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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for not wanting to go on a family holiday with friends?

223 replies

DisneyBaby · 01/08/2025 00:57

My Husband loves golf and has been banging on about going on a golf holiday with his mates for a while now. I wasn’t keen on the idea as we have 3 kids, ages 5, 3 and 2 months so home life is quite hectic. His compromise was that he wanted to ask his golf mates and their wives to join us on our usual week holiday so that he could have his golf holiday whilst also being around the kids etc. I reluctantly said yes.
We are going tomorrow and I’m just not excited for it, I feel upset that I’m having to compromise on our usual family holiday and quality time together because he’s invited friends and will be off playing golf most days when usually we’d be spending quality time together on the beach or doing days out with kids. I will be with the wives, who are all lovely, but I would rather be with him and spend time together as a family.
I tried talking to him about how I feel and he says i’m being selfish because I just want my husband and kids to myself. He says I should be grateful that he’s come up with this plan instead of leaving me for a week for a proper golf holiday.
But I feel like he’s been selfish because he’s not put our kids interests first and I feel like the quality of the holiday for the kids and I will be compromised.
His friends and their wives and nice, but they don’t have kids our older children’s age (a couple have babies), and a week is a long time to spend with friends when I’m still getting used to having 3 kids. We are all staying in the same house and I’m breastfeeding too so not going to get much privacy… Am I being unreasonable or is he?

OP posts:
99bottlesofkombucha · 01/08/2025 03:17

TwinklyNight · 01/08/2025 03:08

I wouldn't go unless he was going to golf in the am only. No all day golfing.
I don't think I'd blame you for not wanting to go, but hopefully there will be a pool and things for young children in the area.

Edited

One person pretty much can’t take a 2 month old and 2 young children in a pool though. You’re not even allowed at my local pool- it’s one parent to every 2 kids under 5.

99bottlesofkombucha · 01/08/2025 03:18

Jumpingthruhoops · 01/08/2025 02:43

In my experience, there really is no 'compromise' when it comes to a golf break; he really should have just taken a week off work and gone with his mates, it's what guys do.
He's actually tried to keep everyone happy by suggesting this - but it's not really going to be a holiday for him, you, or your kids.
I don't have any advice for now but, going forward, best to keep these things separate.

No he tried to pretend he was keeping his wife happy and calling it a family holiday while booking a ‘my wife does all the shit work and I ignore my dc and play golf holiday’ it’s outrageous.

coxesorangepippin · 01/08/2025 03:25

You're going on a golfing holiday with a load of blokes with three tiny children?

TravelPanic · 01/08/2025 03:26

With kids those ages he shouldn’t be playing golf full stop, let alone going on holiday for it! The number of selfish men on here always astounds me! Can you imagine a mum going on a week long holiday with mates when she has a 5,3 and 2 month old!?

coxesorangepippin · 01/08/2025 03:26

Is this abroad too??

Weepixie · 01/08/2025 03:33

Op, I’m sorry to say that your husbands going to be having a great holiday whilst congratulating himself on organising a holiday where the men go off and play golf and the wee wifies run their own crèche and more than likely also be expected to have a meal on the table for the men to come back to.

LBFseBrom · 01/08/2025 03:43

It's a bit late to be backing out now, I don't know why you agreed to it but you did. I wouldn't want to stay in a house with all those people and I think your husband was selfish to suggest it, especially as it is your only holiday.

Try to go out with the children on your own during the day.

Good luck.

Endofyear · 01/08/2025 04:15

Coventgardengirl · 01/08/2025 01:11

Hopefully you can relax and enjoy the week when you get there

While looking after 2 small children and a baby? With a husband who's off playing golf most of the time? I highly doubt OP is going to have a relaxing time!

stayathomer · 01/08/2025 04:21

That is crazy!! Sometimes holidays etc turn out better than you think and hopefully you end up with loads of help etc but it’s awful of him to do anything like this when the kids are so young and when it’s a family holiday.

MayaPinion · 01/08/2025 04:36

Well that all sounds bloody awful and he has been a manipulative twat. He has put himself front and centre at the very time when he should be supporting his family with a newborn. You’ll not see him all week and you’ll have to play nicely with the wives and take on your fair share of the cooking and cleaning. Not a cat in hell’s chance would I go to this.

SweetnsourNZ · 01/08/2025 04:44

Would be a hard no from me as I hate communal holidays anyway but sounds like you don't even know these people very well. A game of golf takes ages and I bet the men will spend the rest of the day at the 19th hole as well.

lovemyboyz247 · 01/08/2025 04:53

He has been selfish here. Trying to combine a holiday with his wife and young children with his friends is bad enough, but having all of you staying in the same accommodation is taking the piss. I’m sorry OP but I doubt this is going to feel like a family holiday as how will you spend anytime of your own with him and the kids if you are all sharing the accommodation too?

this happened to me when we had a baby. We had planned a family holiday and his single friend booked the same destination, but luckily a different hotel. But it was far from a family friendly holiday. Him and his friend arranged to meet up every day and I felt as though my son and I were a spare part who had tagged along. We had to fit into their schedule. I managed ok because I only had one child to look after but I was annoyed and resentful as my husband didn’t really spend any time with us and ruined our holiday. My son doesn’t have any memory of the holiday, but I remember it and still feel he chose his friend over us and it was a wasted holiday. I wish I had been more vocal and asked him to have certain parts of the day or days where it was just us so we could plan some family time.

Do you think he would be happy to plan his days so he spends the mornings with you and the children and play golf in the afternoons? Or have some days where they don’t play golf? I’m sure the other wives will also want some family time with their husbands and children so maybe this might work better for everyone.

CaptainFuture · 01/08/2025 04:56

99bottlesofkombucha · 01/08/2025 03:18

No he tried to pretend he was keeping his wife happy and calling it a family holiday while booking a ‘my wife does all the shit work and I ignore my dc and play golf holiday’ it’s outrageous.

And if it's self catering, it's clear the wives are there to cook and be housekeepers....probably taxi drivers to for pick.up from the club for after drinks...🙄

misogynyisbigotry · 01/08/2025 05:01

As the trip is tomorrow, you have to decide if you go or do not go. If you go, make it clear to him that for all the times he expects you to wrangle the children alone, you expect him to take them for a similar amount of time. It doesn't matter what you do in that time - go out and explore alone, go out with others on the trip who don't golf, or lie in bed. If he wanted a golf holiday, he should have asked for a golf holiday and not tried to play you for a fool.

I tried talking to him about how I feel and he says i’m being selfish because I just want my husband and kids to myself. He says I should be grateful that he’s come up with this plan instead of leaving me for a week for a proper golf holiday.

You might benefit from an understanding of the term DARVO. DARVO is a manipulative tactic used by individuals to deflect blame and responsibility for their actions. It stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. In essence, the perpetrator denies wrongdoing, then attacks the accuser's credibility, and finally, attempts to portray themselves as the victim.

Here's a breakdown of the DARVO components:

Deny:
The individual denies the specific behavior or action that they are accused of.

Attack:
They then attack the accuser's character, credibility, or motives, attempting to discredit them.

Reverse Victim and Offender:
Finally, the perpetrator flips the narrative, portraying themselves as the victim and the original accuser as the perpetrator.

Why is DARVO harmful?

Emotional distress:
DARVO can be emotionally damaging to the victim, causing feelings of confusion, self-doubt, and isolation.

Difficulties moving on:
It can make it difficult for victims to heal and move on from the abuse, as they are constantly being challenged and blamed.

Erosion of trust:
DARVO can erode trust in institutions and relationships, as it demonstrates a disregard for truth and accountability.

Social impact:
DARVO can influence how others perceive the situation, potentially leading to victim-blaming and a lack of support for the victim.

Whattodo76 · 01/08/2025 05:02

Coventgardengirl · 01/08/2025 01:11

Hopefully you can relax and enjoy the week when you get there

Relax with 3 tiny kids she'll be lookinf after on her own?

ColinOfficeTrolley · 01/08/2025 05:07

Coventgardengirl · 01/08/2025 01:11

Hopefully you can relax and enjoy the week when you get there

Did you actually read the OP?

Jorgua · 01/08/2025 05:09

ried talking to him about how I feel and he says i’m being selfish because I just want my husband and kids to myself.

Er yeah it's called a family dickweed.

Ugh, he sounds so annoying. He's just doing it so he doesn't have to owe you for an actual break away alone. Even though it's the same in effect. You don't exist to facilitate his children's presence in his brief breaks from recreating. Pick a hobby of your own and make him do the same for you.

Jorgua · 01/08/2025 05:11

oh and you should absolutely not go, I would find it hard to break arrangements last minute but if you have a stronger nerve than I in that respect you should 100% back out, you'll be more comfortable doing all the work at home than in crowded accommodation.

DrumRole · 01/08/2025 05:18

Is he actually going to help with the kids this holiday? Selfish selfish man. There are so many on this board.

SecondVerseSameAsThe1st · 01/08/2025 05:20

NeedZzzzzssss · 01/08/2025 02:14

Of course you're being selfish, why not go on a holiday you might enjoy it. If it's a golfing trip, I imagine it's at some kind of nice resort? Why not compromise and do a long weekend if a week is too long? At least he wants to be with you and the kids. It's not like it's an annual thing. Careful being too boring or then you'll be back in a couple of years because your husband has been having an affair and you didn't see it coming.

She’s the one being selfish, and she might regret being selfish/boring in a few years when he has an affair? Now I’ve heard it all. 🙄

DrumRole · 01/08/2025 05:21

With a two month baby, the only option is him not going on his golf holiday and being a decent partner and father. He needed to prioritise the family holiday this year and stop being so selfish. I would not have agreed in a million years to this.

DrumRole · 01/08/2025 05:24

NeedZzzzzssss · 01/08/2025 02:14

Of course you're being selfish, why not go on a holiday you might enjoy it. If it's a golfing trip, I imagine it's at some kind of nice resort? Why not compromise and do a long weekend if a week is too long? At least he wants to be with you and the kids. It's not like it's an annual thing. Careful being too boring or then you'll be back in a couple of years because your husband has been having an affair and you didn't see it coming.

If you are serious, then I am sorry for you. I’m sorry that your standards are so low and that your expectations of a partner are so low in your efforts to be a cool wife.

At least he wants to be with you and the kids.
Er, no. This is a very low bar indeed.

Zanatdy · 01/08/2025 05:25

He is being selfish yes. I guess you’ve agreed now so you’re going to have to go, but I certainly wouldn’t be agreeing to anymore holidays like this. It would have been easier for you no doubt to stay home and he go with his mates.

NeedZzzzzssss · 01/08/2025 05:28

SecondVerseSameAsThe1st · 01/08/2025 05:20

She’s the one being selfish, and she might regret being selfish/boring in a few years when he has an affair? Now I’ve heard it all. 🙄

If the roles were reversed and it was a Spa holiday I'm sure the responses would be very different! (Well apart from the affair bit of course). What's wrong with wanting a holiday

autienotnaughty · 01/08/2025 05:34

Can he genuinely not see why him going golfing all day and you looking after 2 young children and a baby with his friends wives might not be a holiday for you? If so he’s a selfish man.

id do it as I’d agreed but next year I’d be choosing the holiday and it would include a spa day while he had the kids for the day.