Why don't people take their kids on holiday?

[Micnerhss]

Just to be clear, I don’t mean people who genuinely can’t afford holidays... I’m talking about people who can but still don’t.

In my close friendship group, I’m literally the only one who takes my kids away. We love seeing the world, exploring new places, different cultures, and just getting out of the UK for a bit. I honestly think holidays are so important, its proper family time away from the constant busyness of life.

But none of my really close friends ever take their kids away, not even for a little UK break, and I just can’t get my head around it.

The excuses are things like “I don’t know how airports work” or “I wouldn’t know where to go”… but there’s a whole world out there!

If you can afford it, why wouldn’t you treat your kids to a holiday?! They are missing out on so much by never leaving the UK!

Yes, what a shame this thread went to shit.

I don’t think day trips can compare to holidays (and UK holidays are definitely still holidays, you needn’t go abroad). It may not interest the parents but isn’t part of raising children doing things that don’t interest you? I presume most parents aren’t interested in waking up early at the weekend and ferrying kids to hobbies, or standing in the freezing cold watching their child play rugby. But they do these things because they are beneficial to the child.

It’s completely naive to think children won’t miss out from not being taken travelling, in this day and age. Wait until they get to university, they will stick out like a sore thumb for having never left the country / been on holiday anywhere.

I do wish there was more of not taking kids on holiday.

I've quite a few holidays in so called Adult Focused Hotels where kids just run riot and take over.

The parent just look on.

Epecially in Spain where the hotel staff let them do whatever they want to.

A lot of people responding haven't read the thread properly and are focusing on holidays abroad. The OP is saying that her friends don't go on holiday at all. Even within the UK.

Whatever dear.
What...ev...er.
🦆

That's correct, they dont even do a week in a haven site near a beach, with arcades etc.

If you’re teaching your children to be as rude and judgemental as you, which I suspect you are as children learn by example, and it’s daily hard to hide your personality from them, then I’d consider that to be poor parenting OP.

This is bizarre - what you’re doing is way more than “basic parenting” and it’s insulting to call it that.

I’m amazed that your daily life plus what you listed earlier - the comic cons, the shows, the day trips - count as “basic parenting” according to OP. These kinds of activities take thought, careful planning, fine attention to your child’s interests, time, money, energy. Even just a one of two special day trips a year that were purely directed at my interests would have been a real treat for me and my friends in the 00s - not due to lack of money, but because parents just did not have their lives revolve around their children’s interests to anything like the same extent as they do now, 25 years on.

Holidays, cinema and day trips would come at the top of Maslow’s pyramid of needs… so I wouldn’t call it “basic”.

I wouldn’t think of not taking children on holiday as being selfish, if you’re having all those other experiences. It’s not just a question of money, but a question of what you and your child will get more out of, and how much time/effort/attention/energy you can or want to direct at things. If you spent time/effort/attention planning holidays, there would be less of the rest that your child may value more.

@saynotofondant thank you 😍

Hmm, if the OP is raising her kids to be as judgemental, rude and patronising as she is, I don't think it's trips abroad she needs to worry about.

I just give back as good as I take. My kids will know how to stand up for themselves when others also want to be rude and judgemental towards them.

and yes we all judge, lets not pretend we are above it. I judge people who cant be bothered to take their kids abroad or on holiday in the UK because they simply cant be bothered and wont put up with the extra stress to give their kids that experience.

You’re right, we all judge. And I’m judging you for your superior attitude and general rudeness.

"I give as good as I take ". That's up there with "I say it as I see it.".

Of course we all judge, but most of us are willing to listen to others and accept when we may have misjudged, such as accepting that people can have a rich and varied life without going on numerous holidays abroad and there is plenty of intellectual stimulation to be had n the UK. And before you come for me, yes, I am well-travelled and spent a good whack of my 20's backpacking/travelling/living in various continents.

Edited for spelling.