Toddler sleep on holiday

[Hanster85]

Hi everyone!

We have just returned from a very stressful holiday weekend with our 2.5 year old little girl and some extended family.

We went with family & at night she was very unsettled going to bed. The first night she took three hours to get to bed, and the next night it took two hours.

She was crying, screaming, getting out of bed, trying to leave. I tried ignoring, distracting, validating, being firm, but she was just become increasingly distressed. Eventually she did give in and fell asleep, but ended up being very overtired and woke at 5.30am both days, and we were all exhausted. We couldn't get her to nap either.

I think it was a mixture of being overstimulated, somewhere new, hearing people talking & having massive 'fear of missing out'.

We have a week away coming up and we are worrying about it now and wondering whether to cancel.

Does anyone have any tricks or tips they can share?

Thank you 😊

Mum of four here. My biggest tip: Never expect a "holiday" with a youngster to be relaxing. It won't be, until your youngest child is around 7 or so.

Sleep will be crap
Child will wake early in the morning
Napping will be much more difficult than normal
Child will be mega over tired for the duration.

Plus to top it all off, child will be full of sugar and e-numbers from ice cream and sweets, have had too much sun making them grouchy and suffer from a distinct lack of downtime.

As to cancelling, even considering all the above, I wouldn't cancel. It won't be easier next year (or the year after, and then may be you'll have another child by then so it'll continue being hard work). So if your cancelling because it will be hard work, you'll not get a holiday for years.

My mire serious top tips:

• accept over tiredness and where possible to with the flow and don't worry too much about it.
• know DC will catch up when back home, the ill effects of 1 week of lack if sleep is minimal in the long term.
• Where possible, maintain routine. Regular times meal times and sleep times. But accept in holidays this isn't always possible.
• have realistic expectations and lower your standards. Expecting full day trips every day for 7 days is unreasonable. Plan in down time.
• take portable black out blinds and a travel cot
• keep your pushchair when toddler stops using it. It will be useful for holidays.

@FATEdestiny Thanks so much for replying! That is so helpful - we are first time parents and feel like 'are we doing something wrong??' it's so reassuring to know that this is just kids & most people go through the same thing! I will definitely use those tips!! Thank you so much!

Your post made me shudder at the memory of this. It's hard. PP is right. It gets easier and then fun but takes a few years.

Honestly holidays when they are little are like doing all the normal stuff at home, but much harder as you are without the things that make it easier.

I wouldn't cancel but you can be ready for it this time. Buggy with snooze shade was my friend when i took my 2yo on holiday

Have noooo expectations of relaxing and then you might be surprised

Took my 2 yo on a 9hr flight to Florida (not Disney) as she wasn't old enough. She cried all the flight both ways and was jet lagged etc. Hated the pool and everything else ! Especially Apple stores (was ages ago!)

WTF were we thinking.!!

Yeah, holidays with toddlers are shit this one might be less shit as she's a little older. Tips from me:

Black out material to cover windows.
A new cuddly toy to go to bed with.
Her favourite blanket.
Stay up a little later if it makes her more tired. Maybe have a walk or some fresh air after dinner/before bed.
Take turns for bedtime so at least one of you gets an evening.
Have low expectations.

I'm loving the honesty but also so relieved that everyone feels this way and it's not just us who find this so hard!

Such good tips though, I'm going to be armed and ready for anything! You always hear these stories of people who take their kids out at night, fast asleep in their strollers - good as gold! And I'm thinking 'what the bloody hell have we done wrong?'

I thought that it would be so easy going away (naive) as you can keep them busy, tire them out etc. Won't be caught off guard next time!

I just don't bother trying to put them to bed on holiday. Keep them out for the meal and evening activities and bring them to bed with you. They might fall asleep while you're out or they might not. Then everyone at least has an enjoyable evening.

@frogswimming I was wondering about that actually, could you do this when they were toddlers? I feel like that could be a bit easier!

We’ve just come back from a weekend away with DS who is just aged 2.

We took:

• portable blackout blind
• travel cot
• his teddy
• his usual bedtime books
• some of his bath toys
• a little light with stars on that he has in his room

We stuck to his normal routine as much as possible (bar he napped in his pushchair while we were out one day rather than his cot).

It was generally fine, aside from the fact he’s a naturally early riser. at home he’d just lie in his cot quite happily and faff about but he was obviously a bit disoriented on waking. We just brought him into the bed with us and let him watch tv while we slowly woke ourselves up!

If he struggled to sleep I’d 100% just bring him in the bed with us to be honest.

We’re away again at the end of this month.

It’s not relaxing in any way, shape or form but I’m determined to keep going 😭😂