DS crying and asking to go home on holiday

[TGWTDT]

DS is 5 and we’re on our first holiday abroad. We’ve only been here two days and both evenings he’s broken down crying saying he misses home and wants to leave. .

Both days have been only centered around him. We’ve done water parks, swimming and have had no limits on ice cream and sweet treats etc. He made a little friend today and spent 6 hours in the kids pool and splash pad with him.

Then at dinner he got upset again and said he misses home and wants to leave now.

Is this normal? Is he just overwhelmed and tired?

We’ve held off having a holiday abroad until he was older because we were terrified of him hating the plane (when actually we needn’t of worried because he loved flying and was so well behaved) so always had nice UK holidays and he never reacted like this on those breaks.

it’s silly but it’s making me a bit sad that he just keeps crying and wants to go home. We’re going to Disneyland at Christmas and I don’t want this to happen again then!

Aww bless his heart ❤️ He's tired and overwhelmed. Home is familiar with his own toys/bedroom, extended family, pets (if you have one), friends and school. A familiar routine makes children feel secure. You are having fun during the day, but by the time the evening comes around, he's tired and he suddenly remembers he's not at home. You need to keep things light 'Oh, you'll see your bedroom soon' or 'We'll be going home soon' and then distract your son, by changing the subject. My son, is a home boy, and likes familiarity, and even at 14, will tell me when we're away on holiday, he misses our cat! He loves going abroad and seeing new places, but he is always happy to go home to his own bed!

he’s just done his 1st few weeks in reception and I’m assuming it’s half term. He’ll be knackered and overwhelmed with that never mind the holiday!

Sounds like he's having a lovely time generally but at those moments he's very tired and emotional, or missing his bed/bedroom/teddy/pet. I would have more time in the room between before dinner, just relaxing and watching something if you are able to.

Somewhat younger but my very nearly 4 year old did the same while we were away last week. He was just super tired and overstimulated, I don t think it’s any deeper than that! His main gripe was that the holiday bed wasn’t as comfy as his home bed… apparently 😂
I think I used to cry that I’d miss home every time we went on holiday… then I’d cry when it was time to come home again 😂

Bless him, he’s just worn out - when I feel tired and overwhelmed all I want is my own bed too! Just keep telling him “it’s x amount of sleeps and then we’ll be home” and then gently try and redirect and talk about the fun things you want to do tomorrow 🥰 if there’s specific things (ie specific toys/teddy) that he’s missing from home then let him bring it next time. My 5 year old DS likes to bring his own pillow in the suitcase whenever we go 😂

unlimited ice cream and sweet treats is profoundly unfair on him - subjecting him to intense bursts of sugar and crashes - why? Why exhaust him like that? You are his parents - regulate his sugar intake, set some fun but healthy boundaries on holiday, build in plenty of downtime and help him.

When away from home, I always pack the familiar pillow and fleece blanket, plus favourite teddy and a familiar and preferred books.Means my little one knows where she's meant to be sleeping and helps avoid her sneaking in with us! But also means that there are some familiar comforts from home at bedtime...

"Profoundly unfair"? Honestly, get a grip.

6 hrs in the pool! I'm surprised he didn't dissolve.

My child said he wanted to go home 3 or 4 times when we were on holiday. He also loved the holiday and still talks about it a lot. I think it’s something they say when they’re tired. Kids like routine, their room, their toys etc. sounds like he’s a bit tired.

absolutely this ^ kids want & need boundaries and he’s been taken away and given unlimited treats and it’s confusing and unsettling for him.

My eldest is very much like this, as much as he enjoys parts of being away (the pool and the sunshine) he is a home body and likes his routine and familiarity of home. My daughter less so. However we always stick to a routine even when we're away, they still need to sleep and decompress.
Have an afternoon siesta, see if that helps?
Distraction techniques too. If its first time abroad its probably overwhelming and overstimulating. Dial it back a bit and see how it goes.

Have thought it might be too much sun ?

Agree with PPs that unlimited sugary treats and ice cream sounds like a recipe for disaster. No wonder he is crashing and burning when it gets to evening. He's probably exhausted.

My youngest DD can be a bit like this, she’s naturally quite anxious and I think when she gets tired starts thinking a about all her things at home and the pets etc
Normal to feel a bit homesick, it doesn’t mean he’s not enjoying himself.

I’d have been driven to the airport as shock therapy had I done that as a child. 🤣

It’s only 23 degrees here.

Maybe you are letting get too tired. Factor in time back at the room to sleep and just play quietly.

I think that’s quite dramatic and an over reach tbh.

He’s a very sensible child and is very healthy and would choose fruit over an ice cream.

We’ve been here 2 days and he’s had 3 ice creams and some chocolate waffles. He’s not going through sugar crashes.

When I say unlimited, my point was nothing has been off limits eg he can have an ice cream before dinner. He can have waffles as his snack etc.

If it’s happening after a busy day he is over stimulated and overwhelmed. Try to not do so much and have some quiet time make it calm and relaxing for him.

Agree, he misses how he 'feels' at home, he doesn't miss home.

Of course he is getting sugar crashes, he's 5! Waffles?!

He's missing his lovely normal. He doesn't want all these things, so just go back to more normal things.

He doesn't want ice cream before dinner, he wants his normal.

Anything familiar you can do? Did you bring books, games? Any favourite cartoon? Let him rest a bit before the evening. With everything else quit while you are ahead - I mean don’t let him stay in the pool having a great time until he is past exhaustion. Have a brilliant time, but at that age sometimes less is more.

Plus it is likely he is just tired and overstimulated, but can’t express it properly.

Just over tired really. If he has a toy from home or a comforter, that always helps. Our DD always had her comforter since she was 1! Just helps them settled, but don't worry if you don't. Can still do the normal games like you play at home to help him feel more at ease. Can even have a look for a new book to read at bedtime so it's like a holiday bed time book.
We did late nights and early nights, sometimes all day at the hotel (far to hot to walk around) or we walk around the shopping centre as it has air con. Heat can always make them feel a bit more frustrated as well. I bet when he goes home, he'll ask to go on holiday again!