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Am I normal to feel this on holiday?!

21 replies

Shleepymummy · 15/06/2025 20:49

On a 1 week all inclusive holiday in Spain with DH, and 2DC 4 &2. First holiday since oldest child was born. We’ve never been away as a 4. It cost us £3k. That’s a lot of money for us and could only happen because a close relative of mine passed away and left me some money.
We arrived today and already I am just riddled with anxiety. A woman at the pool bar told us sunbeds are a nightmare and you have to be that person up at 8am to get your towel out. She also told us we should be in the queue for dinner by 7….weird to queue but we figured we’d take her advice and see how it all worked. People queue outside the restaurant and then once at your table it’s a queue for food.
All of this just gives me crippling anxiety. I don’t want to be on high alert all the time about when/the operational strategy to feed my children. I don’t want to be up to fight for a sunbed but we need just 1 for a base for towels, suncream, food etc. Sleeping arrangements are going to be tricky as the lounge area 4 year old is in is quite bright (we bought black out blinds but the room has 4 windows!) so I don’t think my husband and I will have any alone time as we will co sleep with her in the main bedroom (really dark) and then the 2 year old is in there in travel cot. Scared one will wake the other! I’ll then have to tackle the co-sleeping routine back at home as 4yr old normally sleeps alone.
I don’t want to sound spoilt, but maybe I’ve built this holiday up into something it’s not guna be. Just feel sad about it all. Maybe because the money is associated with someone I miss and feel I need to get as much as a I can out of the gift. We won’t go away again next year because of cost.
Am I just a spoilt brat/gone loco? Why am I so anxious about all this stuff?!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Twostones · 15/06/2025 20:50

Homesick. You’ll settle.

feelingbleh · 15/06/2025 20:56

You're anxious because you have unrealistic expectations. Just try and relax and go with the flow. Nothing in life is ever perfect its about what you make of it

thismummyslife · 15/06/2025 20:58

My DH is always like this the first day of the holiday, you’ll soon fit into a nice little routine and start to enjoy it! X

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Ninkynonkpinkyponks · 15/06/2025 20:59

I would relax and have later dinner and bedtimes for the kids

AmelieSummer25 · 15/06/2025 21:00

I'm sorry you've lost your relative 🥲. Try not to put too much pressure in yoursekf iver his your spending the money. But try to enjoy it best you can! Let them eat more chips & ice cream than their busy weight, play as much as you can & don't worry about everything! Just take it as it comes.

Try not to stress, you'll find your feet.

if the kids are going to bed in the bedroom, you can have 'alone time' in the lounge.

buy some snacks for the kids that you're happy for them to have when queuing for food.

DD will probably be fine sleeping in her own room once you get back home. If not you'll just have to be firm, but it'll be ok.

can you put the sofa cushions on the floor in the bedroom so she's not actually co sleeping, or better still ask the hotel if they have a rollaway bed you can use.

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 15/06/2025 21:01

Why not give the 4 yo your room and you camp out. Alone...on the sofa bed. TV and a chance to catch up is better than tiptoeing around sleeping dc...

Terrribletwos · 15/06/2025 21:05

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 15/06/2025 21:01

Why not give the 4 yo your room and you camp out. Alone...on the sofa bed. TV and a chance to catch up is better than tiptoeing around sleeping dc...

I would not leave a 4 year old in her own room on holiday.

feelingbleh · 15/06/2025 21:06

Terrribletwos · 15/06/2025 21:05

I would not leave a 4 year old in her own room on holiday.

Why their not of out for tapas they are in the next room

Laalaalala · 15/06/2025 21:07

I went on holiday last year and my travel black out blinds didn’t fit. Just a tip if you can pop to a shop - get some tin foil, wet the window with a baby wipe and stick the foil on. It’s completely black out and easy to remove and replace

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 15/06/2025 21:13

Wtf not?.
Is the window likely to be jemmied open and the dc snatched? Is op hanging a sign on the outside

4 year old dc asleep in here alone...

Some people are a bit ott imo. Surely the lounge is more risky near the door to the apartment? The dc could ESCAPE...

Terrribletwos · 15/06/2025 21:14

feelingbleh · 15/06/2025 21:06

Why their not of out for tapas they are in the next room

Edited

Actually, I misread the 4 year old is not sleeping alone.

BangersAndGnash · 15/06/2025 21:16

Awww OP, don’t let everyone wind you up. There is no need to take part in any queuing frenzy. Just relax and take it as it comes.

If it is AI feed the kids from the snack/ pancake station at teatime. And use the buffet when the queue has died down.

Take a stroll along the beach, paddle, breathe the sea air and relax.

Flanger · 15/06/2025 22:05

Genuine question what do you want people to say? Oh yes go home it’ll be shit and waste 3k? Just go and buy some tin foil or bin bags and cover the window? Make the best of it.

Flanger · 15/06/2025 22:06

Isn’t going on holiday with young kids just same shit different location? Surely your kids will be up early especially If it’s bright so you’ll be first up to go
to the sunbeds! Perfect!

Knackeredmommy · 15/06/2025 22:19

Holidays with young kids can be stressful, don’t put any expectations on this holiday, try to enjoy and relax routines a bit. It’s not peak time, Im sure you’ll get a sunbed, the kids will get fed it’s AI, so food should be easily available. Try and have some quiet time too, even of you and DH do 30mins each and swop over.

feelingbleh · 15/06/2025 22:20

Flanger · 15/06/2025 22:06

Isn’t going on holiday with young kids just same shit different location? Surely your kids will be up early especially If it’s bright so you’ll be first up to go
to the sunbeds! Perfect!

Yep I point blank refuse to go on another holiday with a 2 year old ever again.

StretchyStretch1988 · 16/06/2025 03:42

At those ages, it was never going to be a relaxing time. All sounds very standard stuff. You're probably assuming other families are happy and relaxed etc. They're not. Anyone with 2 kids at ages 4 and 2 will be on edge the whole time. So lower your standards, go with the flow, some disturbed sleep is not the end of the world.

Whistledown2 · 16/06/2025 03:56

You are not at home OP so remember that. Everything is going to be different so expect that. The kids are in an unfamiliar environment, with disrupted routines so expect some pushing back. Don’t expect ‘alone’ time, if you get it then it’s a bonus.

Make this as stress free as you can for all your sakes. Give yourself a settling in period, cut the kids some slack and if something isn’t working, try doing it differently.

Enjoy your holiday, that’s what it is, so relax and enjoy it.

Comewhatmay25 · 16/06/2025 06:04

Holidays with kids aren't relaxing. It's just parenting in another location.
Buy some tin foil, stick to the window using water, makes fantastic black oit blinds. Go to dinner earlier or later to miss the rush, don't do the sunbed race just find a space for your stuff and put it down you can do everything else in your room. You don't want to try and put suncream on whilst your toddle is trying to escape into the pool.

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 16/06/2025 06:08

Would you consider buying a cheap caravan and doing camping holidays until the children are abit older?. Try and enjoy your time there- usually they pool snack bars that serve burgers, chips etc - could you get the children food from there for early dinner to prevent being too hungry at teatime and if you go for dinner wait until about an hour after it opens it quietens down. As for the sunbeds- try beach days out? Pool in the afternoon when pool starts emptying

DancefloorAcrobatics · 16/06/2025 06:35

Aww, just relax, let routines slip and go with the flow.

and don't worry about sunbeds & food, there will be enough to go around

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