How much do you do on holiday

[gollygosshhh]

Bit of a row between dh and I on holiday today - in Balearics and have spent most of the week in the resort. It’s a good family friendly place, loads of activities for kids and a beach and water park nearby which we’ve visited. But when abroad I like to see a bit more of the area and suggested a boat trip to a different part of the island tomorrow. Dh basically shot the idea down saying it’s too hot and it’ll be a nightmare with the youngest (3) who to be fair is probably happiest playing in the pool and attending the hotel activities. Older ds (12) may benefit from seeing a bit but isn’t really fussed either. But I get bored and just feel like it’s a waste to come this far and basically stay in the hotel all week.

I don’t disagree with Dh per se but feel a bit deflated and I guess guilty for not making the most of our time away. I’m not talking exclusions everyday but if it were up to Dh we literally wouldn’t go anywhere. Is it worth pushing this or do we just stick to norm.

I don’t understand why you wouldn’t go on your own or with just older child. What are you worried about?

We did 2 hotel days at the hotel/kids club
one day exploring
one day I was sick and recovering
one day my husband was sick and went to hospital
stayed at the hotel
went to a waterpark
hotel day for kids - we went out in town whilst they were at kids clubs
kids club then out for a meal that evening, out on the town that night,
hotel/kids club hangout
back home

I’m afraid my thought is at this age holidays are for them, not you, happy kid happy family.

The idea of being at a pool or beach all day everyday would drive me round the bend with boredom. Luckily DH is the same. I like that peppered in during the holiday as rest days but not everyday.

We do ski holiday in winter so on the go all the time. Summer we do long haul - theme parks or other stuff with water activities. If it’s super hot we still get out and about and maybe swim just afternoon for example.

I don't do resort holidays because I would go insane. I hate sitting by the pool. We go away and do things every day - museums, galleries, sightseeing, activities. I look at the place online in advance and work out what to see and an itinerary.

We were in Menorca last August; family of 4 (kids then 10+ 13). We spent a lot of time around the pool. But I also did an evening sunset boat trip with the youngest (then 10), as oldest didn’t fancy that.

Me and the oldest did a half day canoe safari (youngest didn’t want to) which again was fine. It works for us to split up sometimes.

Single parent - kids are currently 4 & 8 and always do loads of sightseeing on holiday…
going to Albania for 6 nights on Monday, doing two half day trips and one full city day.

Taking them to Delhi alone next year… trips 6 days out of 8!

Boat trips are low key - kids will be fine!

We maybe do 1 pool day 1 beach day and the rest of the time we are on day trips at water parks boat trips etc. we did a whole day volcano excursion in Lanzarote last year with a 6 and 4 year old and they had the most fantastic time. You’d be surprised with kids what they are actually willing to do.

It’s the Balearics not a tour round east Asia, chances are you’ll go back many times when there will be plenty of time to go and do “cultural stuff”

Id stay where the kids are happy, a three year old will be a nightmare on a boat.

I think I actually agree with this. I am putting pressure on myself to do ‘stuff’ and make memories without taking into account what the kids actually want. I do this at home too. Fuck it, its boiling we’ll just keep chilling 😂

Lying by a pool or in a water park for a week/two weeks doing nothing is my idea of hell so I would have to get out. Not necessarily every day, some chillage is good, but I would go mad being in a resort day after day. I don't know what the solution is OP to your dilemma. It sounds like you need to talk about it at a calmer moment.

As far as I’m concerned holidays are for doing and seeing stuff, as much as possible. I sit at a desk being physically inactive the rest of the year, last thing I want to be is inactive on holiday too. If you come home a bit tired, it’s been a good holiday.

You obviously know your 3 year old better than me but we're a family of 'resort haters' and really struggle to even contemplate staying still for more than a day. We've therefore carried on holidays as normal with our 3 year old and genuinely even though she can have the usual temper tantrums occasionally at home she is a great little traveller and loves visiting new places. It excites her as much as it does us. We tend to plan in a kid fun bit of the day each day (like making sure we stop at a park or playing in the fountains...and obligatory ice cream!) but she gets excited at the littlest things so it's not a problem at all. So I say go for it! Have no expectations and you will be surprised. You might as well try...What's one day lost if it's a disaster?

3 is too young. How about you and Dd go.

My three your old loves a boat! 😅Are you sure?

As there's two of you why don't you go off and do that and DH can stay at the pool with one or both DCs. Problem solved.

I think think there is a lot of pressure to explore the culture etc when you're away. Frankly, holidaying with kids is just the same shit but in a different location. If you have a desperate urge to do a tour/trip of some kind then you should try to work out a way to do so - a 50/50 split as already suggested seems the obvious way, but if you're not actually that bothered and are really just doing it because you think you should then just enjoy the holiday for what it is (a break from the mundane), and scope out things you'd do if/when you returned in the future just the two of you or when the kids are older. We had so many 'days out' when on caravan holidays in the UK with young kids that were sheer hell but we had to do because the weather was terrible and staying in the caravan was not an option. Enjoy the pool/beach/all inclusive etc and just maybe take it in turns to go for a walk or something, explore some different food etc, but accept things for how they are at the moment. I'd also suggest finding a FB or Insta Group for tourists to your location to see where their top spots are and why. Even a change of beach etc can please everyone.

Agree depends on what holiday you need. we usually do busy holidays etc exploring and planned most days. however the past two years have been very very hectic for both of us between building house moving health issues and shit that has happend in life 🙄😆 the past few holidays have been hotel and chill by the pool. Nice food wine heat and sleep our bodies badly needed it.
with the op the fact she has children means to me keeping them happy. but also talk to husband and have some sort of compromise

Could you book an organised excursion for yourself and possibly older DC if they want to join you do that you don’t go home regretting not doing much?

I got out quite a few mornings really early by myself. Walk locally then a proper hike one day. Then kyaking with one of the kids.

Might aswel have just gone to a caravan, it's been 34° where I am today.

@MiniCoopers

noooooo! A family holiday is for everyone in the family, not just the kids

Spending a whole holiday hanging round the pool at a resort sounds like hell to me. I like to spend my holidays doing things every day and always feel like there was more to do that I missed when I leave. My husband is more of a relax and do nothing sort of person so we try to switch it up a bit.

Is it hot inside?

Like PPs if it’s a ‘sunny’ holiday then alternate days, city/mountain/Florida on the go every day. Even when son was a baby there was no way I was wasting time sitting on my arse every day!