1 child families + holidays + I don’t want to watch your kids

[Theseers]

It’s a running joke in our family that we attract the 1 child family every holiday we go on. I have 4 teens/children and I’m single so one adult. Without exception over the last 10 years every summer/beach holiday we’ve been on a lone child has somehow attached themself to us.

Im not a cold hearted bitch, I had 4 kids so I wouldn’t have to entertain them all the time and I get that there are a number of reasons someone may only have 1 child. But that doesn’t mean I want to look after them on my holiday.

We managed to get to day 4 this year before it happened, a boy of around 7/8 edged his way over encouraged my mum. My lot were playing a ball game in the pool and involved him after he gestured for the ball. Fine, but don’t then roll over on your sun bed and start reading your book ffs. He was then attached to my kids all afternoon, the next day we went to the pool in the AM for a morning swim and the beach for the PM, family appears next to us on the HUGE beach and plonks themselves down 20meters away, immediately the kid comes over and involves himself.

Ive lost count of the amount of holidays we’ve ended up having a tag along whose parents seem to be having a lovely relaxing holiday. I have returned children to the parents a few times, but they either just come back or stand there staring at my kids it’s bloody horrible.

@Theseers I am stunned at the responses and only read a few.

I too single parent and my 3 are now teens and bloody hated it when another kid attached themselves to us. It is nothing to do with being exclusionary it is to do with the fact that I am bringing my kids on holiday alone and we are all taking time off work and school and to bond and have fun together. I am and was never there for other parents kids to be entertained, my kids were fine entertaining themselves and we prefered it that way as at home there would be always someone else around like the kids pals or school friends or family etc. When we went away we wanted time as a family and not to be having hangers on. Absolutely not my issue if someone elses kids are lonely or the parents need adult time. Think of that before you go away and dont expect others to entertain nor parent your little darling on your behalf. Fuck that like.

I don't know, maybe... watch their own damn kid and not roll over and read a book. I am a single mom of a special needs toddler. I never get a break. I would NEVER turn my back on my kiddo (even when he's older) just because he's playing with other kids and expect someone else, especially a stranger, to watch MY child!

4 kids is the perfect team, they play pool volleyball together but then you have another kid wanting to circle in which means I have to referee one of my kids taking a turn out of their family game?

please tell me you are not one of these families that hogs the whole pool. We had one of those the last holiday we went on: it was a small resort so only 2 pools. The dad and 3 kids totally took over one of the pools playing volleyball and the dad actually told other kids to go away!!!!

The dad got told by the lifeguard he could not stop others getting in the pool. So they then were huffing and puffing trying to play volleyball around loads of kids.

No one was trying to join in they just wanted to be able to use the pool. A kid then got smacked by the ball in the nose (it was not a soft one) there was blood all over and the pool had to close.

The next day the dad and 3 kids tried it again only for the lifeguard to ask them to stop playing with the harder ball. They all stropped off. They tried it again the next day- again got told. Then again that same afternoon- got told if they tried it again they would be banned from the pool. Was half hoping they would try it again.

All they needed to do was buy one of the soft balls everyone else was using and not expect to have the whole pool to themselves.

Mind you when I saw his kids trying to climb on the stage during the evening entertainment and screaming at one of the singers that she was rubbish- and the parents just letting them I realised how entitled the whole family was. They actually had to stop the entertainment and ask for the parents to remove the kids. The parents grabbed them and stormed out. They did a lot of storming that holiday. I was praying they were not on the plane on the way home.

They also tried to steal my son’s inflatable and were walking off with it towards the rooms. My husband gladly stepped in. I did not mind kids borrowing it when my son was not using it but the dad just grabbed it and marched off with it. Plus one of them shouted you are ugly loser to my son when the animation team where singing happy birthday to him- lovely family

Sorry got carried away there. They still make my blood boil when I think of them and the poor little girl who got hit in the nose

Definitely works both ways. Am an only child and my parents always had lots of activities for me on holidays, always found others, especially those with siblings trying to attach themselves to us and those parents often trying to palm them off.

Imagine an 8 year old going on holiday with their parents wanting to have someone of their own age to play with AND their parents not actively discouraging them to do this?!

This thread is really quite nasty. I don't think people should view things so black and white.

It would like me saying people with 1 child can focus 1 to 1 (which is true). Whilst those with 2+ kids just let their kids run riot on holiday as they can't be giving each child the same amount of attention like you would with just 1 child.

Look at the bright side: you are blessed with very kind and likable kids.