How is it even possible to enjoy a holiday?

[Mamabear04]

DH decided to book an airbnb for 4 nights, not far from home and in a location that has a mix of countryside but is also close to a small city for rainy day activities. It's been a hard year and not managed a proper summer holiday so thought this might be nice. Since getting here DS1 has just been upset (teething? Life?) , constantly keeps falling over (growth spurt? New surroundings?) And DD3 has just complained and had x738839495 tantrums a day. Today we tried to go for a nice walk in the countryside but DD complained she didn't want to, we thought maybe she was tired or cold so took the easy option (although DH and I just wanted to be outside) went to the local city found some craft activities, she was amused for 30 mins then complained she wanted to go somewhere else, took her to a play park and was happy for a bit but as soon as ee got back to the airbnb it was just constant whining and tantrums, wouldn't eat her dinner, had an absolute meltdown about having a shower. Etc etc. Is it even possible to enjoy a holiday with young kids? I am so bloody fed up! I'm contemplating suggesting to DH we go home tomorrow even though we have 2 more nights....any words of support? I'm struggling to stay positive!

Just go home. Everyone will be happier !

We have enjoyed ours but a) have pretty laid back kids, even as babies and b) we basically just plan every day around activities for them and have structure, so we would have a day where we go to the aquarium for example in the morning, then go somewhere for lunch, then an adventure playground or something. We took then 3yo and 8mo away earlier this year and it was fine, we had fun, but we basically just planned stuff every day, kept busy, and then grabbed a few hours to ourselves in the evenings! We did aquarium, dinosaur land, soft play, farm park, boat trip, zoo, etc. Cost a bloody fortune of course

We manage to enjoy about 60% of a successful holiday (there have been a couple of write-offs).

We do a lot of activities and then shamelessly let them bing watch Netflix in any downtime.

I always enjoyed our holidays with small kids but they were definitely kid centered holidays and we tried to schedule their fun stuff around their schedules to avoid the cranky pants behaviour. DH and I would have a drink and watch the Telly after they fell asleep. Maybe my kids were laid back. They didn’t cry much.

We really enjoyed two holidays with DS (nearly 3) this year. We deliberately picked a resort-based holidays abroad where we knew that he would tire himself out at the playground and swimming pool every day.

Between that and lowering my expectations (normally very little screentime but would allow 1-2 episodes of something on the iPad for downtime & also allowing chips and ice cream every day) meant that we were pleasantly surprised at how well it went.

Mine always take a few days to settle in and settle down so four days probably wouldnt be enough for us to really feel the benefit of the holiday.

Following for tips

My elder children have always struggled on the first day anywhere new. Every time we go away they are a nightmare the first day and I complain to DH how pointless it is to go away and he has to remind me they are always like this when we first get anywhere! They do settle down and get better so maybe yours will be better tomorrow?

Self catering with small children is just looking after everybody somewhere less convenient

You have all my sympathy… when they’re tiny it’s just the same shit, different location

BUT!! it does get better… and you do tend to remember the good bits and forget the tantrums/vomit/etc, I promise.

Hang in there.

All inclusive holiday that has a kids club. That's the only way to enjoy it and even then you have to be content with buffet food and lieing around a pool. But at least you get child free time and no worries if kids don't like all the food.

I had some lovely holidays with DS. It was just the two of us so I'd go somewhere he loved like Butlins because there was always something going on. Or the seaside because he loved to paddle and play in the sand. We always had a nice time. Id let him have a few icecreams and treats and just play it by ear really.

We have only ever done entirely child focussed holidays since the kids.
Kids clubs. Kids activities etc. makes them much more enjoyable when they are happy. Ours are now older so we attempted a trip to paris. Big mistake. It was horrific. We won’t try that again and stick to kid holidays for the foreseeable

How do you have child free time in the evening at an AI?

Cause presumably you can't leave them in the room if they're sleeping?

It's why I always assumed self catering would be easier with small children, as you can put a monitor on and go chill outside on terrace/patio in the evening and have a few drinks.

Of course it's possible to enjoy holidays. My trick was to do things I wanted to do, then adapt for kids rather than being kid centred trips I hate. We even went backpacking... thankfully they are grown now as it's the primary years I found harder as you couldn't throw them in the double buggy and they stopped sleeping in the car

How do you have child free time in the evening at an AI?

Generally you have some child free time in the daytime while they attend kids club. Although some do an evening kids club.....

I hear you, they are so young it's difficult, the new environment/routine has probably thrown them.

Agree with comments about choosing kid friendly holidays. We did Center Parcs for a few days as pre schoolers, then French campsites now DS is older. Our compromise is that we self cater, but for us much more relaxing than having to get dressed up for dinner/queue up for all inclusive buffet etc,

We get a lodge with a deck, nice bottle of wine and eat easy meat/fish/salads etc.

Personally, I wouldn't come home. Could you find a nice park that it suitable to take your dd too? Coffee/ice cream shop?

Don't try to do too much in the day. A trip out for a bit but otherwise stay at the accommodation; play with toys, colouring. Cbeebies is your friend too!

Good luck x

1 go to a holiday park with swimming pool, playgrounds etc - cheaper on the continent

2 go in spring as just being out in the sun makes you happy at that time of year

3 take grandparents if possible- ours don't babysit but they have novelty value and will play with the kids for half an hour.....

5 daytime drinking is acceptable

@genesis92 kids club during the day. Mini disco 8-9pm then exactly as you said - sit on the balcony with some drinks in the evening once they’re asleep. Being AI doesn’t stop us from popping to a local supermarket and getting some bottles of wine or taking turns going down to the AI bar. We always choose hotels with a separate bedroom and lounge area so can go back and forth without disturbing kids.

Just do child focussed holidays. Butlins or holiday parks where there's stuff going on all day and activities to book for all ages. I'd be bored in an air bnb in a random place and I'm not 3.

I always enjoy our holidays with the dcs (5 and 1), I don't know what we do differently but our dcs have always adjusted well and had fun. We always choose child-centred options (though that can include city breaks in an air bnb lots of kid-friendly attractions and parks). We live in London so it would be similar to our weekend activities anyway. I never expect to relax on a holiday, we're on the go all the time and I spend a lot of time researching interesting places for the dc to go. I keep our dc busy all year round at home so I guess they don't feel too overwhelmed with it on holiday. We prefer self catering holidays as we like to have a full kitchen and separate living area, but we often get takeaways or no-prep meals that go in the oven.

Have also had great holidays at Butlins, Centreparcs and Eurocamp.

Take the grandparents.

Nah this year we did two holidays just myself DH and DS.

First one was lovely. Loads to do, weather was good, DS slept really well, behaved in restaurants, was all smiles.

Second was awful, DS sleep was bad, he was bored, whiney. Then DS and DH got sick and we came home early.

Both were air bnbs

Sometimes its just luck and whether DC is in a good phase.

But we are taking the grandparents next year.

We spent the summer camping in the caravan with our 9 month old. Had a fantastic time. Tag teamed when one of us wanted to go do something. Other than that, just had a great time with the baby

Agree with other posters, I think holidays with young DC have to be child centred. We're just back from a week in Spain, we spent one day doing adult touristy stuff and DS was definitely not pleased, the rest of the holiday we spent it at the beach, pool, aquarium etc and he was in great form and slept like a dream!

Take along a babysitter according to my sisters!

Some of my best holidays, especially as a teenager / in my early twenties, were being taken along on my sisters’ family holidays and looking after the kids for them. I even slept had the kids in with me so that my DSs and BiLs could have their own rooms without kids for once.