Can't help thinking that a holiday in a remote French cottage with a six year old, a three year old and a 2 month old baby isn't going to be much fun.

[Enid]

dh is determined to go to France as usual this summer when our new baby will be 2 months old and hopefully breastfed.

the cottage is very remote, with no tv or dvd. I am dreading it. The girls got a bit bored last year, and how on earth do you spend the day on the beach with a 2 month old? I probably will have had very little sleep and this will continue on holiday. atm I can't help thinking it will just be like being at home except without any comforts or friends.

Can't bear to say I don't want to go though as it would ruin holidays for everyone else.

yes youd be bored

so a hotel in england?

yes and cross as love the beach

On the positive side Enid at least your youngest won't be mobile and eating sand! We went to France (Ile de Re) last year -never left the island!
Spent a lot of time on beach but DS was crawling and spent entire time eating sand and pebbles. Other than that we just visited various little towns and had leisurely lunches.
DD (5 at the time) was happy as long as she got some time on the beach each day (nearest one only 10min away luckily). I think we also went to one or two "tourist" attractions (one was a very strange animal park type place).
We took skipping rope, colouring stuff, water pistol -these kept her busy in the garden.
How old are your girls?

I could dip into new car savings and book something. New car more essential though

and secertyly walking across hill and dale to get internet access to s lag him off

cant you get a 2 month old baby to visit when dh is at home adn be really difficult

staying in Dorset sounds nice. And maybe you could add a long weekend in a family friendly hotel as well if their was some money in the kitty.

sounds like a nightmare!

imfe the WORST age to go on holiday is hte crawling age
they dont liek sand adn they cant crawl ont he paving sas its too hot ( int eh med) bloody awful time

yes I remember the sand eating

we went when dd2 was 8 months and it was great, so I won't mind going next year

although tbh I really think dd1 would like somewhere with more going on

sounds ideal if he will actually do that. you get to rest in a pleasant environment with baby while he gets the bored older kids.

their?!?! I must be catching son's lurgy.

Enid are you mad ???

NO NO NO

There is no such thing as a holiday when they are that young...............just childcare in a different climate.

So you may as well do it at home with the comfort of your own bed at your disposal.

even if you can't do much, at least you won't be at home with unfinished chores staring at you.

nightmare re being left alone at the cottage while dh & dds are 25 mins away with the car at the beach! No, don't do it.

yes ours love stuff going on.

what about camping in france with a kids club every mornigna dn you can prama pusha round eating croissants

Was going to suggest blueing some of the savings you make on getting the cottage gratis on a French-power supply portable DVD player on your way there, plus an iPod and docking station, but holidaying at home sounds a lot better Enid.
I am only feeling cheerful about rural French holidaying now that dd will be nearly three at the time.
Also only rent off French gite owners who are not as tight or as bonkers about no telly/DVD player as expat Brits seem to be

Hundreds of posts while I wrote that and put DS to bed half way through!

much better
kids can play out the front wiht outher kids on bikes etc

you can drink wine iwht other parents

yes I think nightmare

I will be sleep deprived and going slightly mad

is the cottage big enough for you to invite some friends to go with you?

here we haev a biter ont eh baby modelling btw

at memory of dd scoffing half Barracane beach at Woolacombe and doing squirty pebble-dash nappies for the next 48 hours

or even this wiht slides and a kidsclub