I feel guilty for bringing my DS on holiday

[Sunny388]

I am experiencing serious mum guilt, I am in my hotel room with my son sleeping. All I am thinking is am I a selfish mum for bringing my son on a holiday. He's 2 and keeps crying to go home and he misses his cot. I'm a single mum and my son misses his dad too.

We're at a really nice family resort, all inclusive, plenty to do however my son is not interested. There's loads to eat but my son doesn't like the food here so has only been eating chips.

I feel guilty for taking him away from his routine, he enjoys the beach but in the evening he says he wants to go home.

Has anyone ever felt this way. I just wanted to share how I'm feeling.

Do you have any toys with you? Is there any entertainment he could watch that he'd enjoy? Would you let him cosleep with you (as long as you're doing it safely and you're not drinking)?

Otherwise, is there anything you could do to keep his routine as it is at home, the same on holiday?

Don't feel guilty, you went with the best of intentions. Sometimes the things we do as parents with good intentions result in us regretting them. We live and learn.

He's got loads of toys, I've even bought his favourite teddy to help him. There are also plenty of children discos and sessions. He is co sleeping with me at the moment. I asked the hotel to make him some scrambled eggs as that's what he likes at home and pancakes too.

I wanted to make some new memories with him so I booked us our first holiday together. I'm hoping tomorrow will be easier. We have come for 5 nights so have 3 more to go.

Ahh don’t beat yourself up OP. Holidays with toddlers aren’t easy, especially if you are on your own. They like routine and predictability as opposed to novelty. DS has lots of phases of crying he wants to go home - usually it coincides with being unsettled and out of routine as opposed to truly disliking where he is. It’ll probably get easier as he gets used to the change in food and sleep. Really try not to worry about it x

I bet he won’t want to go home in the end! He’s just a baby, don’t beat yourself up

Ah OP don’t feel bad he probably doesn’t realise it’s supposed to be fun and just feels a bit lost being in a strange room/different food etc. I bet he will warm up to it and if he’s having fun on the beach that’s a great sign. Maybe he just feels a bit overwhelmed by so much change all at once, my nephew is a bit like that and usually takes a few days to get used to the new “routine” and enjoy it.
Don’t forget two year olds can’t express themselves as well as older children so it might not mean he’s not having a good time, just that when he’s at his most tired and worn out (probably more so because of all the new things) he misses his home comforts and I think we can all be a bit like that sometimes even on holiday.
you tried to give your son a wonderful holiday, you’ve done it on your own… there’s nothing to feel guilty about here.

He won't want to leave after night 5! You'll be fine, he's having fun, he just misses his own bed (don't we all).

Don't feel guilty. I'm a single parent and used to take 2 away. One teen old enough to do his own thing and a two year old that luckily loved the mini disco etc, but did get very tired. Do you have afternoon naps?

Enjoy the rest of your week. Take lots of photos!

The pool? DD would stay in the pool constantly if she could. Honestly it was a lovely thing to do, you couldn’t have known he would react like that. Dd refused to eat anything but pizza toppings for 4 days straight on holiday so you are not alone.

Thank you all for your reassurance, I did have a cry earlier but feel alot better now.