Jan holiday ideas for a single parent, kids 2 and 5

[SadMadAndDangerous2Know]

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice...

In September I became a 36 year old widower (please no-one wrote sorry in a reply!). I have 2 young children, Jacob who is 2 and Evie who is 5. I live in Coventry.

Evie's off school until the 8th Jan after Christmas, so I was thinking it might be a good idea to take them way between new years and the new term, before we all get cabin fever.

I want to go it alone if I can. My support network is stupidly small (sister in law and my 16 year old from another mother). I kind of just need to get some "I can do this on my own" things out of the way with the kids, a holiday being one of them.

So I'm hoping I could come here and get some ideas on where I could take them. The most important thing is that there's lots to keep them entertained in a way that isn't too exhausting / manic for me. I did think somewhere like centre parks could be a good idea as we could spend a lot of time by the pool and wandering around and if it's not going well, I could abort and get home easily & cheaply, but I had a quick scan yesterday and it's looking all booked up. Beach would be nice, however it is hard to co-ordinate the both of them going in the same direction at the same time, so I don't think it would be that restful!

I should say before I finish that I don't drive!

(and I'm sure whatever we do, it will be fine)

Thanks

Ben

Hi Ben, single mum of 2 here and I find travelling with 2 fairly stressful. Places like Centre parcs and butlins are perfect as once you are there it is quite self contained. Granted it's not my first choice of holiday (or 2nd, 3rd.....) but plenty for the children to enjoy which is the main thing. Hope you have fun wherever you end up

Echo centre parcs if you can afford it (though might be all booked up), fab fab fab x

I personally would (assuming I had the budget) would be looking at a hotel with onsite pools, entertainment and board options in an all year destination like the Canaries.

Maybe not so easy to get home early from, but I'm sure you won't want to.

Hi Ben, Bluestone in Wales have a 5 night break from 29th Dec for £1059

How about the Canaries? It should be warm and there are lots of family-friendly hotels.

My cousin is in the same situation (and same area of the country) with her two. They go away to 'resort' holidays with a kids club. Being on your own is relentless.

My friend has taken hers skiing (admittedly she's an excellent skier). Puts them in lessons in the morning and skis the easy stuff or goes to the pool in the PM. Perhaps not relaxing, but inspiration for the future maybe.

Have a look at the Ceebeebies hotel at Alton Towers. They do short breaks. The theme park may be closed but the indoor water park is great fun.

My choices would be:

1. Hotel with toddler pool and kids club somewhere like the Canaries. The Hotel Yaiza or similar would work well, I think.

2. Skiing can work really well as long as you have childcare as part of the package. Many chalets and chalet hotels have on-site creches and other guests would give you some other adults to talk to. Even if you don't ski you could book yourself into ski school every morning and then either spend the afternoon with your DC or go swimming, get a massage, have a beer by the lift, etc. DH and I have always found skiing the most relaxing holiday of the year, because everything is included.

Neither of these would allow you to bail out if you it wasn't working, but having done both many times I think they should be pretty good (and the snow int he Alps is great!)