Have you taken young kids abroad?

[BrilloPad]

my daughter doesn't do that type of thing

I believe you. And it was very annoying of her to adopt kids wasn't it?

[eek]

my daughter doesn't do that type of thing

so you're grand kids are all immaculate conceptions?

It could be worse I had to fix something on my mum's kindle last night. her last purchase was fifty shades darker

[Mupps]

We recently took our 3 kids (3,6,8) to St Lucia. 8 hours on a plane. It turned out to be easy, no trouble at all.
Just 3 simple rules to follow:

Make sure they have a lot to do: colouring, books, puzzles, lots of inflight entertainment - one kid watched "Happy Feet 2" 3 times on a loop.
Give them snacks (No sugar - repeat: No sugar)
Leave them alone and keep your sense of humour, if you and your wife act all tense and whisper through gritted teeth like you're in a library then they will become unsettled and stressed.

It was a daytime flight on the way out and night time on the way back. The daytime one was easier.

The hard part is going to a location where they can all run around and play in safety and give you a rest. All inclusive, with a kids' club is the way.

[scooby]

THat is all true (except EO being 100 - I know he is at least 110).

But whenever I go to Centre Parcs I always wonder why I would holiday anywhere else.....

We have a holiday booked for Centre Parcs in Nov, but the wife wants to cancel now she's seen the costs of the activities... Why do you think it's so good? (genuine question, we've never been!)

[ChrisPackit]

Took my son, now six, when he was 18 months old on a plane to Canaries. Just as they switched the Fasten Seatbelts sign on as you're about to land, my son did the biggest poo known to man. It went through all his clothes, and stunk the plane out. The smell was eye watering. Couldn't go to the bathrooms to change him as we were in descent, and had to wait in a queue of people to get off whilst holding him at arms lengths, like you might hold a bomb. Then had to wait to go through passport control before we could get to a bathroom, where we threw all his clothes in the bin.

The joys of having kids on holiday...

[psychocandy]

Son is 8. This year will be his 8th trip to Florida.

No probs at all.

Package holiday? Ewwww. For permies....

[BrilloPad]

We have a holiday booked for Centre Parcs in Nov, but the wife wants to cancel now she's seen the costs of the activities... Why do you think it's so good? (genuine question, we've never been!)

The activities are great even if you have to pay extra. No cars so you can cycle around. The people you meet there are very nice. Accomodation is a very high standard - and its nice and quiet. The staff are excellent and genuinely seem to care - I chatted to a few and they get very very well looked after.

Only issue I have ever had is health spa. Its supposed to be quiet. But of course 90% is women so its continually noisy. Mrs BP witnessed a couple having a domestic once! I complained and got offered another day - but why would I want to repeat.

I nearly confronted the miscreants pointing out they had wrecked my quiet time when I have two disabled kids. But I will get upset and they will probably hurl abuse back and I will punch them.

Centre Parcs - if anyone talks in quiet zone of health spa then eject them!

[DodgyAgent]

my daughter doesn't do that type of thing

She did when she was younger

[Old Hack]

I'm over long haul now anyway. Kids just want to be outdoors, kayaking, swimming, surfing, horse riding, and we get that all in our new pad in the South West of France. The business has a motorhome, which we hire if we want to use it, so go places other than there is we need to. Cornwall BH weekend, then a week in West Wales after.

France filthy cheap just now. I mean, filthy, filthy, filthy cheap.

[Platypus]

We have a holiday booked for Centre Parcs in Nov, but the wife wants to cancel now she's seen the costs of the activities... Why do you think it's so good? (genuine question, we've never been!)

That would be a mistake which you'll very much regret in a year or two. Splurge out on special time with your kids, great holidays are remembered forever.