to want to shake DH by the shoulders

[Lowfat]

Honestly Grrrrr!

Have already posted about the difficulties of finding a suitable and affordable holiday as we have been so unorganised this year.

have just managed to fin a Pontins break for 4 nights for all of us for under £300 at the very nice Camber Sands. Which is about 3 hours drive. (In fact that is as close as we can get to any and all UK coasts)

He moaned because he would ahve to go round the M25. Found another in Norfolk, he moaned cos we have already 'done' Grt Yarmouth and he did'nt enjoy it.

So decided we would stay home and take a couple of days out on the train to free (yes free) London Museums and 1 day at a nearby theme park with optional buy in for rides. He is now rolling his eyes at boring Museums and kiddies theme parks.

I asked him if he ever went when he was a child and he said no.

Does he understand that a 5yr old and a 18mn old will love seeing old buses or playing with stuff in Science Museum etc. And theme park is full of sand pits and adventure play? I dont think so.

Is it me or should he be grateful that we at least have some reasonably priced options available to us so he should stop poo-pooing everything.

'He's just said to me again 'So what do you want to do then?'

Cos I pbviously have'nt come up with enough ideas. I am about to reach boiling point with him

tell him to shut the eff up and come up with some ideas then tell him hes a monaing old bastard

great with marital harmony me

I'd just shout "YOU F*CKING WELL DO IT THEN!!!!!!" rather loudly and lock myself in the bathroom

Or book hol for YOU and DCs and leave him at home

Sound like my DH has a long lost twin.

I just do what I want to with the DC's. Stuff DH.

I did this yesterday booked us 4 night camping at a nice looking place in norwich £124 for 4 nights for 4 of us inc leisure facilities and entertainment, while dp watched the grand prix I did ask him a few times if he wanted to have a look with me by the time the grand prix had finished the holiday was booked, I booked somewhere I thought dd1 would enjoy, dd2 is happy as long as she can swim and play on a slide and go outside and dp is usually happy as long as there is beer, I'm happy as long as they are all happy and i'm not getting moaned at. Could you do similar?

It is impossible to discuss holidays with my DH. To me the planning is half the fun months hours on the internet researching, agonising of the pros and cons of different places, shopping and packing etc. DH will allow a "brief" discussion on where we're going then I'm not allowed to discuss it again until we're there. I spend a week getting organised, and ticking things of a list - he packs his case at the last minute then moans that there is too much stuff in the car (everytime!) We always have an argument about my vs his driving. Last year after a 2 day journey he went to sulk in the car because he was expecting the accommodation to be posher - I cried....I told him I was leaving him the last time we went away - he was complaining that everyone spoke German - we were in Germany FFS. He's generally a nice person and a great dad - not sure what it is about holidays that makes him such a miserable old git. This summer I am taking dd to visit family and he is staying home on his own

he he, not long lost twin Lynette, long lost triplet I suspect

Tell him plainly that when you made the plans for the holiday you thought about what would be suitable for everyone and tried to please everyone. He obviously thinks that a holiday is all about what he wants - WRONG - he's a family man now, so he bloody well has 20 years of family holidays to put up with .

Agree I'd say you organise it

Does he have an unpleasant holiday experience somewhere in his past? I was lulled into a false sense of security because my partner loved holidaying with me before we moved in together. Afterwards he lost interest. He wanted to be at home with his bed, his TV, his food, the restaurants he knew he liked, his Playstation... When pressed he admits that his family only went on holiday once, four children and two adults squeezed into a Skoda for an eight hour drive, his parents argued the whole time and he was car sick. After that, holidays seemed like more trouble than they're worth. He claims the brief interlude in which he liked holidays was down to a desire to spend time with me (flattery will get you everywhere) but now we live together, there's no need! To be fair, he does seem to be improving slowly, but it's been 16 years and counting!

MmeBovary...lol at the 'everyone spoke German' comment . I think this must be some kind of weird genetic quirk linked to the y chromosome as you could all be describing my dh too!

He was spoiled as a child with his parents taking him to Florida almost every year!

Although they spent no money on the upkeep of their house which now they are trying to sell it has dawned on them.

what would have been 'upkeep' 20 years ago is now 'in serious need of repair'

So there is a moral if you want one

Every spoken German? In Germany? Well I never!

Your DH needs to stop acting like a spoiled brat imo. I suspect you and the dcs would have a nicer time if you left him at home!

Everyone I meant!

He's not spoiled in that sense.

He knows his parents have done him no favours buy only taking to Florida - there is a lot of places in the world they could have gone to, but they are very set in their ways and when they like a place they just keep going!

However I think with regards to this years holiday he has a recurring thought of 'There must be something better'

I have news for him! They're aint!

Lowfat, actually I think my DH is a bit like this. He spent years at sea - either on cruise liners or commercial ships. He has literally travelled round the world - been there / done that to death etc. He was actually impressed by the beaches in Sardinia and on the odd occasion we can stay in a "posh" hotel he is happy. I think spoilt is the operative word and Center Parcs / P&V just doesn't live up - and I think these are expensive options compared to what most people do and I spend the rest of the year paying off the credit card. Our holiday this year is a week in the South of France where we will stay in a hut on the beach to celebrate my BIG birthday (ahem 21st) and he will put up and shut up!