Holidays with family

Hated it, would never do it again.

We went away with our son, daughter-in-law and 2 small grandchildren (June 2022 to Portugal). We had a lovely time - we got to see lots of the grandchildren and our son and daughter-in-law got lots of help to look after them from us, giving them some much appreciated time to relax - win, win situation!

Correct me if I’m wrong but is the OP expecting negative answers on the subject?

We’ve been away with them on several occasions. Our strategy is to discuss what we would all like to do, places to go and ones you don’t. Also time to yourself/yourselves is another must. If you are up to it offer to childmind ( if at that age) on a couple of evenings to give the parents a break and also plan evenings out for yourself. You don’t have to be tied at the hip. What you do need is tolerance!

Did it about four years ago, mobile home in France, son, daughter and 2 grandchildren, it worked fine and we enjoyed it. Also had them all to stay twice when we lived there, lovely memories, no problem doing it again.

My DC are 24 and 26 and come on holiday with us occaisonally.
In UK usually book a large apartment and invite them for all or part of the time plus partners.
DS2 came with us to Lanzarote in April. He's very good company and easy going so it worked well.

When my children were little we paid for my parents to come with us. We didn't see much of them TBH but they helped a bit with the children.

Yes we've done several holidays with various family members, including a four-generation one.
We've also holidayed with friends.

So far we've had self-catering apartments or been on cruises, this summer we're going to an all-inclusive hotel with our daughter, partner and two grandchildren.

We certainly don't always do everything together during the day, it depends what different people fancy doing, but we do usually eat together in the evening.

In your position Luckygirl3 I'd advise you to have your own bedroom and bathroom as a minimum for some personal space to do things in peace and at your own pace.

Love love love it

We went as a whole family - so four households - and shared a big lodge.
My mum doesn't sleep well so stayed in a nearby hotel as she didn't want to disturb anyone else when she pottered around in the night. She joined us during the day and for meals.
We took turns to shop/cook etc and all pitched in with the cleaning. Childcare was arranged so everyone had one night 'off'.
As long as it's clear that everyone chips in it's great, and sharing the chores means everyone has some down time too.

It worked much better for me than a self-catering holiday with just my own family as I would then be doing the jobs I do at home just in a different place!

We do it, and have always done it. We have a holiday house in France and both children come over with us for at least a week each summer. We have just returned from a week in France with DD and DS and family are coming over in August. Both DGC, now both at secondary school love coming to France.

Other than that, we all had a holiday in a cabin cruiser on the broads at Easter, a few years ago we celebrated our golden wedding anniversary by renting a big house in Bath and inviting our extended family, including DiL's family. to stay for as long as they liked within a given week. Most stayed the whole week.

DS and family usually spend at least a week at home with us Christmas and Easter. All of us go on separate holidays as well.

We all get on really well, and seem to be able to arrange joint and separate activities without much formality and respect each others likes and dislikes.

It depends how everybody gets along

We've done it with my sister and brother in law. It's great. When our daughter was small, we holidayed with family members and their children. It was OK. We have never holidayed with our grown up daughter and her family. They have never asked us to. I love my daughter but she can be a bit impatient and snappy with me. So best not to.

We did once, when DS1 booked a huge villa with lots of rooms, but prefer to have a separate cottage/chalet so we can have some peace and quiet now and again. GCs stay with us now and again to give their parents some alone time. Fortunately for us DS1 and DD discovered they preferred to take holidays in the UK after lock down as it was more restful all round, rather than take young children abroad.

We do it regularly. Either in Caravans or a large house.
At the end of May, 11 of went to Devon.
Ages 1,6,19,37,37,40,43,44 67, 70 and a 90 year old.
We did some things altogether but nobody minded if some wanted time on their own .
One son in Law enjoyed a fair amount of fishing and the little ones and parents went some places separately.
All meet up in the evenings for a shared dinner provided by different people each night or a take-away.
Works for us . Fortunately we are a family that can always agree to disagree if needs be.

Would love to do it but it will never happen. Agree with Hithere ..it really depends how everyone gets on

We do it every year taking our children and grandchildren to a hotel complex in the UK
We still have separate holidays but really enjoy our few days together

We go on trips with friends and it works great!

We have lots of fun, we do things together or separate as it is convenient for either family, meet or no meet for dinner ...we go with the flow

When I used to visit my parents, it was just torture.
Parents expected parents and AC to be together 24/7, eat when the parents were hungry, take 100000 pics when they knew I hated it, long talks to convince me to move back to my home country....

Reading a book or watching tv were considered huge offenses as it wasn't part of family time's "acceptable activities"

Going to a hotel was also an offense, 10 adults under one roof with one bathroom was part of faaaaamily togetherness

We go every year with daughter, son in law and children.
We absolutely love it.
Sometimes we have a cabin or if we’re in Spain with the motohome we camp on the site near them.
I can’t recommend this site enough for adults and children. It’s on the beach.

www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x12ba50c7d577ea59%3A0x88ebc7ca7581a98!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPkFdqYDJwDFF_mlnuEFR99S8ZeyWWsHJ9jhwEM%3Dw480-h320-k-no!5sEl%20delfin%20verde%20%2B%20spain%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPkFdqYDJwDFF_mlnuEFR99S8ZeyWWsHJ9jhwEM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjujrXwm4X5AhVxh_0HHfLwDiMQoip6BAhbEAM

I love my AC and GC unconditionally but I wold rather stick pins in my eyes than go on holiday with them.

Quite a while ago we rented a very large house on the cliffs in cornwall and invited all the family down. It was my husbands idea but unfortunately it was also my husbands behaviour which made it unsuccessful. To the point that one of our sons went home early. So for me it was a never again thing.

However, a couple of weeks ago I went for a big family holiday in Cornwall again with as many of our children and extended family as could get the time off work and school. And we all had a really lovely time and in fact have already rebooked for next year.

But here’s the difference. Instead of sharing one property my daughter found a lovely group of farm cottages which gave us exclusive usage as long as we booked most of the cottages. So each household had their own place for privacy and retreat but were next door to or just across the courtyard from everyone else. Which was excellent.

I have had a lot of holidays with family and it has always worked out well.
I probably won't now though as the dynamics have changed. GCs have grown up and both sons are divorced, although I did have a few days away with one of my sons which was really good.

I'd need a minimum of guaranteed own bedroom and bathroom. I'd suggest separate rooms in a hotel, separate units if self catering. And options rather than compulsory attendance at meals, outings, etc

We do a full family holiday every three or four years. Usually a big house in France with a pool. We all do our own thing whenever we want to and hang around together in between, meet for our evening meal together. Usually do a fortnight and have at least two meals out together. It changes as children are born, children get older, teenagers are formed. Always great fun.
We also holiday with friends mostly the same format.
Our ‘just the two of us’ holidays tend to be short U.K. city breaks.

I've done it, all the ways mentioned with DD when she was a student with DD and her then fiancé,with another dd and her partner and then when they married and had a family.
I think you all need to agree to go your separate ways if you want to. We help out with babysitting and go out for a night ourselves. We share cooking . There has to be negotiating but it all works out.
Must admit I do like my own bathroom, when we have all had our own they seem to run smoother.

It’s my experience that grandparents often paid for multi generational family holidays, or is cost shared by everyone.