Does anyone find beach holidays relaxing with kids?!

[Norpeth]

I'm currently on my very first beach holiday. Husband, 2 pre teens, 4 and 2 year old. This is the most stressful and tiring holiday I've ever been on. I feel like I have not stopped yet we haven't even really done much. I'm finding the constant, applying sun cream, getting swimming stuff packed and on, constant supervision on the beach/in the water, reapplying the sun cream, cleaning off the sand, getting everyone dried and changed.... I don't feel like I've sat down.

We are half board, so dinner in the hotel is a buffet. So none of us actually eat together as we are all up and down getting food and drinks plus toddlers can't be left by thselves or get their own food so means me or my husband are back and forth getting their food too.

Me and my husband have barely had time to say 2 word to each other that isn't child/organisation related.

Everyone I know does this holiday every year with kids and always tells me what an amazing time they've had. What am I doing wrong?

Not relaxing, but we did half board last year with a 5 and 2 year old, and loved it. I absolutely loved not cooking, cleaning, food shopping, chores etc. My DDs both love the pool and the beach, so they were happy pretty much the entire holiday. I didn't mind the buffet, as it meant we had plenty choice, and there was no waiting for food (which I find harder with little ones!). We were lucky in that our hotel food was excellent. The hotel also had a kids playground which they liked, and kids entertainment. This year, we are going somewhere else, but also half board. Both girls are now old enough for kids club, so they'll go for a few hours so we can get some peace! I just enjoy the break from 'the juggle', and accept it won't be relaxing and reading a book! That will come when they get older! I just love the break from the daily grind, and being responsible for food etc.

We never went this type of holiday with young children.
Thought it would be a nightmare. A lot of our friends did and weren't happy.

You need to stick them all in the kids club whilst the 2 year old naps!
A kids club is a necessity for me until they are at least 6 and can sit and read/draw sensibly :)

Yes, we've had many lovely beach holidays with our dc, BUT, we didn't have 2 pre-teens and a 4 and 2 yr old.

I mean, life isn't going to be 'relaxing' when you are parenting 4 young children, is it?

But you can still have a lovely holiday.

You need Neilson or Mark Warner

You need a kids club and most importantly you need to brainwash your kids (months in advance) into thinking that the kids club is an amazing special treat. A few hours of peace and quiet will mean that the time you spend with them during the rest of the day is a lot more enjoyable. Plus mine tend to have a lot of fun at the kids club so saves them from being bored. I don't think they would enjoy the beach or pool for the whole day.

I think it's the 4 kids I'm afraid. I've done beach holidays with a 4 year old and a baby and it was SO relaxing. Mine are both heat-seeking lizard children though and DS has loved the beach since he was tiny. He pesters us all year long to go back. DD, a hideous napper, had the best naps of her life by the pool and on the beach.

Pressed send too soon. If you want some advice for next time, I suggest rashguards for all the kids so there's less body for sunscreen. Get the ones with hoods and you don't need to worry about hats. If you don't have the aerosol spray sunscreen get that, it's so much easier and quicker than anything in a tube.

Put the swim stuff on in the morning, and it only comes off at nap time for the little ones. It can dry while they wear it. Boys throw on a t-shirt, girls, throw on some shorts and you're ready for lunch. You don't need to be doing multiple outfit changes a day.

I used to love these type of holidays when my DC we’re younger, I have an older DC and two younger ones.
I would recommend the suntan sprays that need hardly any rubbing in.
My DH and I would take turns with the two younger ones so the other parent would get a break. I ran ‘mum’s swim school’ which involved a lot of jumping in the water, or various types of paddling around and I’d give marks out of 10. This could go on for ages. My DH was really into building stuff in the sand so he’d do a lot of that and I’d have a rest.
Another favourite game as the DC got older was trying to rip me off my lilo, who knew I was so good and grabbing hold of it and not falling in the water?
We used to do things at the buffet such as one DC would choose food for the others and they’d be given ratings for their choices. It’s more fun than it sounds and my DC loved to do it.
We would have a proper break from the sun after lunch, clean dry clothes on, toys out, books on the bed etc and again we all enjoyed this time.

The only fully relaxing holidays I've had since having children have been the childfree ones!
Family holidays have been lots of fun with snatched moments of relaxation but on the whole it's just busy with children.
The best ones with multiple ages for us have been villas with private pools where I can swim alone very early then wander off for an iced coffee and to pick up pastries for us all before anyone gets up or we takeaway for the DC then get a restaurant dinner delivered for us later and we swim together then eat dinner outside in peace.
While hotels have benefits for children often these are the things that don't make for a relaxing holiday for me.

It's not relaxing anywhere if you have 4 kids I think you will find!

I found the best option was a large gite in France and to take my parents and brothers, parents were good for meal prep, BBQ and babysitting in evening, brothers were fun uncles playing with the kids in and out of water ... I appreciate not everyone has suckers for relatives

Is any holiday with a 2 and 4 year old relaxing? I think holidaying with two children on those ages will always be stressful.