Daughter didn’t enjoy holiday

[Personil]

DH and I went on holiday with my DD (11). When asked if she enjoyed the holiday she says it was ok but was ruined by being left on her own for 2 hours every day. What she’s referring to is when we went for a siesta. Months later she’s saying she wouldn’t want to go again. WWBU?

Going a little off thread here, but my brother can look at his watch and say, " I'm going to have a 20 minute nap, and I need 5 minutes to wake up properly" ... and sure enough 25 minutes later he'll reappear.

I can't do that. I'd spend the entire 20 minutes looking at my watch to see if I need to get up yet!

She needed more options like English language movies, as 11 year olds tend not to sleep in the day as easily as younger children or adults. But a pile of books and a device should have seen her through. With the right resources it could have been fun for her - perhaps a choice of soft drink and treat from the mini bar.

No one thinks that and you've rather spectacularly missed the point that she did indeed entertain herself for hours each day without complaint.

Kids need to learn to be bored, of course! But 2 hours every day (x 7 or x 14) in a hotel/apartment when they haven't got their usual stuff around is boring. I

'm 50 and I'd be bored with 2 hours every afternoon - I'd be wanting to be on the beach or by the pool. I expect this is what she wanted to do...

It was fine, kids don't need their mum hovering over them at all times making sure they're having a good time. Learning some independence is part of learning how to be an adult.

I think if the parents need a nap they should take it. It makes you more refreshed and ready to carry on. I can't believe people are saying "poor girl" because she's on her own for 2 whole hours when they're doing stuff with her for the rest of the day. A holiday is for the whole family, not just the kids

Apparently that makes you spoilt, self centered, ungrateful, disrespectful and all manner of other unkind insults that have been thrown in the direction of an 11 year old who dared to admit she found it unenjoyable to be forced to spend a significant amount of time in the hotel room during a holiday.

She's 11 and capable of entertaining herself for a couple of hours.

Perfectly normal behaviour in our family. 2 hours of quiet time in the afternoon at the hottest part of the day. Cup of tea/refrshment, cool off in apartment or room. Read, watch tv, nap.
Children were up considerably later than normal so fine with having a rest in the day.
May not nap for 2 hours but 2 hours down time in the middle of the day is fine imo.

Plenty of people are thinking that and I cannot see how the poster has missed the point

I think the saddest thing about all this is the number of people believing that reading a book for two hours a day is something that is beyond the capabilities of most 11 year olds to enjoy.

I was 11 in the days before screens and all-day TV. Me, my friends and even my brother (not a bookish child) could happily read for an entire afternoon. Perhaps this is a skill that should be relearned.

I know what you mean but I’ve got napping down pretty well now, but that’s exactly how I was. I don’t nap everyday but if I am able to and want to then I don’t deprive myself, it’s heavenly and a lot better than sitting on a toilet seat at work desperately trying to catch a two minute nap in an afternoon slump 😁

Yes I also find it a bit strange ( mum not realising the girls was unhappy during the holiday) and then the post about her daughter being born in the wrong century because she enjoys baking and berry picking and other activities with grandma. Is that not what every child craves ? Attention and bonding and quality time? Especially as she doesn’t have close friends or siblings. I don’t know , it all feels a bit sad, really.

I don’t need an afternoon nap. I’m not a toddler, and I don’t have one.

And she did. She just didn’t enjoy it.

just like I don’t enjoy camping. I would endure it and survive but I don’t enjoy it. She didn’t do anything wrong by expressing she didn’t like something.

You, your friends, your brother.

I think you would probably have found that it was most eleven year olds, even if they were reading comics. Our parents weren't obsessed with entertaining us.

Sounds a lot more fun than being stuck alone in a hotel room 🤷‍♀️

Yes because Grandma has the time and energy.

She’s on her own. Maybe she would have been happier with some company. I always had my siblings on holiday so there was always something going on.

Agree.

And I also don't understand the view of those who think getting 12 hours sleep on holiday is such a write-off on a holiday. The point is to regenerate - and yes, some people do have exhausting careers.

I would prefer to relax in a cool room through the middle of the day as opposed to turning tourist-pink on a sun-lounger, which, let's face it, is not really achieving anything more than relaxation.

The Spanish family dd stayed with in the summer holidays would do stuff in the late afternoon /evening eat main meal around 9/10pm go to bed around 1am and massively sleep in in the morning.

Dd and her friend got up at 9 am on the first day and wondered where everyone was! The family - parents and kids - surfaced around 11am ish

I always have naps on holiday. Would use it as DD down time out of the sun and she would have tv, tablet, colouring or DH and I would take turns. It is not unusual to nap on holiday.

I think an 11 year old is perfectly capable of chilling with some TV for a bit on a hot afternoon.

What a lot of dramatic replies

What she meant is that you weren’t alone

The daughter did entertain herself and didn’t complain at the time, she just cracked on and read her books. But since then, when her mum asked if she enjoyed it, she was simply honest.

As a child I would have happily read at home for a couple of hours. As an adult now, I’d find that blissful. Nice and cosy with my blanket and candles in autumn/winter or sat outside in the summer. But on holiday, I don’t think I’d much enjoy being stuck inside reading a book. Id want to get out there and be having fun. I mean if there was a balcony or outdoor area to sit on, not so bad. But I know I’d much rather be by the pool!!!