Thinking of cancelling my summer holiday

[Ripeberry]

I feel your pain & thank you for making me feel normal. I sometimes think as childminders people think our children are going to be perfect(afraid not in my house :-(. )

Mine are 23,22 & 17 & it does get better but there was lots of days when I felt going out the front door & not coming back, I know bad parent. Give me other peoples kids anytime x

But legally you could leave them to it. They are adult! If my kids ever got on my nerves like that I would go off for a long weekend and see how they survived. It's not bad parenting, it's called looking after yourself

[VeggieSausage]

also booking a single room...not much holiday romance going to be going on there - what were you thinking

[primula]

Have you got an Ipod?! if so wear it all the time, work on your tan and let them get on with it, if they drive you mad get up and go somewhere else so you can't hear them!! give them a few quid and they can sort themselves out! It wears you out playing referee all the time! don't cancel though.. some teenagers go through a phase of being so selfish, they need a gentle reminder! Thankfully most grow out of it!

[lizann]

mine are all grown up now but mine would have been the same age as yours when we took then away and i was dreading it but from the minute they got on the plane ,the whole time we were there and the plane back they were angels so much so we thought we had taken the wrong kids the minute we got in the house they were back to their old self and killing each other but it was one on the best 2 weeks we ever had

[littlemiss60561]

Maybe tell them ( or even do it for real!) instead of grandparents, you've found a cm that does overnight care and have booked them both in. You go off and have a well deserved relax by the pool and enjoy your holiday.
Is there a holiday club for their age?whether they would do it is another thing, but I'm sure they would gravitate to the other unwilling teenagers and end up having a laugh.

[lilac_dragon]

Have you told them you're planning on cancelling the holiday?
Maybe telling them and saying if things haven't changed by end of feb it will be cancelled and they will be spending the 10 days doing chores instead of playing on the beach might make things better?

You could do this - AND tell them the £500 lost deposit will be taken from their pocket money!!!!!!!!

[DAWN44]

It's a nightmare isn't it.

We went to Turkey last year, First time we've ever been able to afford all inclusive. Lovely hotel and loads to do.

15 yr old son didn't get up til 1 pm each day. Then would lay out in sun! He's very pale and just burnt lol but we couldn't tell him cos he knows everything.

Our 12 yr old son had an amazing time and my middle one who has ADHD and autism loved holiday too.

We still had a lovely time but I did keep telling my eldest he may as well be at home .
Still think you should go, you go and have a nice break, leave them in their room if they don't want to join in xx

[Nickidela]

I know exactly how you feel. We got 2 rooms last August in Cuba, one for me, my hubby and my 7 month old at the time, my elder children 14 and 12 shared a room on the opposite side of the complex - near my parents room luckily! They fought the entire 2 weeks, all I heard at breakfast each day was 'he did this', 'she did this', it was always over a clash of what they wanted to watch on TV when they went to bed. During the day worked out ok though, they tended to take themselves back up to their room at intervals so they could bear the sight of each other. They did actually have some fun too playing crazy golf and catch in the pool so in sure your kids could enjoy themselves if they allowed themselves to! :-)

[Mummits]

I think you need more space. In your position I would see if I could swap the accommodation so you can each have your own space, even if that meant having less luxury or paying a bit more. Then if they want to skulk (is that a word?) in their rooms, let them get on with it. It would be a real shame to let their bad behaviour rob you of your well earned break.

Alternatively, would the GPs be able to manage one of them? If so, tell them that unless they behave, one of them will be left behind, and you can decide later which one, or toss a coin.