Take the grandparents with you!
Failing that, you'll just have to take it in turns.

this is the joy of taking kids on holiday.
does the hotel have a kids club where you can "dump" him for an hour or so?
alternatives are
your partner entertains him for a hour while you chill out and vice-versa
you get a long piece of rope and tie it to him and your sunbed
you do what a lot of brits do, and just sit at the bar and shout at him if he wanders off

We just take turns in playing with ours and watching while the other swims or something. There is no rest when you have a toddler

It is getting easier now that ours are a little older.

Take a trunkie full of toys with you.

That's what I thought! no rest or very little! But I really want a holiday, my partner isn't bothered but I love my hols. just thinking though how much of a hol would it be if we've got keep running after our little one! Hel only be 16 months so too little for kids clubs.

I suppose I've got to think is it better to stay at home or hol in uk an prob be miserable as I've hit nothing look forwed too and be board on a rainy uk hol or go where I want and cut my losses for not been able to relax!

I know my little one would love it, just the thought of it not going smoothly how I have it in my head! (sit by pool,play,beach,walks broken up by meals. Then out for tea while toddler sleeps in
Pram!)

I suppose I won't know unless I do it, I could say wel wait till next yr but I'm guessing itl be the same then an were planning for another baby in the nxt couple of yrs so unless I want to hol in the uk for the next 5+ yrs I should prob just bite the bullet! I really can't see me holidaying in the uk for a whole week as our main hol! we went haven in may for 4 nights an came back a day early lol

sorry just trying to convince myself! I'm not normally a worrier but it's shocking what having a child can do to a person! Thanks for all your helpful suggestions, think I just need to book it and stop analysing it so much! I'll drive myself insane!

That's what happens when you take your kids on holiday I'm afraid, you don't get a rest and you have to have eyes in the back of your head. I remember it very well when my boys were young, watching them like hawks, chasing after them and trying to keep them occupied. We weren't lucky to have grandparents who would take them off our hands so we could relax, but that's the bargain of having kids. Mine are now 18 & 15 so we can relax and they go off and do their own thing but still report back every hour or so. We never went abroad when they were very young, IMO it was too much hassle so we always stayed in caravans in this country. Now they're older we go much further afield and hey appreciate much more than what they would have done have they been tiny.

Welcome to Planet Parent

Seriously, I think that wherever you holiday the problem is going to be the same for as long as you continue to holiday as a family - how do you occupy and keep everybody safe and happy when you all are looking for different things from a holiday? This is going to go on for years, you just have a different set of worries as they grow up. Family holidays ARE different from 'couple/adult' holidays. They mightn't be relaxing but they'll give you and him so many memories that you'll look back on with great happiness. Don't mourn what used to be and instead celebrate what is to come. The only way you are going to be able to have the sort of holidays you have been used to is to go without the kids. And I don't mean that as a criticism - my parents would have jumped at the chance to have the grandkids for a week all to themselves. Perhaps yours would do the same?

But if you try and see things through your child's eyes then perhaps compromises are possible. For a child of his age, a pool side environment is a boring, unstimulating environment whereas a beach is exciting - one huge sandpit - and getting him a cheap bucket and spade might be all the toys you need for the day interspersed with you taking it in turns to take him for a paddle and splash in the sea. All beaches are 'walk-in' so no need to worry about him falling straight into deep water.

And beaches often have much more exciting things to go and look at - rockpools to try and find 'beasties' in, shells to collect, waves to jump over etc. Take it in turns to go for a walk along the beach with him whenever playing in the sand begins to pall a bit and you'll be surprised just how much oeace and quiet that can stretch into for the other parent.

And I assume that he's still taking an afternoon nap? So try and get him into the routine of doing that where you would like to be. So take his buggy to the beach with you so he can have a sleep in it while you relax with your book on a lounger in the sun.

Or think about going on holiday with good friends or other family members. Within my extended family differnt combinations regularly holidayed together and took it in turns to look after all the kids together in order to give the other couple/s a day off to do their own thing. And the kids did a lot of entertaining of each other - especially since, spread out around the country they didn't necessarily get to spend that much time with each other. And as an Auntie, I always relished the opportunity to spend time with my nieces (we live more than 400 miles apart) and do the things that their Dad wasn't interested in. At the age they are now, this means I take them shopping while he goes off snorkelling. But when they were younger it meant their Grandfather (my Dad) had the excuse to do daft things in the guise of entertaining them.

SM

Hubby and I will hopefully be in the position financially to take a holiday with our new baby next year, so we will be in the same position. Like roseweb said it will probably be better if you take turns. Hubby look after the little one for an hour while you relax, and then vice versa. That way you both get some chill out time

It really isn't so bad. I have taken my girls on holiday since they were babies. Obviuosly it isn't like an adult only holiday but it is so much fun with a little one. I do agree the beach is probably more fun for them than the pool and we actually never spent hours at either the pool or the beach when they were little. Your sone will also have a sleep in the day so that is when you get your rest time too.

You will have a lovely time, don't worry

My sons had their first holiday abroad when they were 1 and 4 respectively. They've never been the type to run off even from a very early age and have never been inclined to try it. Whilst around the pool they were happy to splash around in the little pool and play with a small watering can and bucket in the water. Hubby and I took it in turns to be in the pool with them. We wouldn't be there long enough for them to get bored as we'd get them out for a drink or an ice-cream and go for short walks or take them on the little noddy train around the resort.

They loved playing in the sand on the beach, collecting shells and paddling in the water. In the evenings we'd go for a stroll and a quiet meal and sometimes the little one would fall asleep in the buggy.

Although the holiday wasn't particularly what we would have chosen as a couple, as far as I'm concerned when the children are small it's all about them. As long as they were happy so was I. we've built up years of brilliant holiday memories with the children.

Good luck finding half an hour to sit and do nothing, it won't happen until the child is asleep, so ensure a nap is part of the daily routine then you an all benefit.

We'll be taking our baby who will be around 1 on holiday with us next year. It might just be us or also my parents ans my brother and his girlfriend.

If it is just the 2 of us we've decided that we can take it in turns to entertain the little one whislt the other has 30 minutes to themsevles.

Helen

Its surprising how easily you will adapt. We have taken our daughter on hols in the sun since she was 14 months old. There are times when I wish we could do the adult thing but the fun we have as a family far outweigh that feeling now. We do take it in turns - well its 2 hrs for hubby and 1 for me but the main thing is to have fun. My daughter didnt like the beach or sand when she was little so we maybe spent 1 day there and the rest around the kids pool. The best thing is find a sun lounger as near to that pool as possible and try to relax. I must be honest though I am really looking forward to this year as daughter is now nearly 8 and whilst I will watch her like a hawk, I dont really think I need to be in the small pool with her all of the time. Good luck, its IMO well worth the hassle and great fun making new "family" memories (I wouldnt change it for the world ).

At roughly the same age, my little granddaughter was happy in the pool, and playing with an assortment of small toys on the lounger. We tried to bring a different little thing out everyday - doesn't need to be expensive - perhaps something he's familiar with at home, like a couple of bath toys to play with in the pool. Add a walk, a couple of drinks and a lolipop and he'll be as happy as Larry. The heat tires them out, as well as us, so you should manage to have a couple of hours peace and quiet while he sleeps. I think the important thing is not to stress. If you've decided to go, then plan ahead as much as you can - but don't stress about it. Holidays are what you make them. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time - different to what you're used to, but magical!

linzi_lou wrote:

Hi just wondering how do you keep your little ones entertained by the pool or keep them from trying to run off in all directions?! I know about the idea of a small paddling pool I'm nit sure how long that will keep him occupied. We will obviously take him
In the pool an there's a separate childrens one with slides etc so can take him
There an the park etc, but I mean when we just want to sit down for half hr.

or is there no chance of that?!

TBH we took our daughter to Spain when she was 18 months old and I never sat down for the whole fortnight I was still glad we went, but it's a bit of a shock.

We all did sleep well though !

She was a bit of a live wire (still is) and I just didn't dare take my eyes off her. We were in a large complex in Mojacar in Southern Spain, multipule pools etc you need eyes in the back of your head.

Thought it best to be honest, forwarned is forarmed.

We have very happy memories of the holiday and I am sure you will have too. Things change life moves on, it's kind of like a right of passage your first holiday abroad with a young child, wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Doe

Try and choose a hotel thats on the beach - most babies love the sand.
I think its easier abroad in the sun than at home where it could be raining for days on end. Been taking ours since they were little babies and yes by the pools you do have to watch them like hawks but not so much at the beach. They were happy to play in the sand and have a paddle and then fall asleep on the sun lounger ( well protected from the sun of course) at night time they would fall asleep in the pushchair whilst we enjoyed a quick drink. Then straight to bed whilst hubby and I had a drink on the balcony. I miss those days.

dont worry about it, I have 2 boys 18months apart and when they were little we used to take them away every year. It is easyer if you use the beach as they entertain themselves and its not so hard when they topple over!! one of mine was always one to run off at every chance he got but everyday because of the excitment the heat and a liitle later to bed of an evening he would have a long sleep in the afternoon. A little blow up boat with string attached and him safely inside kept him amused and doubled as his afternoon bed on the beach for his kip!! You will have a great time and fantastic memories do not be put off or you will miss out!

I would imagine it being easier if you don't go in the hottest months. I would think that the cooler the weather the easier it would be. Go in June or September rather than July/August. Just a thought

Brill thanks everyone, sma laying on The louder with a book/mag sounds like
Total bliss! :-) seems most people have had good experiences. I'm not expecting to be able to lounge the day away like Before and am expecting to be rarther active! but it will
Be fun and I now my little boy will love the water and the sand, we have chosen a Thompson family Hotel and it has a splash park with slides and things that spurt Water etc for the little ones looks brill, aswell as the normal Baby pool an the big pool, park and sand pit ride ons, indoor soft play. So sounds like there's plety to keep him from getting board, if we alternate between all
That and the beach I'm sure he will Be happy! Then like you all say take it in turns to watch him then also do stuff all together too.

I will hope for a afternoon sleep then, he does have one at the moment but will only
Sleep for half hr unless he's on my Knee! (I know not good) but maybe he might sleep longer with the heat and maybe in his buggy, we could take him for a walk an he might fall asleep in his pram, I'm hoping for the same at night too!

well I supose it will either go really well or be terrible! but we will never know if we don't go and like I
Think it was sma said it's going to be like this for yrs, especially as anoter baby is planned for in a couple of yrs!

Ok so I feel better about the hol, just to tackle my fear of flying now! argh! thanks everyone :-)