At what age do holidays with children start to feel relaxing?

[hallydays]

At roughly what point did you actually feel holidays were relaxing?

I am not saying that they aren’t enjoyable with little children; they can be but there’s no relaxing involved!

How old were your children when you were on holiday (not necessarily away) and felt like you were actually having a break?

Enjoyable from age 4, relaxing from age 7. Before the age of 4 it's just the same stress but without the convenience of being in a familiar environment with your own stuff.

Mine is 7 now and since last summer holidays have started to feel more like holidays. With each one gets better.

I think 7/8 they become better. Having two close together meant toddler/baby years were tough and it really was same shit different place for a while. We didn’t go abroad when they were 2 and 3 years old and before.

One baby was ok but not relaxing.

Teens - they kind of do their own thing so I can relax on the beach/ do my own thing. DH is moany and needy though so holidays still not great. I have the best time with my friends to be honest.

When they're about 53 and they then have to look after you! 😉

Mine are 19, 16, 10 and 8. Still waiting on holidays to be relaxing.....

And bring you a beer

Once they've left home and you holiday without them.

I agree around 7 - my youngest is 7 now, has been swimming confidently for a couple of years, ditto more than capable of taking himself to the toilet, getting his own ice cream etc etc.

We have 4 kids and when we go away they tend to hang out together quite cheerfully - me and DH are basically by ourselves suddenly after 15 years of being on constant patrol. It is amazing.

We took DS to Malaga last year when he was 3.5 and that was enjoyable and relaxing. Now we have baby DD as well so I won’t get another relaxing holiday for the next three years 😭

I honestly don't know how a holiday abroad (presumably with a pool?) could be relaxing with a 3.5yo. if rather a non-mobile baby! They're easy.

I remember a city and agriturismo holiday in Italy when they were 5 and 8 and was actually really nice. My younger child has always been into good food and was on a mission to find best parmesan cheese (yes at 5)
They are 13 and 16 now and really pretty good. Happy to spend time on the beach, happy to explore cities. Last year I traveled a bit (cities) with my daughter who just turned 15 and she was genuinely good company. Equally up for a hike as for a visit to museum or shopping. Just had to make sure she can make some choices and has some chill time too.

7 and 10 - we did our first 'package' holiday this year and was lovely. They played happily together, 7 year old also went to kids club and made some friends. 10 year old happy to swim all day. Being AI helped, could get their own drinks, ice creams, snacks etc. As did the resort and staff being lovely and the layout of the resort - lots of little villas - meaning I was happy for DD10 to go back to our room to get bits she wanted. If a high rise hotel wouldn't have been anywhere near as relaxing I don't think.

Agree. We must all have different ideas on what relaxing means. Because watching a 3.5 year old like a hawk all day - especially around a pool/sea is not my idea of relaxing.

I like the posts that say never. I’m moving towards more holidays with friends at the moment.

Once they go to kids club

Agree - when old enough to swim independently and safely. For us that was 6 and 8.

Never! By the time they were old enough I could relax, they were whinging that they were bored and it was too hot etc

I am 33 and my mom joins us on holiday this year so she can help with 2yo, so … never?😂😂😂

I went on an incredibly relaxing solo holiday last year after years of holidaying as a single parent, and briefly going away with my ex and our kids. Both stressful for different reasons.
But I’m hoping this year is going to be the year when I can actually relax while still parenting a teen. Whether or not that happens, we’ll see.

I don't think you can ever relax on holiday properly with kids. The teenage years bring on different challenges because they become sulky, constantly bored and don't want to do anything which puts you equally on edge, just in feindishly new ways.

When you can leave them at home - bloody brilliant

We did it our first proper holiday abroad when ours were 6 and 3, it was relaxing and enjoyable (it had a kids club!)

Every year from infant to 16 for our 3 but my dh has no patience with sitting around so he watched them in the pool and the sea. I could chill and read my book and they were good in restaurants etc. But at 16 ds was an absolute pain not wanting to do anything but not trustworthy to leave by himself. That was the worst year but every other holiday was great.
The teen years were the worst for everything for me!

I have had some very enjoyable holidays with DC but a recent break with DC 19 and 16 was far from relaxing!

Another who says when they are safe and strong enough to swim independently.

After they left home..😉