What does your day look like during half term? I think I am putting too much pressure on myself.

[PoppetUK]

Hi all,

I'm a mum that feels guilty if I let the kids use tv, play on the DS (to be honest this is the first time they seem interested in it).

My little ones are 6, 5 and nearly 2. I feel I give the kids good stuff but I guess I am always a parent that has mother's guilt hanging in there. Like I should be doing more.

I'd love a bit of support with these feelings so if anyone else out there with primary school kids find it shattering during half term then I'd appreciate a few words.

Thankfully we've got the freezer stacked with meals for most of the week. Just typing this has got it off my chest a bit.

Good holiday wishes.

p.s I have enjoyed my day but I guess when I feel tired I think how do I keep this going. 2 of my kids were up last night so I think that is half of it.

[cupofteaplease]

We are moving house this weekend and I have horrible morning sickness, so my dc (5 and 3) have helped a little with packing today, but have mostly been playing imaginative games by themselves such as schools, pet shop, dentist and now they are putting on a show with Barbie dolls. I have fed them, but that's about it! I'm now on the sofa feeling very delicate and they are playing with Barbies by themselves (and probably unpacking some of the packing!)

Enjoy your half term.

[starfishmummy]

No - I don't think you should be guilty for TV, DVD, DS etc time!

DS is older, but with special needs so is like a young primary child in thge type of things we do.

He is at Grandmas today and she will do more activities with him in five hours than I do in the whole week! I will think up some activities to do with him but on a fairly relaxed basis and then just see what the day brings (if we plan the park and it is raining then I'll get something else out!) - the only thing we have booked is a theatre trip on saturday.

[Elk]

I have 2 dd's 5 and 7. They are shattered so we are having a chilled week. As they are so tired I see no problems with a couple of days in front of the TV/DVD's.
We have done the food shopping this morning and they got to choose a treat each. We are planning a trip to the cinema and will have some friends over for an afternoon.
If the weather is ok then we will do some gardening.
dh is away all week and I was ill yesterday so we all need some time to relax.

[Greeninkmama]

DD2 is at nursery - I am going to pick her up an hour earlier than usual - and DD1 has watched 6 episodes of Sarah Jane Adventures back to back while I get some work done. Treating today like a sick day for her because she is tired after a full weekend of ballet, play date, swimming and party. She is really really happy!

[PoppetUK]

Thanks everyone. It is helping loads x I think I hit a bit of a flat spot after being out and about on the bikes this morning and then some painting thinking how am I going to keep this all going. I needed lunch and a bit of perspective and some time out from them (tv!).

Thank you the posts are helping enormously xx

[CatHerder]

This morning we walked to the library and chose some books, and a dvd each. So 3 dvds. They are spending the rest of the day watching them.

I make sure we get out of the house at least once a day.

I hate the Feb half-term tbh. It rains all week and everything round here that you could go indoors is shut until March. Except the library ...

We'll stick our wellies on one day and go for a walk in the woods with bags to collect 'stuff'. And then come back and make 'art' with it. That'll be my creative moment for the week I think.

[hillyhilly]

Mine have spent a fiar bit of time in front of the computer on the cbeebies website today, while I get on with things. in bewtween, they have played with toys, made up imaginary games and asked for food!
We are not leaving the house, they are still in their pyjamas.
We have plans for Tues, Weds and Thurs seeing family and friends and will do more of what we did today, on Friday.
I am much less anxious about screen time since DD started school because she is often v tired, doesn't get to watch it much and is still reading/ learning if playing on the computer.
It is the holidays, make it easy!

[BehindLockNumberNine]

Half term is all about relaxing surely, and that includes the dc. The way I see it, they work bloody hard at school and are then busy with after school clubs, homework, friends for tea, etc during term time. (Ds is in Y7 and dd in Y3)
So in the holidays we kick back, stay in our pyjamas until 10 am, watch tv, play on the computer, have a lazy breakfast etc.
We have got things planned for this week - ds has two snowboarding sessions booked, we have family coming over to visit from the Netherlands, we have dentist and hairdresser appointments etc.

But on the whole we take each day as it comes and take it easy. Love it

[poshme]

Poppet I wouldn't worry- I was already thinking at 10 o'clock this morning "I have got 7 days to get through before school starts!" my dc are 5,3 and 4 weeks.... And the older 2 have watched loads of tv today. And will every day... I always feel guilty but it gets me through! We have been for a bike ride but that ended with me screaming at them all .

[ManateeEquineOhara]

I used to need to plan activities for every day of the school holidays and got very stressed if I hadn't.

Now that my DCs are a bit older (9 and 6) and I work and study, school holidays are more a time for relaxing.

So far today has been - DD had a sleepover so they all played together until about 11. Went to the stables where my horse lived, DD and DS played on their DS's while I rode my horse for 20 mins (I know, I know!). Then they have just been playing at home with various toys while I have been procrastinating about Uni work.

Don't feel guilty about putting on a DVD, sometimes just chilling out together is just perfect!

[Ragwort]

My DS (10) has spent three hours at a holiday sports club - lazed in front of the TV for an hour and a half and now disappeared (I hope to his friend nearby or to the park ).

I have sports clubs lined up for the rest of the week .

[Fifichef]

Poppet - don't feel guilty. If you want to feel stressed out, make a big thing of keeping the children entertained at all times!! It is good for them to have their 'bored' periods so that they themslves will eventually find something to do without us mums having to think of things for them. I think that this week's holiday is one of the worst for looking after the children. It's usually cold and miserable and not suitable for outdoor activities. Adding to problems is this B awful dull weather and the depressing state of everything at the moment, so it's not that easy to say ' look on the bright side'

[missmapp]

We did some crafty type things this morning (ds1 loves making things) then rode bikes to the library and to the park. Ds1 choose despicable me at the weekend, so we all watched that this afternoon. Ds1 and 2 are now colouring in at the table and will watch a bit more telly after tea.

I try to limit tv time and do feel guilty if they watch too much, but ds1 (6) is tired this week, so think an afternoon in front of dv is no bad thing.

For the rest of the week we have some time playing with friends, trip to the local (cheap) theatre, bike riding, swimming and football holiday club. . And a bit of tv aswell!!!

[BadRoly]

Mine are 9, 7 4 and 20mths.

We had a busy weekend with relatives and the kids are knackered. The highlight of today was lunch in Sainsburys cafe before I did the shopping...

Tomorrow we will go out for a bit and Weds we have a day out planned with a friend which will mean Thursday is another slobbing day.

[laosvher]

Wake up, made DCs a cup of tea for when they roll out of their pits, sneak some of DHs coffee, leave DC some money for whatever they have planned.
Take myself off to work :o
Then at 5 I'll be home and start making the dinner whilst MNing :o
But mine are teenagers, they can look after themselves for the day.

[muminthecity]

Our day today revolved mainly around the tv! In my defence, we had a busy weekend and had already decided that today would be a rest day. We woke up at around 10am, watched tv for an hour or so then I had to pop into work, so my mum sat with DD for 2-3 hours. When I got back we baked banana bread together, played Junior Monopoly, then watched more tv. We are just about to have dinner now, DD is colouring in while I MN for a while!

I do have better things planned for the rest of the week though!

[naughtymummy]

Lovely, lovely thread, had a bastard weekend at work, from which I got back at 10pm. Dh went off to work was feeling guilty they have had too much screen time today, but you have all salved my guilt. Think we are all going to bed @ 830 tonight :)

[PoppetUK]

Thank you lovely ladies for posting. It looks like it's helped us all out. Reality check was needed. I had that wobble mid day and checking back in helped keep me on track. I feel like everyone posting has picked me up stopped the silly little voices in my head saying come on you need to do more.

It also swiftly reminded me that actually we have more freedom than we have done in any of the other holidays since DS was born. Bit by bit I've fought (with health issues) to get back on track in the past 18 months. Posting actually made me realise that we've come a long way and I quickly forget this some days.

poshme. I totally hear you. It's awful when you try to do something very well meaning and you don't get the result you want. A year from now your first two will be so much easier I can tell you that much. We did the bike ride this morning and if I think about it one year ago the stresses of making sure they listen, stay away from the curb, don't overtake, don't go too far in front, don't crash into each other pppppphhhhhhh on top of little sleep. It does get better ;) Keeping going it is worth it and I didn't always stay as calm as I would have liked. x


Thank you again everyone. I needed you all today. :)

[RoadArt]

We have days like this where the kids only want to watch tv and chill out, but I have had ideas like they have to do xxx and yyy and play outside, go for a walk, ride their bikes, blah blah blah.

I do find though that tv is addictive. I dont mind them watching nature, history, science based programmes which are sort of educational and a lot of children's programmes these days are extremely educational, but I do object to the mindless American rubbish thas seems to have taken over the Disney channels.

I think it becomes a problem when a child is watching tv/computer games every morning, every night after school, all day in the holidays and not doing anything else at all.

Enjoy your break and dont worry

[TalkinPeace2]

Lego , Reading , Lego , Reading, Lego , Jigsaw , Lego, Laptop, Swim, Lego, Laptop, cycle, TV, Lego, Cycle, read, airfix, lego

that is DS half term planned
DD is meeting up with a couple of friends but otherwise the same except airfix

[UniS]

DS is nearly 5 ans knackered ater his first half term at school. Today has gone like this.

Wake up late, breakfast , lego , 20 mins DVD, trip on bus to shop, back for lunch and 20 min DVD, nap/ rest for an hour, lego and helping with chores, going to birthday party, home from birthday party, watch Cbebbies for 30 min while I cook tea, eat tea, story, bedtime.

Sunday went like this
Wake up late, breakfast, refused to come into garden with parenst so played indoors on own for an hour, came out to help in garden for a bit, lunch , Back to garden, bike ride for 90 mins, indoors for 30 mins web looking at octanauts website with a parent , followed by 30 mins Cebbeebies while I cooked, tea, stories,bath, bed.

[goingmadinthecountry]

Mine are 7 - 17 so a bit hard to please everyone plus dh works abroad! Dds 1 and 2 (knackered plus lots of homework) seeing friends, dd1 lots of driving practice, plus they will take dd3 to cinema to see Justin Bieber. DS (14) meeting friends, riding bike, maybe a family day out. Luckily no-one into comp games on a big scale round here. Today we made muffins, a bit of shopping, watched a movie. If the weather improves later in the week we'll go out for days with dd3. Hate this weather. Don't stress out, just enjoy and spend time together.

[ragged]

DC11: schemes to play computer games all the time
DC9 & DC6: lots of role play. except when they are squabbling
DC3: tries to join in with DC9 & DC6

When the squabbling gets too much I drag the loudest parties out into the cold for a long walk.

Spent 30 min. this morning trying to get them to agree on some kind of outing. No luck (sigh)!!