AIBU to be cheesed off with shrieking kids on holiday?

[AnnoyedOnHoliday]

Recently my DP took me on an amazing surprise holiday for my birthday a few weeks ago, 4 nights in a beautiful 5 star hotel - definitely a big treat and really outside of our normal budget so obviously wanted to enjoy it to the absolutely maximum. Hotel was absolutely beautiful and facilities/staff were pretty faultless.

I don't want to say it was ruined but definitely marred by the amount of unruly children. The main pool of the hotel had two pool - a smaller shallow one for kids and another larger one bit more suitable for being able to get a proper swim in. Everyday the main pool as well as the kids one was taken over by kids shrieking in rubber rings, splashing and jumping as well as just being smack bang in the centre of the pool so hard to swim. The area was basically taken over by the constant noise of shouting, screaming, crying and small children sprinting into your sun lounger every two seconds. I found it really hard to concentrate on unwinding and couldn't concentrate on reading my book as so noisy and chaotic and obviously found using the pool for swimming quite annoying also.

The hotel was very much in the countryside so we ate the really great hotel restaurant quite a few breakfasts, lunches and 2 dinners. Every single time, early in the morning, late at night children were sprinting up and down the dining room, running into waiters, more of that shrieking again. More examples but you get the idea.

It seemed to be happening in many different families and every single time I'd look over and they'd be just ignoring their kids or encouraging them to run around so they could have drinks/eat their meal without having to deal with them and 9 times out of 10, I'd never see them being reprimanded for being disruptive.

I get that looking after small children is full on and stressful (I'm really not talking about kids crying/distressed as I know that cannot be helped - referencing the running around shrieking behaviour) but AIBU to think to think it's a bit out of order to just zone out and let everyone have their meals and relaxing time ruined because you're in 'holiday mode' and want some time off parenting?

It just felt a bit jarring that we'd paid to be on holiday too and were basically having to endure everyone else kids.

Kids are annoying but if there's one place they're gonna be noisy and excited, that's at a hotel pool, I would walk to a quiet beach if I couldn't find another hotel

I mean, the thing about not having kids is that you get to choose.
Crazy picking a family friendly hotel if you have no kids.

We booked adults only the minute our teen turned 16 as none of us want to be near rampant toddlers.

No-brainer.

No doubt there are plenty of MNers with unruly kids no matter what they say on here.

No doubt there plenty of anti social and intolerant MNers on here no matter what they say.

Sorry OP, but if you don't want there to be kids there then opt for an adults-only hotel. Obviously you can't turn back time but it's something to remember for future. There are loads of adult only hotels.

I think my elder son put it rather well when he said, you must discipline your children or society will discipline them for you. Maybe not today or this year but if you bring up selfish little brats then you are letting them down in the long run. No one will like them, they will have relationships difficulties and it will be your fault!

Wow, bitter much. It's a far cry from letting kids shout a bit at a hotel pool and condemning them to a lifetime of misery and failed relationships. You seem to be relishing in the fact that people who don't discipline their children deserve to have them suffer a lifetime of unhappiness.

Frankly, I grew up with many children who would be "spoiled brats" by your definition. Many only-children due to older parents and all very financially and socially privileged. They have fantastic lives as adults...many are millionaires, happily married with beautiful kids and enjoying all the trappings that growing with a sense of entitlement brings.

The hotel shouldn't have allowed inflatables in the main pool if there are other pools available for children to play in. but yabu to expect parents to tell their children they cannot play in the main pool if there aren't any actual restrictions in place. that's 100% on you/dp for not booking an adults only hotel. But when it comes to noise and running around in the restaurant yanbu - i hate it. my ds is not allowed to behave like that in public, but then sees other children behave like that and sometimes children of friends we are with behave like that and it's very difficult to explain why he cannot run around with shoes on the furniture when everyone else is doing it. i think it really affects his self esteem, because it's like he isn't allowed to have fun and express himself how he wants but all the other children can. so what to do - let him grow up with a complex or let him join in and have no manners. honestly it's a tough one and there's a difficult line to walk when so many children appear to be brought up with no boundaries or self restraint. they do tend to have a wonderful sense of entitlement though.

We never go in school holidays but it doesn’t rule out preschoolers and honestly some parents these days don’t seem to care, it’s cheaper to pay the fines. The last time we went to a non adult only hotel will be the last time ever. There was an area with a large pool, a kids pool and a playground, and then another large pool without kid’s facilities. Every single day the non kid friendly pool was full of shrieking children. Just so inconsiderate.

I have 3 young kids and we are heading on holiday soon to the sunshine, with various pools and all inclusive so will be eating in the hotel for all meals.

This is the first time my youngest has ever been on a plane and first time my older 2 will remember. They are super excited. And yes they will be excited and delighted and probably over exuberant to be in the sunshine and in a pool and I expect there will be shrieks of delight and fun from them all. And I assume they will have fun in swimming rings and throw a ball to each other in the pool and I Will.be right there with them laughing and having fun. I'm genuinely not sure what else you expect from children on holidays in a hotel pool. We haven't been away for 5 years and I honestly can't wait for their excitement!

As for dining, meal times are for eating. So they will.be expected to sit and eat and behave in a restaurant like they would at home. We will probably bring colours and paper.and they can play as they wait for food or.for us to.finish. children shouldn't be allowed to run around in restaurants, apart from anything else it isn't safe.

So here I think Yabu re pool and yanbu re dining experience.

And I don't just say that now I have kids, I would expect nothing less of kids in a pool on holidays. Shrieks of.excitement, fun and joy.

Some kids are a pain in the arse as a result of lack of parenting, it's a simple fact of life.

The usual sanctimummies are here. YANBU. The constant shrieking is awful. So much shit parenting these days.

I note those saying book somewhere else or at a different time have ignored that this was a surprise booking. The OP didn’t book it.

Too many children are being brought up to think the world revolves around them. Totally the fault of their parents, and their entitlement. Being a parent doesn’t give you a free pass for you or your children to do whatever you want, whenever you want.

People without kids are also entitled to take and enjoy holidays in the summer - it's when businesses tend to be quieter and the weather is nice. Summer is not just the preserve of families with kids needing to work around school terms.

And I have noticed that people (DCs and older people alike) have a greater sense of entitlement to do whatever they want without thinking about anyone else or how their actions impact on others. Kids and teens listening to Loud music on phones on speakers on buses rather than through headphones. Kids sprawled across multiple seats on trains and refusing to let adults sit. Parents letting kids run around restaurants and public places and getting offended if anyone says anything to them. Adults having loud conversations on phones on speaker so you hear both sides.

But if anyone dares to suggest that's not a good idea, you get a mouthful of abuse (if not physical threats) from those same people.

People without kids are also entitled to take and enjoy holidays in the summer - it's when businesses tend to be quieter and the weather is nice. Summer is not just the preserve of families with kids needing to work around school terms.

Who says they shouldn't?

*The usual sanctimummies are here. YANBU. The constant shrieking is awful. So much shit parenting these days.

I note those saying book somewhere else or at a different time have ignored that this was a surprise booking. The OP didn’t book it.

Too many children are being brought up to think the world revolves around them. Totally the fault of their parents, and their entitlement. Being a parent doesn’t give you a free pass for you or your children to do whatever you want, whenever you wa*nt.

Everyone knows OPs husband booked it. So what?

The usual doom mongers are also out in force with the total decline in society.

@sunglassesonthetable you're the only one banging on about the 'decline in society'. Everyone else just wants parents to parent better and reign in their feral offspring.

So you are one of those parents. We get it.

People without kids are also entitled to take and enjoy holidays in the summer - it's when businesses tend to be quieter and the weather is nice. Summer is not just the preserve of families with kids needing to work around school terms.

Of course they can. However, they shouldn't be surprised that a family friendly hotel has children there. If people want a quiet holiday, don't pick a family friendly hotel in the school holidays.

you're the only one banging on about the 'decline in society'. Everyone else just wants parents to parent better and reign in their feral offspring.

No there's tons of doom on here.

It's hilarious. These threads always go this way.

What's the difference between a lot of noisy happy kids splashing and playing in a pool when school is out and kids being feral?

It's been explained, many times, on this thread. You are just intent on defending unruly brats you won't accept anything else.

So you are one of those parents. We get it.

And you can hear this new type of shrieking that didn't exist before and parents " these days.."

Yes we get it. 😂

Yes children should act like adults at all times, and if not, they should be kept in their rooms.

Children are part of society too and they're loud at times and full of energy, sometimes you can control them, sometimes you can't. Because they're separated from society term time in schools, and frowned upon in public places like the supermarket, people are not used to the noise and energy they bring, unless it's their own family then that's absolutely fine.

Actually nice people are, the ones that smile and talk to children in the supermarket like in the 80s, now there's a plethora of witches... I mean.. people that tut then go home and start a a mumsnet thread "can you believe... the audacity... a revolting child in a ... supermarket ... hotel... restaurant..."

If you want to go somewhere without kids in August don't be a scab, pay extra for adults only.

If you want a holiday without kids around during the school holidays book an adults only resort.
Kids get excited to be on holiday, they often scream with excitement- they can also get overwhelmed and act out. I'm not excusing any bad behaviour as that should be dealt with by their parents.

I can't stand this. I'm not perfect but 5 year old ds gets a warning if he misbehaves out and about. He knows if it gets to 3 warnings that we up and leave wherever it is we are. He's pretty good and it's only reached 3 warnings a few times.

Isn't this the whole point of adult only hotels?

If you're going to a hotel in the summer holidays that allows kids, then of course they are going to be dominating the pool area and making noise.

It's been explained, many times, on this thread. You are just intent on defending unruly brats you won't accept anything else.

Well no .

I'm intent on pointing out that kids playing by the pool are never going to produce a " calm and spa like atmosphere " .

OP 's OH chose the wrong hotel.

And yet it's all the kids fault. Society is in decline. These days children make different noises and kids are just generally feral beasts.

It's a litany of despair and angst. i'm not here to defend anybody badly behaved. But this is self indulgent nonsense.