Taking teens on holiday - I'm done!

[ForAFriend123]

So as we near the end of a week away in Turkey, am I wrong in making a vow to NEVER take our teens away again.

Booked this holiday against my better judgement anyway as wasn't sure we could afford it, but was overruled.
Great resort, nothing fancy but just what we needed.

BUT... 17 year old DS has been hideous. Sleeps most of day, surfaces about 3pm demanding to know what the evening plans are. Pesters about going to eat at restaurants (which costs more money). Once we get out he then demands to know what time we'll get back to hotel so he can meet his mates and drink til early hours. Once he's eaten sits there moaning until I give up and we leave. Endlessly pushes curfew and of course I can't sleep til he's in whilst DH lays there snoring!

14 DD slightly more tolerable although again acting like spoilt brat on steroids. Only remotely pleasant when doing what she wants/buying something. God forbid we ask her to get us a drink and you'd think she was a child slave!

DH had zero holidays as a child and seems to be making it up for it by planning bigger and better every year for our 2, but Christ on a bike I've had a gutful.

Where are these families who enjoy quality "bonding"'time away?? Perfectly enjoying each others company, witty repartee, being actually nice to each other!

This explains why my parents stopped taking us abroad at 14 ish, and restarted at 21 - I moved out at 18 and had a toddler dd at 21. We still holiday together occasionally now I'm in my 30's.. dd is turning 13 though so we might be banned again soon 😂

Out of curiosity, what is 17yo teenager (actually almost adult) supposed to do on a holiday with his parents in a hotel?

My DD17 is enjoying a well earned break from studying and her part time job.

She loves swimming in the pool, enjoys sunbathing or reading in the shade. We'll have a trip out some afternoons if we feel like it then back to the pool.

Evenings - she'll have a cocktail or two, meal out or at the hotel. She'll chat to anyone. She's a perfectly normal young adult who doesn't need constant stimulation.

Currently at an all.inclusive. 15yo ds is a delight. Loving the different culture, food, sea, sailing. 14yo dd is a nightmare. Crying to go home, moaning about wifi, 4g, missing her friends,moaning about everything. I have badically given her all the 4g in the world, let her sleep all day and decided to ignore her. We are going out without her.

What she doesn't yet realise is there will be no mum taxi for the rest of the holiday once home because "it's boring".

This is the 2020 holiday that never happened and I'm currently sat in an apartment in Majorca on holiday with 2x DS 14 and 12. DS 14 showing no respect and no gratitude despite having organised and paid for activities (diving and mountain biking). He's constantly on his phone and just grunts an answer to everything which is winding his dad up no end. He's also not being a very good big brother to DS12. We've spoken to him about all of this and still not much of a reaponse. DH earlier suggested, to me, a day trip to Palma and asked if we're taking the kids! As if we wouldn't?!! His look when I said "yes we are all going" just broke me and I'm sat here in floods of tears at the apartment while they're all out - separately I might add. We're booked to fly home in 5 days and not sure how I'm going to cope with a moody DS14 and DH apart from copious amounts of gin.

any advise oh wise mumsnetters

Book yourself into something that you want to do, then tell DH and both DS that they can choose something that all three of them would like to do together (go-karting?).

It’s your holiday too.