Advice needed please

[seb1]

Decided we are rotten at doing holidays, both here and abroad, everybody else says "after a couple of days I just chilled and relaxed" , I just seem to get more stressed . Any advice welcome, I would love to come home feeling refreshed . I am beginning to think it is just us . DDs are almost 3 and almost 7, we are staying in the UK this summer. Last 3 holidays were abroad (rained every day), UK (DD2 took chickenpox), UK (my mum was taken into hospital while we weren't here), so I feel I just need to chill. Not sure if my problem is I try to do too much while we are away. Any advice greatly received.

Where are you staying? beachy type place? What about your accommodation? When I know that, I'll advise you!

Are you going to places with enough to keep you occupied? I get really fed up with 'beach' holidays, but find if I can be up and about doing things it makes things far easier. Much easier keeping the children happy too.

Caravan park nearish to a beach several miles from a seaside resort(1 week) and a cottage in a rural highland village (1 week)

Right. First of all, do a bit of searching on local places of interest. Think about the sor tof thing your family enjoy doing - pony trekking? Swimming? Museums etc? Then you have an idea of the sort of thing thats local.

Don't be rigid about doing certain things on certain days, i.e. if you want a day at an "outsidey" attraction on Monday but it rains, you'll feel frustrated. Just have an idea of things you wnat to do and be led by the weather.

Self catering is good, because you can eat what you want, when you wnat and the kids can mess about without you worrying about next door's hotel room!

BBQs can take up a whole afternoon! Get the LOs involved in food prep - doesn't matter if it takes twice as long and creates piles of mess, you're on holiday and can all muck in to tidy up! Get them involved, give them BBQ skewers with marshmellows on for them to toast etc.

Plan some rainy day activities as back up. Take craft stuff, colouring books, play doh etc. Find out where local swimming pool is.

Make sure you DH helps you with the cleaning up/childcare so you're not left doing it all.

Good luck

One problem I have is I hate the rain on holiday but burn to a crisp in the sun so it makes things kind of difficult. Do you take your BBQ with you MamaG?

Don't plan more than one thing that needs a long drive (20 miles or more). The end result never lives up to expectation. Everyone is ratty, hungry and hot. You will have gone wrong at least twice and spend the whole day wishing you had never left the camp.

Have some days with nothing planned. Go to the village shop for ice-creams, feed the ducks. Don't spend time planning what to eat.
Check out the nearest child-friendly pub and eat there every time there's nothing in the fridge.

This is your holiday as well and all tasks are shared. The best one is you curl up with a book whilst DP/DH does energetic things with the DCs.

Wheresthehamster, have you been on holiday with me . Everybody ratty, regretting leaving the camp. DH stating "that's it We are never coming on holiday again".

We have a small BBQ, or you could just get disposable ones.