To think this is a bit out of order

[teaforme33]

I've seen loads of people going on holiday today. Obviously prices will have gone down as the kids go back to school but aibu to think this is a bit shitty for the kids? I'm not against term time holidays and have taken mine out before but never right at the start of a new year.

I think it's massively unfair for kids who are moving up to a new school to totally deprive them of those first few weeks of meeting new friends and settling in to a brand new environment. I would say it's also quite unsettling for those who are just moving up a year in the same school. It's still a change of dynamic, teacher, routine. By the time they get back everyone will have settled down and it just feels like they are starting the year on a disadvantage.

And yes we're in a cost of living crisis and people do what they need to but I honestly can't imagine having 6 weeks off then choosing to whip my kids out of the first week of school just to go to center parcs or something. I would rather find a cheaper holiday during the time off.

not if they had been brought up camping, if you have always done it, kids love it. It was our normal holiday when I was bringing my kids up, and they still say nothing compares to it. As adults, they still want to come camping if they are free when we go. Many families we are close to, camp too, and are still bringing their kids up with regular camping trips, they let family friends know when and where they are camping, and we often get several families together at one site.

In lots of courtiers it is the normal family holiday. If you bring your kids up telling them luxury travel to foreign destinations is somehow their right, then obviously they will grow up with incredibly skewed ideas of what is normal, what is an immense privilege and luxury, and what is a human right!

I imagine that is what has happened to some of the posters on here, people with money to burn on foreign trips, complaining they are not getting quite as much bang for their buck as thbey feel entitled to, and ignoring the fact that most people in the world can't afford foreign trips at all, ever.

We actually never even left Aus in our lives - nothing to do with overseas or luxury stuff here. We just like basic comforts

I camped as a kid, sure the day stuff is fun but when you value comforable sleep, sleeping on the ground just dont cut it

One trip we looking at doing involves going bush and gold hunting - we will be hiring a camper trailer so we have somewhere comfy to sleep at night.
We could do the trip sooner and just pick up a cheap tent and sleeping bags, but we wouldnt sleep well and it would ruin the holiday

I wouldn't take them out at the start of term but later on or end of term, I have no problem with. I've always taken my children abroad in summer, it's always been a priority for me and my kids loved it. It's expensive but my money, I choose to spend it however I like.

I think the lockdown closures, when week after week went by without any sign of proper classroom based teaching returning has affected families’ attitudes to term time holidays. For me, the school holidays are long enough without having an extra week added, but I can understand others’ choices, especially if their children are the type to fit in easily with new routines. With lockdown and strike days, I’m happy to take all the school days that we are offered, but I can understand that many parents won’t be concerned any longer about the odd day here and there.

You're obsessed with camping.

@BitOutOfPractice but confused by the verified by Facebook comment. Are you suggesting they aren't really on holiday?

I mean some people do lie and exaggerate on Facebook but sharing photos on planes and on Spanish beaches is pretty conclusive I'd say...

Well it might be happening now has it?

I've camped for decades, so have my children, so have many of my friends, it is hard work and takes getting used to, but is an amazing experience - and if it isn't for you, there are many other cheap uk or near alternatives, nobody has to spend £1600 on a holiday. You can if you want to, obviously, but to then claim to be hard done by is utterly tone deaf

@teaforme33 I live in the North. I don't drive so in order for me to get to Butlins my nearest was Skegnessa which is a cost and then all the food. There's having an opinion and then there's arguing about others choices. This debate seems to have fallen off track, like usual people moaning about others spending its all relative isn't it. It costs to travel to UK holidays it isn't always cheaper like you are making out and lastly some of us want good weather. I couldn't really give a hoot if you see this as luxury or not. I deem it as shallow to assume so much based off a holiday which one has saved for!

People want a different holiday to you. Why are you arguing about other people's choices? Live and let be FFS.

People can go on any holiday they want! I am not making any comment about that. I am commenting on people who are burning money by the thousand, and at the same time complaining they are hard done by!

A poster is paying £1600 on a holiday for just her and one child, and doesn't seem to be able to see that they are in an incredibly privileged position to have that money to burn - they are actually complaining about not having luxury and choice! 😂

They must surely be among the richest 15 % of the worlds population and yet are complaining about being hard up! And someone else is claiming that having access to the immense luxury and privilege of international travel is necessary for their mental health! Makes you wonder how on earth the human race survived the 100 millennium before holiday flights became available, doesn't it - they must have all been deeply depressed at all times

I hate camping but that's irrelevant 😆

But camping isn't a cheap and easy holiday if you're not a camping family and don't already have all the equipment.

Plus, not everyone has the space to store all the camping stuff once the holiday is over either.

@BorrowedThyme Richest 15%? Oh behave will you 🤣🤣

you dont need much equipment, and it lasts decades, and storage isn't really a problem. My camping stuff is under my bed, and only taking up less than half the space there

A tent. Air mattresses. Sleeping bags. Chairs. Maybe a table. Cups, plates, cutlery. Cooking equipment. A cool box or fridge to store food. That's just off the top of my head.

That takes up less than half the space under your bed?

My camping stuff is under my bed, and only taking up less than half the space there

I would not fit camping equipment for five adult-sized people under my bed. Nor would I want to spend the money buying it all in the first place. I'd rather spend the cash on a nice week abroad in the sun - which I could afford if I went out of term time.

Personally I wouldn’t take my kids out at the beginning of the school year as there’s so much going on. However, I’m in the US and things must be different here as if your kids miss more than 9 days (and even if the holiday isn’t that long, you might need sick days etc) then they fail the classes (and that would be 7 classes) and will have to repeat it (and that would be a whole term at least). It could really delay their academic progress. It’s really not something that people can do here. Also they get 11 weeks off in the summer.

As for things costing more in the summer, well that’s just supply and demand. The travel industry discounts in their off season to try and fill the space.

@Lizzieregina woah 11 weeks off in summer. Our yearly UK school holidays total up to around 13 weeks for the entire school year. Massive difference how many weeks in total do the kids get off where you are?

Ive been on loads of term times holidays as a kid, usually June or July. One was the first two weeks of September. I was going into year 3 and I remember vividly how lost I felt coming back to school and everyone had their own places set and friends and I was a bit lonely. I was actually in my sisters class who went into year 4, this was when mixed years classes was a thing at school.

Aye, OP from where have you "seen" all these holidaymakers?

My aunt took my cousin out of school for a holiday the first two weeks of year 7. By the time she actually started her new school, kids had made friends and settled in, and she really struggled.

@Fightyouforthatpie have a little read of the thread and you'll see.

Kids here get 2 weeks at Christmas, a few days at Thanksgiving and a week in the spring/Easter.

So probably almost 15 weeks with random days off (similar to UK bank holidays).

As this thread demonstrates, they always have an excuse 😄

We're currently in a caravan park with the IL's and I'm surprised just how busy it is with school age children.
We won't be returning.