Holiday now or later with kids

[thepurgebegins]

Would love peoples opinions. I want to go away in September and was looking at Malaysia as it's somewhere I really want to go. I will have an almost 3 year old and a 4 month old at the time. I personally thiink this is the perfect time to go as older one will be more aware with travel and little one will only be drinking milk. The flight time is long but I think as long as it's night flights as I've learnt the hard way it should be fine. Husband mentioned maybe we should go when kids are older so they can enjoy too. I'd rather go now plus we may have a 3rd child and it'll be harder then personally. Also if we get a chance in the future to go again when they are older then we can but just wondering, What would you do? thanks ☺️

I agree with him on this.
Jet lag is horrible for adults, can't imagine what it's like for kids.
I'm guessing the toddler will be happier with a bucket & spade on a UK beach, & the baby will neither know nor care.

I wouldn't bother. The kids will restrict what you do, they'll get tired/whingy/hungry and you'll be too focused on them to enjoy yourself. The baby won't get any benefit from it and neither will the 3 year old really.

We've taken our under 2s to Asia and had a great time! I would go for it.

This.

With the exception of maybe flying to meet Grandparents / family, I cannot, for the life of me understand why you would put yourselves, your dc, or your fellow travellers through a long haul flight with babies and small children.

Your dh is right.

I’d go to a caravan site in either the U.K. or France. Save the big trips for when they can enjoy them and won’t be a nightmare to fly with. No one enjoys tiny children screaming on long haul flights.

Also Imagine if you all ended up with food poisoning or something. it would be a wonderful adventure wity older primary aged/teen kids. With tots it would just be hard work.

I'm team husband too.

This. My brother lives abroad a long haul flight away. He’s had to fly long haul to visit family when his kids were tiny. But they fully admit it’s no fun and feel awful for the other passengers when they play up. They wouldn’t do it if they didn’t have to.

Go for it
Babies and toddlers are waaaaay easier to travel with than pre teens and teenagers who have opinions and issues and will complain and find fault at every opportunity. Get them used to travelling whilst young and enjoy the family time exploring new places.

I took my 2 year old to Malaysia last march (he turned 3 a few weeks after we got back) he sailed through the flight and didn't seem to get jet lag (although maybe a little on the way home, but easily sorted) and he absolutely loved it. I'd do a long haul again like that with him in a heartbeat. Do it!!

Don’t agree with this at all. My kids as teens/tweens have been great travel companions. So much fun and can do everything, don’t have to chase them around stopping them from injuring themselves etc. When they were toddlers they would have been over tired pains in the arse!

I've travelled a lot with DD and I struggle horribly with jet lag. Doesn't affect her at all. Not a bit.

My concerns; food, water, safety of travel, comfort, ability to do the things you want while meeting their needs....

I traveled to Malaysia, Bali, Thailand and Dubai with an under 1 year old. It's totally possible. Flights are temporary and the memories are forever. We did night flights too. Granted we didn't have 2, but we would have no hesitation going back to Asia when number 2 is born (and that is the plan). Yes what we did was dictated by baby timings and wasn't like pre kids but I'd say that will be the same til they are teenagers. Make the most of things if you have the opportunity, you never know what life has in store round the corner.

It does surprise me how much Mumsnet is against long haul with babies and toddlers. Get your timings right and get them to sleep they'll hopefully sleep the majority of a flight anyway. The baby seemed to recover from jet lag way quicker than us by the way.

My kids definitely get jetlag, but you battle through and I would absolutely have taken them to Malaysia when they were small, babies are portable and holidays are for parents to enjoy, as much as kids.