Going away with another family.

spiro

As already said this could be great or a disaster.

Answering a few questions may help you get advice:

1) No of bedrooms.
2) No of bathrooms.
3) No of toilets (excluding ones in bathrooms).
4) Your eating habits (out every night, out every other night, eat in every night).
5) As you have stayed there before do you know how many showers you can have before the hot water runs out?

All of the abive can impact the quality of you holiday.

As an example you only have one bathroom, no seperate toilet, want to eat out most nights and the shower runs out of water after 2-4 showers - this will be a problem when you are all back from your day out, all want a shower before you evening out and while you are all busy trying to shower the kids need to use the toilet.

One piece of advice, when eating out get the resturant to put everything on two seperate orders/bills.

busiscoming2

Right the apartment has 4 double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, large kitchen and large living room oh and a sizable roof terrace.
It wasn't my idea to go with them, my OH asked them!! At first I was livid, I don't think I have been so angry in my life!!! :mad:
BUT I am quite an optomist and try to look on the bright side! I can't understand why they said yes, when the wife and kids don't know me either.

I have been away with family before; us three, my elder two kids, my dad and my in laws (same apartment) and after that I said never again with the same living arrangements :eek:. What made that worse was the fact we only had one vehicle and so had to all go out together, that is why I have insisted on the two cars this time.
Because I tell everyone I am looking forward to my grandchildren (whenever that may be) I think my dh mistakenly thought someone elses kids would do. Problem is I work with kids and know how awful they can be when they aren't your own flesh and blood!

busiscoming2

Dr.Shoe wrote: »

On the otherhand it might be one of the best holidays ever.

I remember when I was a kid we went on holiday with another family (he had been the best man at my parents' wedding). We did a lot of things independently but it also meant that if one pair of parents wanted to do something on their own there were built in babysitters, not that they were really needed as I was 16, and bro was 14 and their daughter was 15. It was also good for us kids to be there with someone we knew too.

My suggestion is that you get together for a series of days out first.

I am glad your holiday worked out ok for you, but how did your mum really feel?
Days out would be a good idea but we go just after easter!

piglet74

Make sure you insist that "your family use that bathroom, we will use this one"

spiro

piglet74 wrote: »

Make sure you insist that "your family use that bathroom, we will use this one"

Agree divide bedrooms and bathrooms and treat them as your own space. The kids should be told they can only go in the other kids bedroom if they are asked. this will allow your 13 yo a 'safe zone' from the 3 youngsters.

pelirocco

As they have 3 kids , they might be expecting your son to double up . Tbh I think you are mad , sharing an apartment with family is bad enough , but with strangers?

busiscoming2

pelirocco wrote: »

As they have 3 kids , they might be expecting your son to double up . Tbh I think you are mad , sharing an apartment with family is bad enough , but with strangers?

No he won't be doing that, the beds are light and the rooms big enough to put three singles into.

Yes I think I am mad too!

busiscoming2

Thanks piglet and spiro thats a very good idea, will do that with the bathrooms.

GOLFER

We have been away with freinds and kids twice.

Disaster both times. Kids fall out over trivial things, adults argue when someone want to do something different etc

First time we shared an apartment, second time we had separate apartments. Both time they did things to annoy us and im sure vice versa.

The main thing was eating out, how do you split bill if you have one kid and they have three, but your kids has two drinks and theirs one, you have a beer and they have wine etc etc.

Even when you eat in, are you expected to half in for groceres when they have 3 kids to your one.

But im sure all will work out ok.

As in previous posts try and sort out all these things before yu go.

Golfer

Pollycat

Rather you than me, busiscoming2!

I think it's incredibly stupid and thoughtless of your OH to have arranged this without asking you.

But, I guess you're stuck with it now so best be prepared.

I'd definitely want to meet with this family before the holiday and agree some ground rules about how things are going to work.

Other members have mentioned things like being clear about who uses which toilet.
How are you going to decide on who has which bedroom?
Will you be mainly eating in or out?
If out, I'd definitely want to have separate bills.
If in, who's going to do the shopping?
And the cooking?
And the washing up?

This family may be the sort who leave dirty dishes lying about in the kitchen, that would drive me crazy.
Or maybe your family is like that and it might drive THEM crazy.

Assuming that you will be having at least breakfast in the apartment, I'd suggest having a kitty to pay for things like cereal, milk etc.

Good luck - I hope you don't need it. :cool: