At The School Gate:Jetting Off On Holiday

School Gates HolidaysSchool’s out. Finally! Sports day tick, birthday parties done, picnics over, packing up? Hope so.

“Mom, are we going on holiday tomorrow?”

“No darling, next week.”

These days it’s not about being on holiday, rather where you’re on holiday. And the expectation is that you’re on the next jet (ideally private) to Ibiza or Puglia. The Hamptons or St Tropez.

Remember when vacation meant playing at home with all your toys? Or running under the sprinkler in the garden and going for an ice cream cone at the local ice cream shop.

Holidays at home don’t count anymore. Who wants a staycation when it’s not warm enough to be outside or swim. And six weeks is too long to be home.

So be prepared with a good answer when you’re asked at the gates, “Are you going anywhere nice this summer?”

Definitions of nice can vary. If you’ve got babies, it might not be judged by the whiteness of the sand or the thread count on the bed; rather the ability to deliver a cot and monitor upon arrival. That said, perhaps you can find a way to ideally combine the two!

Increasingly there are a number of luxury family holiday companies popping up to cater for parents who would like five-star service and accommodation but also want it to be child friendly.

According to Emma Barnett of Tots Too, “Families are looking for the same luxury that had with their partner before they had kids, without having to compromise on quality. The gems offer the best of both worlds.”

The connotation of family friendly can be a turn off. Certainly, just because you’ve got kids does not mean you want to hear singing and dancing while you’re dining. The good news according to Emma is that “there are exceptional hotels with childcare, and you can go to places that are different.”

So if you’re not interested in staying on trend which could potentially mean the school gates at the beach, consider using the opportunity to trend set. After all, discovering the gem everyone ends up coveting does give you another mummy one up.

And for the off the radar fun this summer? We’re heading to Le Dune in Sardinia!

by Gia de Picciotto

Gia de Picciotto

Gia de Picciotto is a blogger, mother, and lifetime journal keeper/storyteller. Gia has been documenting the trials and tribulations of mothers entering the new world of parenting for the past five years. Formerly the Director of Communications for Warner Music, and Double Click Inc (Google) and associate producer at ABC News, Gia has spent her career writing and telling stories to the media. Married to an Italian, with whom she has two cheeky sons. Gia has been living in London for 11 years and can’t be without green juice and a martini. In her next life she will be a rock star.