Holidaying with eye rollers

[AnneliPK]

Any success stories out there about holidaying with the most difficult age offspring; the eye rollers? I'm hanging on a thread of hope / desperation as my daughter mentioned that she'd like to go on a tropical holiday and she never wants to do anything with us (the family)! We stay a lot at my parents holiday home in Scandinavia and haven't been anywhere else really since 2019 so I kind of want to go all out!

I've never been to the Caribbean and thinking it might be fun? We're looking for a lush resort with the option of possibly exploring for a day or two. Good watersports facilities. Me and the husband have been to the Maldives before which is very tropical and gorgeous but I'm thinking it might be borderline risky being stuck on a small island with the eye rollers?

Would love to get some ideas.
Thanks!

Mexico Mayan Riviera is fabulous. Tropical vibe with plenty to do.

Beaches, snorkeling, trips to see the Mayan pyramids and temples, Chichen Itzhak, Coba, Tulum.

The adventure parks Xcaret, Xplor, etc

Visiting the cenotes

Something for all ages

Somewhere with wifi?

Good watersports facilities

We took ours on a Neilson holiday most summers when she was a teen and avoided eye-rolling.

Depends what they are in to.

DD was over the resort hotel when she was 15 but loved the three-base-trip we did in the US this year (Boston, Cape. Cod and New York). Or any city break when we choose a hotel with bar, wifi and pool. She loved the country house one with a library and comfy sofas as well to hide and read and order hot chocolate.

We are all not keen on heat so it works quite well.

She is an Explorer Scout and gets her activity holiday with them.

Definitely Neilson

I’d avoid the Caribbean. Exceptionally poor value for money & dirty on the whole. If you want a true tropical adventure, what about somewhere like Fiji or the Seychelles?

😂

How old are the eye rollers?

Costa Rica was great and lots of watersports, jungle, wildlife.

I did Maldives with just me and DH but not sure would take teenage kids.

I am taking one to Mauritius this week and that has watersports included, Sugar Beach and Long Beach.

I'd go for the "I've noticed that you've been eye-rolling quite a lot recently about our holidays. Maybe the time has come for you to decide not to come with us but stay at Great Aunt Doreen's for a week instead, would you prefer that? It's quite alright with us".
The eye-rolling will stop in a nanosecond. And if it doesn't. Great Aunt Doreen it is.

🤣

I wish I could use that threat, but unfortunately in our world aunt Doreen is so horrendous that they know we would never make them go there. I read somewhere that you should just lower your expectations on how interactive they’ll be, leave them scrolling if that’s what they want to do and don’t let them hold you back doing things and getting enjoyment out of the holiday….

17 and 20. The 20 year old is now obviously voluntarily holidaying with us. She’s less eye rolling these days and has just realised that our holidays a more comfortable than when she goes with her mates.

Mauritius is basically the Maldives though isn’t it, not much different I mean? Me and DH have also done Maldives a couple of times, maybe one of the bigger islands would work actually… We’re only going for 7-9 days.

We went on a Mark Warner holiday in Egypt when DS was 15. We chose Egypt because they had the best water sports facilities (this was 15 years ago). He had a great holiday with all the other teenagers, no sailing, they spent all their time in a circle talking. It was his best teenage holiday and in turn, ours because there was no attitude and eye rolling.

how about Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand? all have lush tropical resorts. In borneo, the rainforest based adventures are meant to be amazing. you could travel round the region to avoid being "stuck on an island"? Singapore is nearby and has an amazing theme park + other attractions. regional flights are very cheap. the five star hotels are ridiculously cheap and provide excellent service. can't go wrong with the food.

Definitely second Mayan Riviera in Mexico. There’s loads to do if you want it and the hotels are all multi-pool 5* extravaganzas so lots to do even if the eye rollers don’t feel disposed to leave the resort

Mauritius is huge by comparison with loads more to do than the Maldives

Ask them what they think would make a good holiday.
do some research together and come up with a good fit for everyone.
costa rica might fit the bill.

The resorts we are going to in Mauritius look similar to ones in Maldives but there's a much bigger island to explore. Like from the airport to our hotel is 1 hrs 15 drive and would guess its around 1 hrs 30 drive from top to bottom of island so much bigger than Maldives island which was a 1 minute walk across.

Give them money and let them go with their pals

They sound a bit.. spoilt.

I only went on my first foreign holiday as an adult once I was working full time, as my family were poor. I went on a girls' trip to Majorca and really appreciated it.
I've still not travelled outside Europe due to money constraints.
Really not feeling sympathy for you here sorry.

Are you looking for sympathy? @lookingforMolly

My eye rolling teens loved Mauritius. The hotel we choose had watersports included and they spent all day water skiing and wake boarding. The food has a French influence and the day trips to see dolphins and whales were a big hit.
Killer 12 hour overnight flight though.

Neilsons, Mark Warner and Club Med are also really good, lots of young people their age so go partying with.

The other big hit holiday was diving, they did the PADI theory online and the practical assessment abroad.