Has anyone been on a barge / canal / narrowboat holiday with young children?

[wakesandquakes]

Is it even feasible? DH is keen, I remain unconvinced and am wary about having to have eyes in the back of my head the whole time checking on the 6 and 3 yr old. Is it fine? Can you relax? Should I just relax about the whole thing? What was it like for you?

We've been with friends with under 5's in the past and it was fine as long as someone watched them. You get lifejackets for them but the real problem comes if it is wet as entertaining them indoors can be a bit limited and time consuming! Take them with you to do the locks or have them sat next to the "driver". Or pick a route that has few locks and only dawdle a few miles each day, stopping off in between at pubs and towns.

I went on one when I was pregnant with DC1 and still had to throw my self across the deck to rescue the bloody dog whilst DH just watched. It was great fun but I imagine it would not be much of a holiday if you were having to watch toddlers more vigilantly then you normally have to, navigate locks and drive the boat.

Thanks, that's about what I thought. I can see DH having a lovely time steering away (even in rain if necessary) while I remain eyes and ears and entertainer. I'm more concerned about locks when one parent needs to steer, other to man/woman the locks etc and what to do with the little ones - how to control/restrain/constrain them! (and the locks are the bits I think of as being more dangerous - the rest I can get to grips with and cope with). Hmmm more thinking me thinks...........