Thinking of cancelling center parcs as 23 month old being impossible

[Sunshineinmadrid]

Looking for anyone else who’s done this (given up on going out!) or any words of encouragement to power on and go.

Center parks is booked for 2 weeks time. We went last year and had a great time.

Our child is now 23 months old and very difficult at the moment.
Huge tantrums, separation anxiety and very clingy to my DP. Wont allow him to be separate from them/get changed/ go to the toilet sometimes. Sleep isn’t that great at the moment either. Refusing the pushchair but doesn’t walk far and wants carrying only by him or to run in the opposite direction. Refusing the high chair. Refusing baths and hair being washed. Huge stranger danger and upset if anyone looks at them. Overtired or hungry triggers the meltdowns. Will only nap back home (not on the go).

Weve had this booked for a year but it just seems a waste of time and money at this point. I’m thinking of rebooking for a few months time in the hope this is going to improve a bit.

Thoughts?

Will you lose money?

id definitely not cancel

maybe some chilled holiday mode parents and lots of attention will help

Sorry should have same can rearrange it at no extra cost.

I had a week ear marked for a trip abroad (ha!) which we will not be doing so was thinking to move to then.

Why op? You’re not going abroad?

at this age things can change so quickly as soon as through a developmental leap

Too scared to go. It was a road trip to stay at a Euro Parc type place I had in mind but the thought of crossing the channel and being on a long drive fill me with dread ( much more than center parcs!)

Id go, you're more like to spend lots of time outside which always helps. Get a toddler side carrier/sling thing and get him some new sandals/backpack as a novelty and he'll probably be in a better mood. Have picnics on the floor. If the weather is supposed to be nice I'd still go but lean into all of the challenges and try to make it as good a holiday as you can. He might be the same when you rebook so you might as well do it now!

I wouldn’t cancel, you might find you cope better once away from all the other stresses like work etc. At the end of the day holidays with young kids are pretty much same shit different place but we can’t let them rule the roost. At some point you are going to have to tackle some of this behaviour as they are just learning that if they throw a huge tantrum, they get what they like. However on holiday especially at Center parcs, you have got the freedom to let them walk if they want to etc. There is always some kind of development leap they are going through and you can’t avoid things forever. Go into it with and open mind and no expectations of what you think it’s going to be like and you won’t be disappointed.

I probably would rearrange for a few months' time - after all, you have holidays in Center Parcs because you have kids, so if you think you as parents will have a crap time at the moment, it's not really worth the effort and expense. As others have said, it's probably a passing phase, but to me that's all the more reason to just wait till it's passed and then enjoy the holiday more.

(But I had a child who didn't cope well with drives over two hours so I would happily forgo the European holiday)

What does DP want to do? Is he around much normally? Just wondering if a lot of time with toddler and DP together would help the anxiety. Toddler does sound like hard work though.

A change of scenery will be better than being stuck at home. Definitely get out daily too. Kids react to very subtle changes in our mood. Being at home and depressed with no holiday is not going to make anything easier. Also then you also need to each get a break too. Don’t avoid it just because you think it will cause a meltdown. 23 months is a huge time for brain development (I remember sleep being especially horrendous). It will get better. I may even get better before you leave.

i dont know if it will work at this age but with my daughter at 3 i taught her if she throws a tantrum or refuses to walk shes going in the pushchair. They are going to throw tantrums there's no avoiding but it will pass .Going outside burning them out will help. They need experiences like this to learn how they should behave ,but it will take time and effort

I would walk with my head held high when she screamed in the pushchair she wasn't getting out till she calmed down.

Its really hard but you will get there

Did you go op? I hope so!