To not have attempted to go abroad yet

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I’m just not convinced it would be enjoyable with two under 5s. Am I wrong, or would it just be SSDL?

If you go expecting it to be the idyllic couples holiday you used to enjoy pre kids - endless hours lazing in the sun, reading books and doing not a lot - you are going to be so disappointed.

but if you go expecting to play with them and knowing they will get grumpy and overtired at times, that the alcohol will not be as freely flowing but that you will be spending time messing about together - you will be fine.

The weird thing is we didn’t have any idyllic couples holidays! Should have done really!

3 kids, each had their first holiday abroad between 6 and 7 months old. We go abroad at least a couple of times a year. The kids love it, I love it! But...each to their own!

It’s obviously not the same as having a relaxing child free break, but we still enjoyed holidays abroad with the kids when they were little.

Playing on the beach and in the pool, warm sunshine, afternoon naps, all meals included, no housework. It’s not really the same as being at home is it? They used to love the mini disco in the evening then we would sit on our balcony and have a beer/play cards once they’d gone to bed. Lovely memories 🥰

I think it depends on the children. Took our daughter from 9 months. Then had our son too and never any issues. However I think my nephews are another story and they find taking them quite stressful.

My two were 5 and 7 the first time we took them abroad. We did a week in an all inclusive and they were happy as larry with the pool and the entertainment.

We waited until ours were 6 and 8 to go abroad and did UK holidays before then. We can only afford one holiday abroad every few years so wanted them to be old enough to appreciate it.

I suspect it’s easier if you’re well off and can afford multiple holidays a year.

Mine are going for the first time this year aged 10 and 11.
We have gone on UK caravan park holidays but waited til they were older (due to some the reasons already stated).

We took DS abroad from 9 months but it’s different with one. I have friends with multiple kids who said AI was the way to go one they were older.

If you don’t fancy it that’s fine. we took DS to a boutique hotel when he was 4 and it was hard work as there were no other kids. After that we did haven for a bit so he could have other kids to play with. You sort of have to meet them where they are. We have done everything from camping to Disney over the years. Now he is 19 I am loving my city breaks with him 🙂

That's fine! 😘 I had an idea we may have cross posted.

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Been away to beautiful far flung places before we had our son and been to beautiful far flung places with him and hands down, without a shadow of a doubt it’s better with him. It’s been nothing but a privilege to be able to show my child the world and other than packing more things it’s been no more stressful. If you can, do.

I never understand the complaint of SSDL. The DL is the most important point. If I’m going to be parenting, I’d rather do it in a beautiful hot location with foreign food and supermarkets
and new places to visit, than stuck in my lounge at home like the rest if the year.

We took DD1 to the US when she was 11 months and DD2 went to France aged 4 months. I found it pretty easy tbh and I've always enjoyed holidays abroad with them, we have lots of fun. We've done some UK holidays and it's not much easier really, and I find it more interesting to go to other countries. I don't get the resistance to travelling with dcs, it's fairly straightforward.

Not if your making your life harder for 2 years to pay for it

Yeah babies aren't toddlers i took one of mine at 4 months it was great then I took her at 2 and it was a completely different story

I’ve had an amazing time on every holiday I’ve taken DC on. Under 5 we did villas, preferred it for more space and more flexibility. We used to go out in the mornings, have a nice lunch out somewhere, then chill at the villa later and chill by the pool once DC in bed. Routines were always very much relaxed so if napping, bedtimes etc weren’t happening at the usual times it was no big deal and we just rolled with it. Naps could be taken in a buggy if needed. Same with food, I remember one holiday where DS ate little other than chips, bread and ice cream - meh, it’s a week, it won’t kill him.

Not unreasonable if you don’t want to, but we love our holidays! Yes they are different with young children but still lovely, especially if you choose a holiday to suit.

For example I wouldn’t fancy taking mine to a warm city break, they wouldn’t enjoy that, would just be a hassle. But there are some absolutely amazing resorts now especially in Turkey, Mexico & Dominican Republic that have everything you could possibly want or need plus all inclusive. Soft play indoors, park with shade, kids club activities, kids water slides, kids splash park, kids pools, all inclusive & snacks/ice creams/drinks, it’s all the stuff you have to get in the car and drive to at home or cook yourself at home. Everyone is different but I’ve loved ours so far and we have a couple left this year which I’m really looking forward to. It’s not “the same shit” because I’m not having to cook, clean, drive around, navigate rubbish weather for plans, rush around to any other commitments it is just total pressure off family time.

It's not enjoyable, believe me, did it a couple of times when our kids were as young as yours.
Do Butlins, Centre Parcs, anything is better than putting yourselves through the purgatory of airports and transfers.

Thanks. Our holidays have been UK. First holiday was to wales and Scotland, then we went to Centre parcs, had a week in the Lake District, centre parcs again, wales again, Devon, centre parcs … theme happening here!

They have been lovely and I’ve never been bothered by not going abroad but I am wanting to travel a bit more. It’s just I can imagine it being really, really hard work. It isn’t comparable to parenting in my lounge really.

I am inclined to leave it until the youngest is 4. Hopefully more reasonable at this age!

I regularly took mine by myself . First 2 of them then 3.

I do think a bit of difference is 1) the idea of laying by a beach/ pool would drive me mad with boredom after 10 mins so would rather be playing with the kids

2. I've never brought them up particularly " routine bound" The idea of having to be at home for naps etc is totally alien to me. Therefore they've kind of grown up since babies having to be adaptable. Things weren't constantly centered around them

3. it's miserable going on holiday in the UK only for it to piss down constantly. Easier when you can get out and about even for a run along a promenade or take some bread to feed the fish at a port etcetc. Rather than having to cough up to go in busy expensive indoor places to occupy them

4. I certainly wouldn't be the mum sat in a hotel room after 8pm for kids to sleep. Most places in the world eat later so I'd sometimes take them out for dinner and they'd play in the square which I kept an eye on them and enjoyed a glass of wine. Or take them to hotel entertainment

You can mitigate a lot of those things by choosing when and where you go! October for example isn’t roasting in most of Europe, and we certainly didn’t have to worry about pools or sunburn or beaches in Frankfurt in December! We’ve always found DS sleeps well on holiday as he’s so knackered by taking in everything new, although we do at the moment by and large stick to routine, we’re always back at accommodation for his midday nap and we don’t stray too far beyond normal bedtime, we just eat early and then relax in our accommodation once he’s asleep.

We try and be quite chill about everything and make things easier where we can. I’ve never packed more than 2 days worth of nappies, we just buy a pack when we get there. We lug the car seat or a travel cot, we hire them. We have an overhead locker sized pram. We do take a few familiar things to help with bedtime and some favourite snacks until we find alternatives. Fruit and rice cakes and yoghurt are much the same from one country to the next.

I work in travel and some of the questions we’re asked or things people want to take with them blow my mind. There’s definitely some degree of people creating their own stress!

I get that. But wouldn’t Frankfurt in December be somewhat limited in what a toddler would enjoy? Forgive me if I’m totally wrong; I have never been

We aren’t the interested in taking our 2yo abroad just yet. We go to Center parcs 2-3 times a year and that suits us just fine at the moment. Pre- baby our holidays consisted of lots of city breaks with museums and nice restaurants. I love to people watch from cafes. That doesn’t bode well with a toddler who wants to run everywhere and talk endlessly about Winnie the Pooh.

All in good time though, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything!

Never found airports any particular trial. The security and checking in bits are quite exciting for a small child. Some snacks and magazines while waiting. Few cheap small toys that are new and exciting on the plane.

Painful ears were bad on take-off when one DC had a cold and was bunged up but otherwise no more stressful than any other form of travel.

we are British but my kids were born overseas and we lived there till the youngest was 10. They absolutely LOVED coming back to the uk for summer and it was so easy- DH is from Dorset so we’d go to Paultons park, monkey world, the tank museum, farmer palmers, corfe castle etc and they’d think it was the best thing ever. They even liked English beaches more than Asian ones 😂, especially stony ones!!