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?

There are some very odd responses on this thread. It used to be quite normal to stay out of the midday sun on holiday in hot countries, and very usual to have a siesta. Even for children, and particularly if you want them to stay up later in the evening for dinner/walks/entertainments or whatever.

An 11 year old should be able to occupy themselves for a couple of hours, especially in this day and age of electronics. There's also reading, drawing or, heaven forbid, just having a lie down. Children don't need to be entertained every minute of the day.

Surely this is a wind up

some proper rage bait going on here

well done!

I also find most of these replies bonkers. My kids are 14 and 10. Both at 10/11 would happily spend a few hours on their own including on holiday reading , playing , watching TV. There are plenty of hours in the day for family town. Kids don’t need company or entertainment all the time.
Mine enjoy time to themselves too.

I think it’s fine to have some downtime after lunch, especially when it’s hot. And very sensible to stay out the sun. But staying inside and reading or playing games is very different to going off to bed and leaving a child by themselves.

Yes but not while on a family holiday with both parents locking themselves in the bedroom to sleep. It’s not fair to the poor girl.

Really shocked at some of the responses. I remember DPs having a siesta when we were on holidays and it’s something we do now and encourage DC to have a sleep so they can stay up later. We maybe go to our room at 5ish if we’ve been out and in the pool all day, they can then sleep, use devices or read before we get ready to go out for dinner 7ish. To be fair, I tend not to sleep as I can never nap but I’ll lie down and read.

What a bunch of saps some of you are. I would have been perfectly fine on my own for a couple of hours a day at 11. Seems weird for dd to still be moaning about it months on.

What do you think a siesta is exactly?

My DD10 would be really bored if we had a two hour siesta every day on holiday (normally Turkey in July which is very hot!) if me or DP want a nap one of would stay out in the pool with her while the other went back to the room. Or just doze on the sun lounger.

If we wanted adult time to have a quiet drink etc we would see she's up for the kids club activity. I can't imagine just leaving in in another room to do nothing!

I’m lazy too as we often have down time on family holidays but in our case everyone enjoys it. Day trips, museums, beaches, restaurants but also a few hours of iPad, a movie, colouring books, stories and having 40 wink.

It’s not stuff we do at home so it even the children find it decadent and we sometimes make dens for these activities etc.

The OP isn’t asking should her child be able to cope with being left alone, she’s said her child didn’t enjoy the holiday and gave that example. Was she honestly meant to enjoy being left alone as a fun holiday activity?!

You're getting alot of flack about a siesta but I remember my parents and my sister and I napping in the hot afternoons in Spain and Greece holidays. Sometimes I'd wake earlier and sit on the balcony or outside and read my book, I remember feeling so relaxed and peaceful. If she didn't want to map mot sure why chilling with a book or something was such a big deal, did she not sleep at all?

🤣 🤣 🤣

If I went on holiday with an adult friend or partner I wouldn’t leave them bored out of their skull on their own for 2 hours everyday.

never mind a poor kid.

you could understand a 20 min power nap at different times from your partner but she must’ve felt like an afterthought

How depressing to be stuck in a hotel room of a fun destination looking out and nobody to talk to.

Didn't you have air con or a fan?

I’m not sure what’s funny when she’s obviously upset.

She is old enough, at 11, to understand that holidays are for everyone. Having to amuse herself for 2 hours a day is nothing, a child should be able to do this. Unfortunately children these days are being told that they and their needs/wants are more important than everyone else’s. In this situation I would be explaining that holidays are expensive and it’s important we try to respect everyone’s needs/wants, would she thrn prefer not to go on holiday at all or perhaps go to kids club?

Wow I am gobsmacked at some of these replies. A 11 year old is unable to amuse themselves for 2 hours!! Bloody hell I would have been delighted at that age to endure parent company

I can’t get over how many posters are calling the OP “selfish”! Is it any wonder that parents are so burnt out nowadays?

I think an 11 year old can spend a few hours reading or entertaining themselves after a morning out doing activities on holidays. Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. It's also fair that she says she didn't enjoy it.

Are you and your DH elderly? unwell? a two hour nap every day because it’s hot?
No wonder your child was bored.

My DD usually went to kids club before lunch. If she didn't it was because we had a busy morning out planned. The time between lunch and heading out again for the evening was absolutely essential for downtime.

You don’t think a grown adult can enjoy their own company for a couple of hours? How strange.

You don’t need a siesta. I am little surprised she was bored.

I am Southern European and we don’t siesta for years - aircon stopped the need for a siesta!

Even so, siestas are for people who have been out building walls, laying pipework, building roofs, working very late nights. Unless you are doing these on your holiday, you should keep your daughter company

2 hours is a long time for a siesta but an hour is fine. I used to read. But we always took a box of books.