How our holidays have changed since children came along

My husband and I love to travel, and we've been lucky enough to enjoy some fantastic holidays all around the world. When we were booking a holiday for just the two of us, we always avoided booking all inclusive package holidays because we preferred to do our own thing. Although everything was booked in advance, we would make our own way to and from accommodation, and all the different elements were booked separately.

Of course it's a lot easier to be so independent when you don't have small children to worry about, and since we started taking family holidays we discovered that a stay at an all inclusive resort is what works best for us at the moment. We've had two very successful family holidays in Lanzarote at a lovely resort, and knowing that all your food is provided is much easier than having to find somewhere to eat out every evening. You can also enjoy included facilities and entertainment, and if you don't do too many day trips out you know that most of your holiday costs have already been paid for before you leave.

Another big change to our holiday routine is due to come about very soon. We've always done our best to avoid school holidays when booking any break away. Unfortunately, with Harry starting school in September it's going to cause us a few problems. Our local authority is very strict with regard to taking children out of school during term time, and so we are going to have to brave the extra cost associated with a break away during school holidays. The prices can be shockingly high, so it's going to make sense to look out for some summer holiday deals. We've been doing a bit of preliminary research, and it does seem that there are offers around if you are prepared to be flexible and wait until the last minute before you book. There are also of course some places that are less popular than others, so I can see us visiting a variety of new and interesting destinations over the next few years!

I'd love to hear any tips for making going away during the school holidays a bit cheaper, there must be some way of doing it!