Should kids be allowed at a health retreat? | Opinion

Should kids be allowed at health retreats? It’s a hard no from me.

I wouldn’t say kids ruined my stay at one of the world’s top wellness retreats.

But screaming babies at lunch and naughty rug rats running riot in my morning yoga class weren’t exactly compatible with the Zen environment I was hoping to embrace during this particular wellness getaway.

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I’m a health retreat junkie. Taking time out to relax, reset and focus on my health and wellbeing is my idea of holiday heaven. 

My most recent retreat was, for the most part, wonderful. The treatments were divine. The food, outstanding. The staff were gorgeous. 

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But the presence of young kids took me by surprise, that’s for sure.  

I’ve always assumed Health Retreats are ‘adults-only’, but the ‘Family Wellness’ holiday is now an emerging trend in the booming wellness travel space.  Instead of going to Bali, Fiji, or theme parks on the GC, the idea is that you take the whole family, including the kids, to a health retreat.

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That’s a nice idea for parents, hoping to instil healthy habits in their kids from an early age, or for anyone concerned about how much time their kids are spending on their screens.

But, unfortunately, as I discovered, it’s not so nice for the other health retreat guests.

Why?  Because kids will be kids. They’ll be active, noisy and sometimes very, very naughty.  And unfortunately, many parents have adopted the ‘let them’ theory – ie. letting their kids do whatever the heck they want, with no consideration for others.  

That’s why some people will always argue, there are certain places where babies and young kids don’t belong. Whilst you absolutely have the right to fly your children in business class, or take them to a concert or to a wedding, that doesn’t give you the right to ruin the experience for the people around you.  

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I found myself on the receiving end of the ‘let them’ theory recently, at the retreat.

I was surprised when a family of four turned up to my morning yoga class, including two kids who looked to be around six and eight years old.  But then I told myself it was much better for the kids to be doing yoga in that beautiful outdoor pavilion, than to be stuck indoors, playing games on their iPad.

Sadly, those kids wanted to be doing anything BUT yoga.

The young boy was clearly bored, shouting at his parents constantly that he wanted to leave.  The little girl was also bored… until she discovered the yoga blocks and entertained herself by throwing them around the pavilion. 

The parents conveniently ignored them both, carrying on with their downward dogs, seemingly oblivious to how disruptive the situation was, to every other person in the class.

I tried to ignore it, silently repeating my favourite yogi mantra … “be kind with your thoughts, be kind with your words, be kind with your actions” … but it was pointless. The kids were out of control.  And the parents did nothing to stop the carnage.  So I begrudgingly decided to leave. 

Second incident: I’d had a morning of pure bliss. A peaceful power walk through the rainforest and a delicious healthy breakfast (I’m still dreaming about those banana pancakes drizzled with coconut nectar).

I’d treated myself to a sea salt body scrub and full body massage, followed by a soothing herbal bath in an outdoor tub, listening to the birds chirping in the trees around me. After a perfectly delightful morning of top-tier self-care, I couldn’t possibly feel more Zen. I practically floated into the restaurant next door for lunch.

And that’s where my Zen came to an abrupt end.

My entire lunch was accompanied by the high-pitched wail of a crying baby. Another guest was lunching nearby, with her teeny tiny baby, who cried non-stop for 40 minutes.

Yes, crying babies are a part of life. Yes, babies have every right to be in public spaces.  And before you come at me … yes, I looooooove babies. I just don’t love listening to a screaming baby when I’ve travelled halfway around the world to enjoy the tranquillity of a ritzy health retreat.

First world problem? Maybe. But, come on… that’s why most people go to a health retreat.  The promise of an all-round tranquil, Zen environment is what sets it apart from other holiday destinations.

Even one of my mum friends agrees.  “I know plenty of mums who’d be super annoyed if they paid for a nice health retreat and had to listen to screaming babies”, she told me. “And when it’s somebody else’s kid, it’s even more annoying!”

When I shared my experience with management at the health retreat, they acknowledged that they understood how ‘the presence of children might impact a guest’s wellness experience’ and as such, it’s an area they’re now ‘actively navigating’.

If health retreats want to offer Family Wellness programs, a few common-sense adjustments might help to provide a tranquil and restorative experience for all guests.  For example, separate yoga classes for children, and designated ‘quiet zones’ in certain restaurants and public spaces.

Finally, let’s address the elephant in the yoga room. How popular will ‘Family Wellness’ retreats actually turn out to be?  If you ask your kids to choose between Dagwood Dogs and rollercoasters at a theme park … or mung beans and yoga at a health retreat … I think we all know which holiday they’ll choose.

You can follow Sami on Instagram @samilukis

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