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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be cheesed off with shrieking kids on holiday?

642 replies

AnnoyedOnHoliday · 07/08/2023 14:26

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.

OP posts:
Goldencup · 07/08/2023 16:26

KingTriton · 07/08/2023 14:53

A vast number of people just don't give a shit these days. It's one thing to have excited children but there is no need for the constant screaming and unruliness.

We live next to a path which all the primary children walk down to get to school. It's a constant barrage of shrieking and screaming - there's just no need for it. But like I said, people don't give a shit about anyone else but themselves these days.

In a restaurant, fair enough but surely the kids are allowed to make noise on their way to school ? So this is what 8:30-9 am. Don't be so ridiculous.

thelengthspeoplegoto · 07/08/2023 16:26

Mojoj · 07/08/2023 14:41

Next time, choose an adults only hotel. And don't go during school holidays.

Exactly this. YABU

aperolspriitz · 07/08/2023 16:26

AnnoyedOnHoliday · 07/08/2023 16:23

This kind of shrieking is giving me flashbacks 😂

Jokes aside, totally agree and for what it's worth that kinda madness is absolutely what I'm taking about.

For what it's worth - I do actually like kids and have no problems with them in general - but the mad shrieking like this whilst parents are totally passive is selfish. Is it really so difficult to expect that you might have to control your kids behaviour if you choose to have them?

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It's not unreasonable but I don't know what you want anyone to do about it really. The hotel aren't going to tell people to shut up and stop enjoying themselves, and you can't change the behaviour of an entire generation of parents. There is really no point in complaining other than working yourself up.

I'd have more sympathy if you said this happened outside of school holidays, but if you're going to go away in August this is what you'll get. Just a fact of life.

Just insulate yourself from it by booking adults only during the holidays.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 07/08/2023 16:26

MabelMoo23 · 07/08/2023 16:23

I’m away now - at an all inclusive that has the kind of large groups you are referring to. So much shit /lazy parenting going on. Kids doing stupid stuff in the pool and parents just lying down sunbathing. Mine are 7 and 5 and absolutely no way would I be letting them in the pool out of their depth on their own. Yes they are splashing about on their own with noodles but we are standing with them should they get into difficulty. But so many kids of a similar age just leaping into the pool, plus there are tiled sun beds in the water, and they are jumping from bed to bed, will take a second for them to slip, bang their head and fall in the water and their parents are just lying on sun beds further away with eyes closed.

Children don’t drown with flailing arms and splashing, they will usually just slip under quietly

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Ah well what can you say re accidents? If they’re allowed to run feral accidents can happen.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 07/08/2023 16:27

NancyJoan · 07/08/2023 16:11

I’m not sure you can complain about kids being a bit giddy in a pool in a family friendly hotel during the school hols, whatever the star rating. But they definitely should behave at meals. The wandering about is bad enough, but I def cannot be doing with the shrieking that goes with it.

Agreed, a bit tricky to expect kids playing in a pool not to be excited but running around in a restaurant is an absolute no. Some parents just don't want to parent, they are selfish and entitled and believe that their kids should come above all else. I have seen parents with kids (not babies) push ahead in queues of old people to get on buses shouting 'let me through I've got kids'. Then they get on the bus and whip out their noisy iPads on full volume without a thought for anyone else.

orangegato · 07/08/2023 16:28

Deathbyfluffy · 07/08/2023 14:35

It shouldn’t be, people should control their kids.
I find I become particularly careless where my feet are when a clusterfuck of uncontrolled brats are running around a restaurant!

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This made my day.

It’s only British kids I find that are so horribly behaved. Anyone have any ideas why?

Leopardchange · 07/08/2023 16:28

You chose a family oriented holiday so you are being unreasonable.

Original poster
AnnoyedOnHoliday · 07/08/2023 16:30

Leopardchange · 07/08/2023 16:28

You chose a family oriented holiday so you are being unreasonable.

Did you read my other posts? It wasn't adults only but certainly wouldn't describe it as family oriented in the slightest

OP posts:
Bonfire23 · 07/08/2023 16:30

Leopardchange · 07/08/2023 16:28

You chose a family oriented holiday so you are being unreasonable.

But as adults tend to moderate their behaviour around children, parents should be parenting them
Otherwise it's ok for adults to have loud conversations about adult stuff around children and swear constantly. Except it's not, that would be inappropriate and offensive
The same as children being a pain in the arse

sunglassesonthetable · 07/08/2023 16:31

Did you read my other posts? It wasn't adults only but certainly wouldn't describe it as family oriented in the slightest

Well clearly it WAS.

Gall10 · 07/08/2023 16:31

orangegato · 07/08/2023 16:28

This made my day.

It’s only British kids I find that are so horribly behaved. Anyone have any ideas why?

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Yep…..definitely Brit kids are the worst! We holiday abroad as often as we can afford & Brit parents just seem to abdicate their parental responsibilities & the brats let rip!

egowise · 07/08/2023 16:32

You went to a hotel where kids are, therefore kids will be there being kids. Yes they shouldn't be running around I'm the hotel, but you cannot moan about them being in and playing around the pool.

As others have said, adult only next time. Although, drunken adults often behave worse than children.

ShyTed · 07/08/2023 16:32

You’ll have a great time! Something to look forward to ☺️

Iwasafool · 07/08/2023 16:32

agent765 · 07/08/2023 14:55

Haha. My mum's walking stick is also a bit of a trip hazard at times. She's old school and always says she'll give them something to scream about.

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Well their excuse is they are young children what's her excuse?

KimberleyClark · 07/08/2023 16:34

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 07/08/2023 16:26

Ah well what can you say re accidents? If they’re allowed to run feral accidents can happen.

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There’s a shocking video on you tube showing a child quietly drowning and nobody noticing. (He was eventually noticed and saved though.)

Doggytastic · 07/08/2023 16:35

I’d be so embarrassed as a parent if my children did that! Some parents don’t give a shit. I’d recommend an adults only hotel. I’d go to one if I didn’t have kids!

Iwasafool · 07/08/2023 16:35

Goldencup · 07/08/2023 16:26

In a restaurant, fair enough but surely the kids are allowed to make noise on their way to school ? So this is what 8:30-9 am. Don't be so ridiculous.

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Quite. I don't get the "these days" either. My mother was moaning about kids shrieking on the path by her house 40 years ago. I bet some of the critics on here were doing their own shrieking back then.

CleverLilViper · 07/08/2023 16:35

PollyThePixie · 07/08/2023 15:28

Lot of people focusing on the pool aspect but it wasn't just we couldn't use that facility it was more the selfishness / lack of awareness from parents that I was mentioning and not seeming to react or care that we didn't want their kids running into our table over and over and screaming during our meals. They'd literally just watch and not react and go back to chatting.

that would have been very easily sorted by telling them to go away. Or by telling the parents the children were disturbing you.

you think parents who are so shit at parenting that they can’t realise for themselves that their children running around strangers tables, screeching is wrong and annoying are really the sort to give a fuck when someone tells them? Seriously?

JorisBonson · 07/08/2023 16:36

Spanielsarepainless · 07/08/2023 16:18

I have noticed that lots of kids shriek all the time, these days. Loads of adults seen encourage it, from what I have seen. Many parents don't want to parent to bring up semi-civilised adults.

I was on a train going through a naice part of SE London the other day and next to a shrieking kid. The mum kept saying "good shouting buddy, well done!". I moved.

Original poster
AnnoyedOnHoliday · 07/08/2023 16:36

Bonfire23 · 07/08/2023 16:30

But as adults tend to moderate their behaviour around children, parents should be parenting them
Otherwise it's ok for adults to have loud conversations about adult stuff around children and swear constantly. Except it's not, that would be inappropriate and offensive
The same as children being a pain in the arse

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Yeah that's a great point, me and DP were chatting about this when we were there. Not really about it being kids so much as just people general lack of awareness for other people / surrounding and just generally being selfish.

I'd be equally annoyed if a big group adults were bombing in the pool, getting pissed and shouting at the top of their voices. I would just be aware that if me or DP were doing that in a shared space - it would be really annoying for anyone else around us trying to relax.

OP posts:
MrsMarzetti · 07/08/2023 16:37

dramoy · 07/08/2023 14:33

I think it's to be expected during school holidays

Why ? Children should be taught to behave. If you can't parent don't have them.

LoobyDop · 07/08/2023 16:38

AnnoyedOnHoliday · 07/08/2023 16:08

Haha yes totally! Definitely a clear divide on this thread.

Pretty obvious the posters telling me it was 'my fault' to dare to go somewhere not adults only and 'kids will be kids on holiday' are the ones letting their little darlings run around screeching.

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No, not the case, not entirely. I don’t have kids, I don’t particularly like them, and I definitely don’t want to share a pool with a hundred of them. But realistically, that’s what is going to happen if you go to a place that welcomes families in the school holidays. The factors you can control are where and when you choose to go, not the ways other people behave while you’re there.

sunglassesonthetable · 07/08/2023 16:39

Why ? Children should be taught to behave. If you can't parent don't have them.

How exactly do you think children should behave around a pool?

I totally agree with no running in restaurants.

Whatswhatwhichiswhich · 07/08/2023 16:39

Next time book into an adult only resort. Children and families have every right to be in non adult only places.

MrsMarzetti · 07/08/2023 16:40

When the said brat has ran into someone carrying a hot drink, maybe, just maybe the idiot parent will take the blame. Saw a child being burned by a hot drink, my god did they scream as did the mother because she knew it was all he fault.