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Original poster

So how is dinner going to work?

30 replies

minipie · 22/08/2019 15:34

Just booked on a bit of a whim a holiday to Tenerife in October and am now (a bit late) thinking through the practicalities. Previously we’ve either done SC or been to resorts in countries which are ahead of the UK time zone wise - so the DC stay up with us to eat and (in theory) wake up later.

Tenerife is the same time zone so they’d be eating at 6ish and bed by 7.30. That’s much much earlier than DH and I would usually eat and will feel a bit odd (and DH will be hungry again by bedtime!).

What are our options? Hotel babysitter - but it won’t be someone we know? We will be using kids club but that feels different as they are awake and in public. Or do we just have to eat early and stay in our room from 8pm to our bedtime? Room service is pretty limited I believe and also not included in HB.

Is there a solution I’ve missed? They are 6 and 4 so too old for sleeping in the buggy (not that that ever worked for us anyway)

OP posts:
JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 22/08/2019 15:36

Confused just keep them up later. You’ll be on holiday, no need to stick to the usual routine.

HeyMonkey · 22/08/2019 15:37

Go to a supermarket and stock up on food for the hotel room. There are loads of good supermarkets around.

Can you not push back dinner and bed by an hour, and give them afternoon snacks to keep them going?

Shutityoutart · 22/08/2019 15:40

Why do they have to be in bed by 7.30?

stucknoue · 22/08/2019 15:40

Keep them up, Spanish restaurants rarely start serving before 9pm, the kids take a siesta

Doje · 22/08/2019 15:41

Last year DS's were 3 and 5. They adapted well to eating at 7pm, having a play and then bed around 9pm.

They got up later and we had a siesta / chill out time early afternoon.

ThereIsIron · 22/08/2019 15:41

When ours were that age on holiday they were normally up until 10pm or later - when the evening entertainment ended. You're on holiday - just wing it.

Original poster
minipie · 22/08/2019 15:45

Ah sorry I should have mentioned. My DC - one anyway but they would be sharing - will wake up at 6.30 am no matter how late we put her to bed. It’s like clockwork (and it used to be 5.30 so we are pretty grateful for the improvement!). If we keep her up late she’ll just be increasingly grumpy and miserable...

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Original poster
minipie · 22/08/2019 15:45

Siesta might work although hard to get her to nap now without a car trip.

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JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 22/08/2019 15:48

I’d give it a bash anyway. She may have grown out of early rising. You won’t know til you try. Try it for yeh first few nights and see how it goes. If she’s still waking at 6:30 despite a 10pm bedtime then go with the earlier bedtime the next night. At least you’ll have tried.

HeyMonkey · 22/08/2019 15:49

If you don't want to mess with their routine just go to a shop and stock up on munchies and wine for the hotel room.

Florencenotflo · 22/08/2019 15:54

You'll be surprised how knackered they will be after a day in the pool! This year Dd 3.5 was out all day from breakfast, back to the room about 5:30, a quick shower and she would have a 'lay down' with the iPad on and be asleep within 5 mins. We'd let her have an hour while we got showered and ready, then we'd head out for dinner about 7. If the entertainment wasn't up to much we'd be back in the room for 9 ish. She did wake up later than at home, only by an hour.

Or maybe let them have a snooze on the sun bed in the shade during the day.

ChipsAreLife · 22/08/2019 15:58

Mine are early risers, the only time they sleep
In is on holiday!! The all day swimming and let nights make for it!

Benes · 22/08/2019 16:04

Just keep them up 🤷 no big deal.

They'll probably nap in the afternoon which will help.

You'll be surprised how quickly they'll adapt.

Original poster
minipie · 22/08/2019 16:14

Ok I will risk it! I know they would love the mini disco etc so would be motivated to stay up. If they don’t sleep in the first morning they should be tired enough to nap the next day.

We have such a long history of bad sleep with my 2 that I am a bit terrified of anything that might break the sleep (can you tell)

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stucknoue · 22/08/2019 16:29

Ps I admit to taking a double buggy at that age (they were petite kids) and they nodded off during entertainment!

Original poster
minipie · 22/08/2019 18:07

No possibility sadly! - DD needs near pitch black to get to sleep. I know I sound a bit precious but it’s genuine, she has some SN and finds it hard to switch off, she’s been on melatonin in the past. Plus we ditched the double buggy some time ago. However I have been given the bravery to try keeping her up - after all this is a fly and flop holiday so if she’s tired there is nothing to stop us sending her for a nap. —She hates naps—

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Original poster
minipie · 22/08/2019 18:07

Gah strikeout fail, why does my strikeout never work?

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MinnieMountain · 23/08/2019 06:31

Personally I'd eat with DC and gets snacks for later.
DS is 6-6.30 without fail regardless of bedtime.

mundaneflounder · 23/08/2019 06:39

We do bedtimes of 10pm when we are away. My DS is a perpetual early riser at home but on holiday, he does sleep in!!! God knows why but he does. Only til 8 or so but he does.

We would pretty much insist on nap/quiet time though for 2 hours during the heat of the day. We told DS2 who is 4 that he could only go to the show/mini disco/etc if he had a sleep. He quickly settled despite never napping at home. We would let him have an hour then he'd wake up and we would let him have some screen time.

You will be miserable if you stick to routine as nothing is open early and everything is going on late. You'll miss out. If staying up later doesn't work out at least you know you tried. I reckon you need to give it 3 nights though. First morning they will probably wake up as normal.

If it doesn't work, then look for a different type of holiday. A self catering Villa probably works well for DC who need the routine.

eurochick · 23/08/2019 06:47

Eat with the children. Have wine in the room later. Grab an early night and come back feeling recharged.

Original poster
minipie · 23/08/2019 07:40

MinnieMountain you have my sympathy, it’s tricky isn’t it. DD was up in the night for well over an hour last night and still woke at 6.15...
eurochick that sounds extremely sensible! Maybe we’ll do that and get a babysitter one or two of the nights if we’ve got to know eg one of the kids club staff.

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BritWifeinUSA · 23/08/2019 14:06

I don’t understand why the time zone has anything to do with it. I live 8 hours behind the UK and we don’t eat at odd times. You’re going to be on holiday - just let them stay up later.

MinnieMountain · 23/08/2019 14:54

It is a pain but DS won't change. We SC normally.
We're currently staying in a Swiss youth hostel which has one exit from the rooms to the bar/reception area. We have a video monitor on a phone and iPad so we can sit in the bar in view of the exit.
I don't think people whose DC refuse to adapt quite get it. Some just won't. I'm pretty useless at it myself.

SnowsInWater · 25/08/2019 04:36

Any chance of a room with a balcony or terrace so if keeping them up later doesn't work at least you could sit outside with a glass of wine rather than being stuck in the room keeping quiet? I vividly remember a night in a hotel in France when DH and I resorted to sitting in the bathroom, with three kids next door it wasn't even like we could could have a nice bubble bath together 😂

Zoowolla · 25/08/2019 04:43

You need to be firm about the siesta - everyone has a lie down after lunch / listens to story CD - non negotiable.

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