I really don’t enjoy holidays

[Jorge14]

Every year we go on holiday (family of 4). We save all year, my husband works extra hours so we can afford to go somewhere really nice. The kids look forward to it and enjoy it (actually my oldest is now 16 so he is starting to be bored & we now have to go with other people so he has someone to hang out with). I go through the yearly facade of booking it, getting ready for it, packing for it and I never enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, I have great memories from family holidays and I feel fortunate that my kids have their memories, but I just don’t enjoy it. I don’t ruin it for anyone and I’m fine when I’m there but I just can’t wait to go home, my own bed, my own shower, my own things around me, no airport stress, no packing. I would rather take a couple of weeks off work and take it easy, go out for some nice days out etc. it seems nuts I’ve got to save all year for this 2 weeks that I really don’t enjoy. Am I the only person that feels like this, I don’t tell anyone as people just seem to be the complete opposite to me.

Two weeks is very long. We only go for one week. Would that be an option? One week abroad, one week at home.

I hear you. Circumstances have meant that we haven’t been able to have a holiday this year and I’ve bloody loved it! I think it’s all the holiday worries and stresses for me - the packing, the airport, the crowds, getting your bearings when you’re there, nothing feeling familiar. For the sake of a few days by a nice pool it just exhausts me.

I’ve always said that if I could holiday like a film star and just sashay into a car and breeze through security, private jet etc. with everything taken care of I reckon that’s the only way I could relax!

Due to some difficult circumstances (a family member being terminally I'll) we couldn't go abroad this year, and at one point were unsure if we would get away at all. But at the last minute we booked a break to Centre Parcs. Literally just threw stuff in bags and drove off. One of the best holidays I have ever had! No airport stress, dc not complaining they were too hot, no luggage/liquid restrictions. So OP maybe it's time to look at a different sort of holiday?
I will definitely be booking something last minute again, I think the build up of it all is part of the stress for me!

Same. We are going away soon and its mainly my because I feel pressure to go away. My best friend loves holidays and can't understand why I dislike them so much.

I think holidays are massively more enjoyable when someone else is doing everything for you (eg planning, packing, sorting food/activities etc). I.E. what you enjoyed when you were a kid.

2 weeks can be a slog then straight back to work

10 days is perfect!

Agreed. I think 10 days is ideal for me too.

OP, was this a self-catering holiday? They never sound like much of a holiday for mums. All of the cooking and childcare you’d have to do normally, plus the hassle of being in an unfamiliar place and having to pack and unpack.

A two week holiday would be way too long for me. I would really miss the comforts of home and being “on” for two weeks making sure everyone is happy and not bored would drain the life out of me. 4-5 days is my max these days and one of those days would be a wind down back at home day before going back to work.

What is it that you don’t enjoy - being away from home, or the holiday itself / things you do during it?

If the latter, are you booking places that you want to go to, rather than just listening to everyone else’s wishes, and are you doing the type of activities you want to do there?

We do all different things, admittedly I prefer an all inclusive but I still don’t want to go 🤣 even when we go on a self catering we eat out. We do sometimes go for a week or 10 days, I don’t think it’s the length of time away I think I just like my own home.

I think I would prefer a holiday where I’m not just sitting around. I like to see / do. I guess we can do that when the kids are older.

How old is your younger child? Why can't you see and do?

How old are the kids and why can’t they see and do things already?

We never went on “sitting around” holidays - trips were an opportunity to be active, visit new places, see the sights and get some physical exercise in an exciting way.

If you don’t enjoy sitting by a pool, book something different next year. Even with babies, there are a lot of active holidays that can be had.

Maybe you’ll start enjoying them!

Holidays either as a single mum or when I was married are/were very much a case of "same shit, different place". And usually with fewer amenities to make life easy. I am really glad I did them all though, even if enjoyment was thin on the ground during the actual holiday. I hate when people talk about making memories but I do think as a parent that's what holidays are, rather than a nice break.

I love holidays and go as much as i can even little breaks away.
But then again its just me and im childless.

I appreciate you feel like this but honestly can't relate, I love love love holidays! Different strokes I guess

I live for my holidays and go away as much as I can afford to. When I get back I am
dreaming of when we can go again. I love everything about being away. I love airports, flying, hotels, heat, different atmosphere, no work, no responsibility, no chores, eating out, buffets etc etc. I definitely don’t get where you are coming from!

I hear you OP, and I don’t think it is that unusual! I get what you say about not telling people you don’t enjoy it. I find once you say it once it gets a little easier!

I sometimes feel like you. This year I took two weeks off work and went on holiday the second week, I felt less stressed as I'd got time the week before to get stuff done and I was already wound down because I'd been off a week.

But why can’t you do something you want to do? If you book it, why not book a holiday you enjoy? I wouldn’t dream of going through the motions of something that wasn’t fun for me. Obviously we all compromise a bit, but everyone has something they enjoy.

Please can you say a bit about why you like airports? I’m going abroad next month and I’m dreading the travel. I hate crowds, queuing, unexpected delays and flying. If you can give me some positives to look for, dang might help! Thank you.

*that, not dang. Stupid autocorrect

Travel broadens the mind

I love holidays and will happily go for 3 weeks, more I could. I think it takes at least a week to get into the swing of it, so 10 days and you're only just getting the benefits.
Go, explore, don't just sit around a pool. Book a holiday with lots of stuff for the kids to do too, then you're not always entertaining them.

I love holidays but couldn't be enthusiastic about a holiday where I was just sitting around either. A holiday that just involved sitting by the pool all day would have me bored out of my skull by lunchtime on the first day! Fortunately DH feels the same.

Admittedly when DD was small we did have holidays where there were things to entertain her, so that sometimes involved days spent on a beach with a bucket and spade, or whatever.

But it sounds like your DC are getting older now. Teenagers? Might it be time for a rethink on what sort of holidays you all enjoy? Do you have to fly? Would it be less stressful if you went somewhere you could take your own car, or travel by train.