad.
I've noticed a family here, kids are I'd say - one is around 20 months and the other about 4, if not younger. Mum looks around 7months pregnant.
Our room overlooks kids club where there is a park and soft play and other activities. The sign on kids club says it's open 9:30-12:30 then 14:00-17:30. Now this couple drop their kids off there after breakfast not long after it's opened, they must get them for the lunch break but then they drop them back off as we've seen them collecting them around 16:00ish.
In the meantime, the parents sunbath at the pool all day.
Aibu to think this is just shit!? Why book a family holiday if you're just gonna pack them off to kids club for strangers to look after your kids pretty much all day in another country?!

Today I took my DC in there to use the park for an hour whilst I remained there and I noticed the 1 child sat on the swing looking really sad, just sat there with nobody pushing the swing and their shoes were on the wrong feet, clothes dirty from where they'd been running about/colouring in, just sat there with the tabard on showing that they're there without parents and was looking so sad and down. My heart broke when I saw that child, the younger sibling was being carried about by the staff. I went over and said hello and asked name and offered to push the swing whilst I pushed my DC. Their little face lit up just to have someone talking to them for a short while.
I just don't understand how some can do this, I couldn't ? I get maybe some need an hour or so peace here and there especially if they're live wires - and maybe some kids like it and ask to go...but for hours everyday?? I've seen those kids round the pool once all holiday, and that was late in the day, around 16:30 for an hour. Apart from that never seen them round the pool since. Poor kids.
Aibu to disagree with this holiday parenting?

Mine loved kids club on Holiday - but they only did one session a day (usually timed to coincide with the quiz by the pool) - and often begged to do the night time parties

I am a single parent of 3 - so for me it meant I got a holiday as well

I wouldn't judge as I don;t know the parents but I do agree it's a bit sad to go away as a family and not spend much time together - especially with 2 adults - surely if they needed child free time they could take turns. But maybe she's having a tough pregnancy and maybe he's a twat or maybe - well you don't know do you? Maybe the kids love the kids club?

My DC totally adore kids club, it’s the best part of the holiday for them. Last full day i book then in for everything, if they had their way they would do that every day, I put my foot fish and only allow two sessions a day

Foot fish?! I mean ”foot down”

Ditto - mine did as well - and all the poolside activities, dancing etc - plus the eldest two did football club every day and the youngest swimming lessons

You just don’t know other people’s circumstances though there could have been a very good reason why she needed that time each day and it’s wrong to judge

I actually was a lot more pragmatic about it, (for the most part, but some parents really took the piss) being a nanny before I had my own kid. Now, I think differently. I had all the time in the world to please myself and do what the fuck I wanted on holiday before I had him. Now I prefer to have my good times WITH him (and enjoy the evenings to myself when he’s in bed 😂)

That was my first thought too!

You’re being horribly judgemental. You have no idea what’s going on in their lives. Why not enjoy your holiday rather than putting other parents down on the internet

No judgement from me. Kids on holiday are hard work and the parents deserve a rest too.

YABU and very judgy. Who knows why this was. Would you like to be judged on your grammar life?

Focusing on your own family while judging another. Right.

Leave them alone. They're on holiday. We all go on holiday for different reasons. Assuming in the current financial situation you can afford to go on holiday.

Is it how I would choose to holiday? No. Then again, your idea of a holiday doesn't appeal either. I know my idea of a holiday has limited appeal.

@WellitsNotideal

As it happens I know a lot about this woman and her personal circs so I do feel qualified to comment.

But the point is that whatever her needs, they don't outweigh the needs of her small children. That's basically what parenting is isn't it?

Knew you'd get slated but YANBU OP. It is really sad 😔 the poor kids.

If the children were happy to go to kids club I was happy to send them. I am impressed that the mum is on holiday at 7 months. I was always hating my life and begging for time to hurry up by that point, moping around having a pity party.

Seeing a child sad at kids club for me wouldn't be enough to jump to conclusions because they can be so uo and down all over when little, but if the child was begging not to go, screaming, crying etc etc at drop off then I’d probably make some judgements!

Probably a nice idea to get a good rest a couple of months before a new baby arrives. We don't really do holidays but surely at that kind of resort you are either in the pool with them or on edge with them beside the pool the entire time, so not a whole lot of relaxing.

It's not my bag but they are being no way neglectful and the children are safe and looked after. Just enjoy your holiday and leave them alone. Fwiw I only work at night but my eldest begs to go to breakfast club every day..he gets to play mariokart there while eating his weetabix.

I agree OP, this does sound sad. It doesn’t sound like the parents want to interact with them much at all. My kids have never been in a kids club. We’ve been on holiday’s that have them, but they never wanted to go so we never sent them. I could understand an hour or so, but not pretty much all day, every day. I bet those kids would love some time playing in the pool with their mum and dad. That’s pretty much all ours want to do.

I suppose whatever her negative qualities are that you have personal experience of/knowledge about at least she put them into proper childcare at the school and didn’t just let them play out alone or neglect them in the home , at breakfast and after school clubs at least they’d be supervised, fed and have activities to do

DD would be pretty pissed off if I left her for most of the day. But she’s an only, if she had siblings maybe she’d be ok. But 20 months seems young to leave in a new environment for most of the day.

I’m going to judge that, I’m no earth mother by any stretch of the imagination but they sound quite young and they don’t sound happy there. It’s different if your kids are begging you to go to the club but it sounds like they would rather not be there. That does matter. I would love to be able to drop Dd off for most of my holiday but I think that would make her quite unhappy so to the pool with DH she goes.

@WellitsNotideal

That's absolutely true

Not sure what the problem is tbh.

“Woman and Man Send Kid to Kids Club”

Hardly ground breaking news????

^ This

YANBU no way would I leave my child unattended.

There is a chance that this might ne the only opportunity they have to have a break if they have no sitters back home. Does seem a but odd though, especially if they have a third on the way. Personally I don't see how it's any different to people who have their kids in childcare 8 or 9 hours a day, 5 days a week.

It sounds like a shit holiday club. I remember going to some when I was a kid and they were a mixed bag but some were absolutely brilliant. That said, we're going on holiday next week and my DH wanted to book DS into a holiday club and I refused because I want to spend time with him.

Of course not. I don’t get this, @WellitsNotideal . Wraparound care is designed for working parents.

Mine have always wanted to go but it’s their choice. I am happy either way.