We always go away on our own and have made friends when on holiday,who we meet up with every year.We do our own thing and usually meet up at some point at night.

Diane

This will be the first time hubby and myself have holidayed alone , in the past its always been with the children , or weekends away with friends , sign of the times we are getting older .

i do both, as we have a few holidays a year, sometimes we go with the kids, sometimes just hubby and myself and occasionally we go with friends or in laws, but more often than not its hubby myself and my youngest daughter as my older 2 now dont want to come with us, my mother lives in turkey anyway so we spend a lot of time with her and once a year the in laws usually come with us but only for a week

On my own this year, with a singles holiday company. Should have been with boyfriend who I holidayed with last year but circumstances have meant that isn't happening any more.

I will not miss out on having my yearly fortnight away, that is for sure!

We have done both. Generally in the past we have always holidayed just as a family ( me and Rob even managed to sneak a week away in Lanza without the kids the other year) and pretty soon i guess it will just be me and Rob as the kids are older and only Gav is at home now. Last year we had a big family holiday ( both sets of parents and Rob's sister, hubby and kids) and it was ok, but i wouldn't want to do that all the time. We have also recently started taking holidays with the scuba diving school " Frog Squad" to which Rob belongs to specifically for scuba diving holidays..and as enjoyable as they are.. i would like to holiday just our family. We have compromised...we have one holiday with the Frog Squad ( so Rob can dive himself stupid everyday for the entire holiday) and then a family holiday so that me and Gav do stuff we like.

We always go as a family and make friends whilst on holiday.

Years ago, when I was with my ex hubby, we went away with my brother and his girlfriend twice and it was a nightmare as his girlfriend wanted everything her own way, if she didn't want to do something that we'd decided, she made our life hell. Don't really know why we did it agin

I prefer just us as a family but each to their own I suppose.

Sometimes going away with other families works well, other times it can be a nightmare. Problem is you never really know until you get there.

If it were me, I wouldn't mind but I would have to know that the other couple or family would be happy to do their own thing and that it wouldn't be expected that everything be done 'en masse' in a group.

I get visions of 'Holiday Showdown' type scenarios as with families/friends there might, just might mind, be less of an inclination to compromise when you know people very well. Also when you know people from a social point of view do you really know them and how their household is run? You could have friends who were a good laugh, lots of fun on family barbecues etc., but get them on holiday and they might become Mr and Mrs Shouty-Lairy etc.

Sorry, don't wish to put anyone off, but these are the concerns I would have. Sitting in witness to someone else's family row is a nightmare scenario to me.

usually just myself, hubby and 2 boys go away alone.......... but always meet people there whom we get on with and usually stay in touch after with.

Sometimes its good to meet fresh friends- starting form scratch can be a real laugh.

As for the boys 14 and 12 they have no probs either making new mates.

We don't have any kids so it's just me and the hubby.
We generally go away as a couple (thankfully we like each others company ). We also holiday seperately for a week each year - he goes off mountain biking and I either go on a yoga break or with my best friend somewhere. We have a 'best friend' couple and we always go away with them for a weekend each year and we'll be going to SF/LV with them in 2009 as we'll be both be celebrating our 10 anniversaries.

Last year we had our first holiday for 23 years as just a couple. before that there were always kids or inlaws or both in tow! Bloody marvelous!

My children are now of an age where my wife and I can, and do, have holidays on our own but only when my son is home from university so that our 17 year old daughter isn't in the house on her own at night. We still go on holiday together as well though. My son has been saying every year for the last 3 years that it will probably be the last time he comes on holiday with us but surprise, surprise, every year when we ask if he wants to come, he always says yes.

We don't holiday with friends but have been on holiday with other family members before but not for a long time now. I know a few people who have been on holiday with friends, had a bad experience and are no longer friends. I've never fallen out with anyone myself but did find that when it was a family group if the children misbehave or don't get on well together it can be difficult. Minor irritation can build into major irritation and then you simply don't enjoy the holiday as much as you should, one reason why I don't think I would be prepared to share an apartment anymore.

We haven't got any kids and never will have so it's just the two of us. I can't think of anything worse than going on holiday with kids - or having any for that matter!

I can't think of anything worse than going on holiday with kids

I can, being stuck with someone like you!!!!!

My husband and I have holidayed on our own, with both our families at different times (couldn't cope with all of them together at the same time :wink:) and now with our young daughter.

I don't mind going with others, but sometimes it can lead to arguments when someone wants to do one thing and someone else wants to do something different. The last family holiday we tended to do the beach thing together during the day, do our own thing for evening meals but then meet up each night for drinks before going to bed.

Now we have our daughter, holidays are completely different and we do meet lots more people through her and have had some brilliant time and met some lovely people.

I think as long as you set ground rules and don't expect to be in each others pockets all day everyday, however you holiday can be enjoyable.

Guys keep it friendly please.

Please don't let this topic run into a pro/anti kids thread.

MarkJ HT Mod

I wish they'd bring back Holiday showdown. In a lot of those you would find the adults not getting on and the children behaving just fine, embarrassed about their mums and dads constantly rowing and whinging.

They have repeats of Holiday Showdown on a Sat afternoon on ITV2!!!!!

Used to love that programme!!!!!

We found on our last holiday with "Frog Squad" to Egypt that people did their own thing and met up in one of the bars at the end of the day. Generally we all get on anyway and it was good to have a holiday with friends yet not be in each others pockets.

We haven't got any kids and never will have so it's just the two of us. I can't think of anything worse than going on holiday with kids - or having any for that matter!

It's a good job your mother didn't think the same otherwise you wouldn't be here. What a horrible thing to say. You must be a very sad person that's all I can say.

Sue