Holidays with family.

Since DH died 2 years ago 3 of my 4 have invited me on their holidays.
I partly went because I didn't want to refuse such kind offers.

Once was in a caravan in the lake District with DS3 It was enjoyable enough with days out but not very relaxing. A long weekend was long enough.

Another a week was in a cottage on a Hebredian Island with DD. I tried to be useful without imposing myself I loved being around the little children, the scenery was magnificent but I missed DH so much as she did. He would have loved it.

Last year I went to France with DS2 and his family and their friends. It was very hot but with fabulous food, sun and sea. I think we all enjoyed ourselves.

I am going to stay with DS1 soon in Ireland so that will be all 4 doing their filial duty.

I don't think any would appreciate a holiday all together.

We have been to centre parcs in Holland with another family and a villa in Turkey with the same family. The teenagers have people their own age , there are 6 adults to do minimal self catering for breakfast and lunch and we ate at a restaurant each night in Turkey and a mixture of restaurant and evening barbecue in Holland

We split the cost of everything unless it was something just for one person then that family paid. We didn’t do everything together activity wise , outside of meal times we did our own thing and if anyone wanted a snack or drink they got it themselves. We all get on well so it worked for us

Our family consists of me (Granny) my younger daughter who is single, my older daughter and her husband and two teenage grandchildren . The other family is just mum and dad and two children but we have all known each other since the older children ( who are 14) were born

After lockdown our DS2 started taking his family to local (2 hr drive max) cottages for holidays and they haven't been abroad since. We sometimes book a cottage fairly close by at the same time and arrange to meet up when we feel like it. We have been known to babysit but it's not expected and more likely to be taking the GCs out for the day rather than in the evening so parents get a nice lazy day.

dustyangel🤣🤣🤣

We’ve done it for years with DD1 and family. Now we have our own home in Portugal it’s much easier and DGS and his Dad are staying at the moment.

There have been different variations over the years of who does cooking and shopping and/ or eating out. Tonight we’re having a barbecue and we are doing the salad and SiL is doing the grilling.

The only time there have been complaints is when I broke my shoulder the first night they arrived and had to sleep sitting up. SiL said he hadn’t bargained for his mother in law sleeping out side his bedroom door. 😂

We have done it for a few years in a hotel complex in the UK we go for 5 or 6 nights this may be our last year of funding it as my DH may retire. But a great investment in holiday memories and enjoyed by grandparents children and grandchildren
But this is in addition to our own separate holidays myself and DH still have our main holiday and weekends away alone.

We did used to do it back in the day when I was the middle generation.

I did look into doing it recently, but the gcs, some of them are still babes in arms. And there is still almost always someone pregnant. Easier all round for the parents to stay home!

I looked at booking a villa type place. But when I carefully considered the practicalities of shared kitchen, shopping, clearing up etc, I decided it could lead to friction. So I didnt pursue things.

Very useful experinces so far thank you Gnetters!

Not for me - at all. I need a holiday away from family, not with them. I'm sure I'd make a handy babysitter - but no thanks!

5553n, that's been suggested by one daughter. They found the accommodation (2 bed, 2 bath cabin) was fine - except there's no freezer, just an ice box. Yes, they self catered (as they're vegan) and took their own bikes - as, be warned, all the 'extras' there are very expensive.

5553n

Has anyone ever had the experience of taking the intergenerational family to Center Parks? Very interested to hear if you all survived! Did the accommodation work out and did you mostly self cater? It's a germ of an idea at the moment!

Yep we go to Centre Parks yearly with our children and grandchildren.

We are a large family so book two houses next to each other. A combination of taking it in turns to cook and a couple of meals out. . Works well for us.

Has anyone ever had the experience of taking the intergenerational family to Center Parks? Very interested to hear if you all survived! Did the accommodation work out and did you mostly self cater? It's a germ of an idea at the moment!

We always went away with our grandparents so not a new thing.

But we'll not be going with ours. Definitely not my thing at all

I remember going on holidays as a child with parents and grandparents.

We have continued the tradition, had many three generational holidays and several four generational holidays.

Lots of easygoing days, lots of memories made.

I’ve done family holidays for over 30 yrs and now my grown up GC with children of their own organise trips with anyone who wants to tag along so 4 generations. We do our own thing some days but usually eat together I’m grateful they’ve taking over the organising though.
. It’s a great time for siblings to spend time together and all the little cousins to bond and meet up with aunts and uncles and Nanny and GaGa that’s me, they don’t see so often.

I have been on holiday with my dd and sil and we enjoy each others company. We aren't in each others back pocket. Dd is planning a holiday next May for us all. In part it's a thank you for the childcare I provide and also a chance to spend time with the whole family.

We go holiday with my daughter and then all of us over to Canada to be with my son and it works perfectly.

From the start its been a case of everyone does what everyone wants to do, no regimental set out. If we want to be together then thats what we do, if we don't then we don't. I made sure that from the start I said to my SIL that its a totally free and easy holiday so he didnt think we all had to be glued at the hip.

They ( my DD and SIL ) are not as I call it goer-outers so once again, its free and easy at night, we're all together or we're not, works perfect.

We go on holiday together because we enjoy it. Nothing to do with babysitting as when the children were young they came with us to restaurants. And of course we pay our own way.
It’s just lovely ?

Well you don’t spend every minute of every day with each other. You go with ff in varying groups, sometimes with a partner with children, sometimes without, sometimes parent and grown up child, sometimes siblings, sometimes all together. You get the picture.

It works for us.

Sounds idyllic (smile)

It works for us . It’s a case of being flexible and not insisting that everyone does everything together. As you say everyone has different interests so some days we split up and do our own things, meeting up again in the evenings.
We have holidays with all 3 daughters and their families , together and separately. In May we had a house for 11 of us from 1 year old to a 90 year old.
Food is arranged between us for basics and a meal out or take away. Then each ‘part ‘of the family take turns to provide an evening meal.
In our case it is never expected that will babysit although we sometimes offer and it is gratefully taken up.
Lovely times.