Just want to go home

[holly201]

We are in Greece with our 1 year old and 2 other couples with their kids and I just want to go home.

Little one is overtired and hot, hates the travel cot but sleeps well at home, all of the sunbeds in the shade have towels on them by 7am, meal times are a nightmare, I just feel so overwhelmed.

Constantly worried DD with get burned, is too hot, isn't drinking enough water etc etc I can't relax at all, not one bit.

The room is so shabby, nothing like the photos, chipped tiles, dirty floors, the balcony glass rattles like it's about to break if you touch it. We paid good money, it's tiny and grubby and just shit.

Everything feels like a fight, screams to get in her swimsuit, screams getting out, doesn't want her nappy changed, screams at nap time, if I take her to the room with AC she just wants to play not sleep, it's a fight to all get showered and dressed for the evening.

I don't even know why I'm writing this but it feels good to get it off my chest, I think holidaying abroad with a 1 year old is the worst idea I've ever had. I think I'm going to give it a miss for the next couple of years 🤦🏻‍♀️

I didn't want to just read and run. 2019 I was in exactly the same boat in Corfu on a TUI package. Hotel was awful, the shower in our room was full of bugs and there was rusty metal pipes tap finishings every where. Open sewage pipes outside our very room! Crockroaches crawled out the restaurant door i kid you not! Food was so so bad. Hotel Rep couldn't even speak English and did Jack all. Husband got food poisoning, weather was rain rain rain. We hardly got to go swimming at all, hotel staff were so rude all over the resort. My two little ones wouldn't eat anything so we're hungry and grouchy. We paid good money for a big family holiday and I felt so so sorry for the children. We tried to get a flight home after the third night but there were none. Husband and I just had to give each other a hug and say to each other "this is not your fault and we will be home in a few days." We lived to tell the tale.

This isn't your fault and I know how disappointed and let down your probably feeling.

Big hug xxx

I have also had a nightmare holiday when I flew to the states however my nightmare companion was my father - lost him in the airport
He dropped his money 1200 dollars in the bathroom thankfully a steward found it and it had his name on the money slip
He then couldn't find his wallet - it was under the seat
Then when we got to the states he argued with me about every little thing
Also my aunt and her ex were still living together so it was bloody awkward she also didn't have a car at the time so everytime we went out we had to go with her ex my blow up bed had a hole in it after 4 days I was crying to my bf I want to come home. - he talked me into staying. But the nightmare continued when we got news my great uncle had passed away.

Yep I second this. We did Eurocamp for years. Picked a site with pool slides, play area and close to the beach. Kids were happy and tired out by the end of the day and we got to chill and drink wine in the evening!

Like pp said holidays with small children is just the same old shit in a different place.

This. I never understand people who go to hot countries with young kids, and have all the stress with airports, heat / foreign foods etc.
We were highly adventurous travellers. When kids came along we stopped instantly, and for about 6 years (I have 3 kids) we spent summer holidays in northern France (driving distance for us, so could take all our things), or Wales or Cornwall. Kids pottered about on the beach, sandcastles & rockpools galore, never too hot to sleep etc. No problem with worrying about sunburn/sunstroke, food, crowded hotels (we tended to go self catering anyway, and then get quite a lot of takeaways if we didn't want to cook).
It's only when youngest was 5 or 6 that we have started travelling properly again. I really missed exotic and hot holidays, but it's simply not worth the money to go far away, and have zero enjoyment (and don't even get me started on citybreaks with kids.... no fun for either party, in reality, before the kids are at least 7).

@holly201 we went with family and their similar age child. We did all inclusive (one that did food almost all day even near-midnight snacks) and a special kids’ buffet. Also went early May before weather was crazy hot. Also beach just at end of gardens (with beachside pizza/grill place). Worked really well and each parent could grab breakfast separately if needed. Wasn’t too crazy - also the wasps were not bad then either. Maybe that could work for you next year? I hope it’s all going better for you now and you manage to feel like you’ve had some kind of holiday …

We once went to Devon whilst the 2yo was potty training. No washing machine where we were staying. Spent a good chunk of the holiday driving around to various launderettes, with binbags full of shit-laden pants and shorts 😂.

I'd pick your battles with your 1yo as much as possible. Just let them stay in swimming gear maybe? Or use bribery? They'll need a big "reset" when you get home anyway.

It is hard though!

Did you need to go in the school holidays? It’s still the Spring Bank Holiday isn’t it in some places, so the sun lounge situation will be very hectic.

I have a nearly 6 year old and it's still a fucking shit show holidaying with him and now i have a newborn but I've accepted that my holidaying relaxing days by the pool is over for now until they go their own way. With a 1 yo i can sympathise as you have to follow them everywhere so they don't kill themselves and doing anything is a battle even keeping them safe. Saying all of this, I've never stopped going on holiday but instead managed my expectations. There's loads of tick-tok videos and on insta with parents saying how hard work it is but they'd rather do the shit stuff of parenting in a hot country with a pool and beach than be stuck at home in the rain.

I've been to Greece with a 1 year old,
She was sick on the plane,then the bus to apartment.
Tried to shower her,but no hot water ,broken cot, broken car seat for hire car .
We got up when she woke at 5 am, had breakfast and got to beach by 7 am, she got tired at 11 am so back to apartment for lunch then a snooze for us all till around 2 pm. Then we would go for a walk./play/read a book/ play music.
Fed her about 4 pm
Back to beach 5 pm till 7 pm
Then evening meal which she shared, bed at 9 pm for her.
Drinks on terrace for us.
It worked well doing a routine she was happy with.

And we went in first 2 weeks of October,so cooler.

We had an identical first holiday with our first baby. Worst holiday ever. Despite being a sun seeker we did self catering within 3 hours drive of home when ours babies / young toddlers. It’s just too hard stressful and no fun. Years of brilliant trips from when second one hit 4.

Is there a holiday rep? Take pictures etc and leave a review while you are there. Complain as well. Are they meant to be smoking eg is it legal in the country you are in.

I hate the towel on sunbed as some people don’t come until after lunch! I like it when the staff go round and collect them all up

I was on holiday in Greece and the room was nothing like we'd been promised being dark, small and tatty with dodgy wifi. We complained and I think we paid a bit extra to be upgraded to a better room. We ended up in a new room which was lovely and large, bright and modern. It definitely changed how I felt about the holiday. (They were progressively updating the facilities and we had ended up in the old part.)

@holly201 I totally understand, currently abroad with a 3 year old and everthing is a battle, I thought it would be easier as she gets older but it’s not.

Its not relaxing at all xx

I've never understood why anyone would take an under 5 to the blistering heat for a "holiday".
WTAF. How did you think it was gonna go?

Everyone seems to be questioning your decision but plenty of people take toddlers on hot weather holidays - you just need to adjust - look what the locals do. Out for walks before breakfast, some play / beach / pool in the early morning, long siesta between 11 and 3 then out again late afternoon. Later bedtime to compensate for siesta. Eat later, lots of snacks especially fruit and ice lollies as they will help with hydration as well. Use lots of sunscreen 20 mins before you leave the room, and cover up with hats and long sleeves as well. Good luck!

I honestly don't understand the general negativity on here for holidays with children. It absolutely IS still a holiday with young children, lots of people enjoy them.

Ours are DS6 and DD2, and our holidays with them have genuinely been the best times of my life, absolutely love it. No stressful jobs, no routines, just totally relaxed and fun. They've been to Majorca, Menorca, Salou, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, France (Disneyland Paris 4 times) and off to Florida later this year. We've also done lots of UK breaks - hotels, caravans, CenterParcs and MUCH prefer being abroad.

OP sounds like you've been very unlucky with your accommodation unfortunately 😕 I'd agree with another poster that beach days are far easier than pool at that age. Also out and about exploring and day trips. Hope it gets better for you.

I don't understand why people want to go to hot, arid countries in mid summer. I love England in the summer. The long days are magical, with it being light until 10pm. You can wear summer clothes but it isn't usually so hot you're sweating. It might rain often, but that's what makes it so lush and green, and then there are the thunder storms, when the hot air meets the cool air, and sometimes we get a light tail end of the hurricanes from the USA.

Obviously in a minority, but I love holidays with young children. We have done city breaks, beach holidays, villas in the middle of nowhere. We have done at least three a year since they were three months.

We only pick places where we have the whole place to ourselves, always get a washing machine so you can travel light and put everything in one suitcase. And most importantly separate bedrooms and living space. Take it in turns to give each other a break. From about 1 they loved the sand so beaches were an easy day. We always eat out for lunch and have something light in the evening with a glass of wine after they’re in bed.

Urgh yes…feel for you. It’s not a holiday at all with kids. We didn’t go abroad until our youngest was 5 and it was still an absolute ballache 😂. We booked an all inclusive resort as we thought it’d be easier (I hate all inclusive).

It was too hot so they couldn’t be out of the shade, they refused sun cream… They only wanted to eat cereal, nuggets, slushies, and ice cream. There was no room to play around the pool as the sun beds were crammed in so they were very antsy. We had to sleep in one room with them both and they woke up so, so early. My youngest was car sick and vomited all the time. They moaned and whinged endlessly. It was so expensive and made me and my DH so sad. Our best days were the days we went out sightseeing - they actually really liked that!

We decided that shorter (out of high season) city breaks would be better, plus the odd UK beach day/theme park etc. in the summer. When they were younger Center Parcs/Butlins were good options (too expensive in school holidays now though I think).

Basically, it’s just work for you, not a holiday but harder and more stressful as you’re not in your home. Plus it probably cost more than your mortgage for one week away…

I think it depends a bit on the child. We’ve been away a few times with ours since he was about 3 months and while I wouldn’t say they’re dream holidays, we managed to find ways to make them work. Mainly by forgetting any idea of routine and just going with the flow as much as possible. Have you had a look if there are any kids activities locally. It sounds like you’re just staying in the hotel all day which probably isn’t helping your mindset.

To add, I’ve seen a couple of people mention Butlins. Just my opinion but it’s a shit place to take a one year old (I just took my 18 month old). There’s nothing for them to do apart from swimming and some shitty little section of soft play. The rest of it is for older kids and everything is so loud, all the time. Plus the accommodation is grim. I would go back when he’s older/taller for a few days max, but unless you enjoy that type of holiday yourself I would not bother taking a small child to Butlins.

Hope things remain more settled now. I suspect she was feeling the heat and has now become more used to it.

Have a lovely rest of the holiday xxx

Holidaying with little kids is shit.
Its why we’ve never taken our 4yo (ASD so development delayed) and 3yo abroad.

Even a couple of hundred quid on a haven caravan feels like a waste of time and energy which always ends in massive tears and fights and no one sleeping.
MIL recently paid for us to go to centreparks with the extended family group and whilst it was the best holiday I think we could have as a young family I wouldn’t have paid for it myself. Spent 85% of my time threatening to bin the £8 tub of pick and mix they got on the first day 😂 just to stop them screaming and fighting each other

Tip - book Scott Dunn they have amazing kids clubs even for the little ones.

If you’ve got £8k+ to drop go for tots too or Scott Dunn. c. £5k for mark Warner. All have kids clubs that cater expertly for small toddlers - even just for an hour or two. We saved and went for fewer holidays at higher quality resorts.

and holiday in May and Sept/oct in Greece : just too hot for little ones otherwise.