Is Holidaying With Babies Really Holidaying At All?

So I recently found at that the wife and I are expecting twins in the summer. Amazing news and obviously we are very happy.

We had planned on having a second after my son Michael was born in summer 2017, but with only a tiny trace of twins in the family, a good long while ago, we were somewhat shocked when we found out there were going to be two little bundles of joy arriving instead of one! I say somewhat shocked, I still feel like passing out even now several weeks on when I think about it! Cold sweats, the lot!

Not wanting the twins to miss out on experiences Michael has had in his first 18 months of life, the wife dropped the bombshell on me that she once again wanted to go on holiday during her maternity leave.

We had done this in March 2018 because she is a teacher by profession so naturally we always cop for the higher prices in holiday periods. March last year was a cheap time to go, I got good flights out to Malta and we spent 12 days there as a family of three. Had a great time overall, but at the time Michael was about 7 months old, so it wasn’t without it’s challenges.

The biggest challenge wasn’t being abroad, but the travelling part. I hated it. The additional luggage, the flying, the crying, the lugging bags through the airport and paying for all the extra clobber we needed. Securities still archaic approach to breastfeeding, and the lack of airport catering for this. The transfer at the other end being late with a broken car seat for the baby. Quite honestly by the time I arrived at the hotel I was so stressed out with the day, I could barely talk. It was exceptionally demanding.

So you can imagine my despair when the wife breaks out that she wants to do it all again – this time with a 2 year old, and twin babies who will be about 7 months old at that point!

Now don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the holiday and would have done it all again despite the logistical stress. But we are now outnumbered, and this, frankly, makes me never want to holiday again!

Can you blame me for this pure fear? Am I being a bad parent thinking this way? Has the wife got rose tinted spectacles about the holiday the first time round?

Fortunately my mother in law, something of a super-gran at times, has volunteered to come with us, to balance out the numbers, and as much as I am not a fan of travelling with extended family, it would help massively. But I’m still unsure. Surely the stress of the first time will be multiplied by two, or even three?!

Reality is that we could be spending anywhere between £2000 and £3000 on this holiday which in my eyes would be more useful in our pockets back home given all the extra expense that children create.

But my worry is that I will think like this forever. Do I just need to get over it and crack on, or am I actually right and the wife is wrong (as if that ever happens)?

For now we’ve decided to stick a pin in the discussions until the babies are here safely and we see how we manage day to day, but I’d love to know what people think about this little conundrum I find myself in?

There must be someone out there that has twins and a slightly older child that has traveled on holiday – if you are that person, please give me all the advice you can!!!

Thanks for reading and as always, until next time…..