Anyone else had a rubbish school holidays?

I’m so sorry for those who have lost someone or had real hardship this summer .

I can’t complain on that front, but it really hasn’t been the greatest summer. I’ve been constantly unwell - Covid, UTI, now a chest infection. The weather has been shit. My teenagers have been really lazy and ungrateful. I’m working very long hours at the moment and could really do with stopping the world and getting off for a nice, long sleep and some proper sunshine.

It gets a lot better once the youngest is 2.5

Hang in there

Well some of mine was shit because I was leaving a really stressful job and had to do an insane amount in order to hand over to the next person, who also seemed to avoid taking handover on anything before the moment I left. Literally, I was typing emails from his laptop after I’d handed mine in.

The bit whilst I was off work (between jobs in the literal sense as in I start another next week) was good. We went to a much rainier part of the UK than we live in (the area where we live had good weather throughout) but I’m afraid to say we did put waterproofs on and “crack on”. The big (enormous) difference is that my children are 15 and 10 rather than 5 and 1 though - so the point of this post is - it gets an awful lot easier!

I was really lucky with the summer my kids were 5 and 0 (6 months to be precise) which was the only time I’ve ever had the six weeks off due to mat leave, as it was sunny and we had lots of picnics with local friends. So the weather does make a huge difference when they are that tiny.

OP you are in the hardest age brackets I think. I remember it being soooo hard. I used to drive around for no reason more times than I care to admit just to get some (relative) peace and sanity with the kids strapped in the back.
Hang in there! Sympathies x

I'm confused. We didn't leave the UK and had lovely weather. I live SW and think it's been a lovely summer weather wise.

I just came here to start this thread.

My kid is being assessed for autism and adhd. A very long wait unless I pay. Her behaviour without routine is off the chart. The other kids have been miserable as we try to deal with tantrum after tantrum. Late nights due to her inability to settle. It's all ramped up by a million percent.

We've been miserable all summer. It's pushed me to utter despair and I've just been to GP to get some medicines to lift my mood.

We've tried.. trips out, holiday and theme parks. But each day is a real struggle.

Oh and I work full time.

I look awful and feel like a zombie.

I literally am broken.

Yep - weather has been shit.

And my dad died a week tomorrow so it has been fucking awful to be honest

Ditto. We've had a lot more warm days than rainy ones. Children have pretty much been outside every day for at least two hours and not worn trousers or a coat once.

Ours has been terrible. Six year old has regressed to terrible 2 year old behaviour so elder child has hidden in her room and haven't been able to go anywhere as the six year old tantrums constantly. I have been very low with it and really hope the school routine improves him.

In the middle of a horrible stressful work project so my mind has been divided and at one point considered quitting my job. This is my first year back full time and it's a bloody nightmare.

Glad to hear it wasn't just me!

OP, having a toddler that age is hard work! Even just next summer will be easier!

We did manage to go away BUT both our trips coincided with the nice bout of weather in the UK, and our destinations had rain and crap weather. On the first trip, I cracked an old filling and spent days in agony until I got back to the UK and could have it fixed (with an eye-watering bill..) second trip our DC went wild with tantrums and we had a terrible time. They've also been waking up at 5.45 EVERY MORNING. I worked for three weeks in between taking time off, and it was impossible to get anything done because everyone was off. Had a few upsetting work issues too and lost a bit of money which I could have used.

I had lots of fun stuff planned for last week, some with nonrefundable tickets,and we got Covid. The only "fun" thing was shoe shopping today after few days of testing negative.
I'm just fed up with coming up with activities at home (I can't bake any more cupcakes) and relieved school will start. Although I am sad we didn't get to do the fun outings I had planned for last week.

@Blueybanditbingochilli
I don't normally look up people's previous posting history but I recognised your name from another thread.
I hear you regarding the relentless nature of the long summer holidays and your frustration and boredom with the weather etc but perhaps you could use the experience to reflect on the lives of families like mine that you encountered on the other thread. They face a lifetime of being bored at home in some cases due to.sick children who cannot go.out( or to school ), lack of money or facilities that are truly accessible or indeed vital equipment like wheelchairs.Many are dealing with challenging and aggressive behaviour that involves full supervision 24 / 7 sometimes with little or no sleep.
These issues can make it nigh on impossible to have any kind of a normal life and the loneliness and isolation can be very depressing at times. It is indeed an endless round of pad / nappy changing / delivering feeds and meds and performing medical proceedures etc .
Don't get me wrong I love my kids and do it willingly but it is bloody hard work week in week out and no end in sight

I am sorry if it seems I am having a go I really don't mean to but it struck me reading your post that 6 or 7 weeks of it has got you tearing your hair out and so I don't understand the attitude of resenting the UC and disability benefits received by such families which leaves a lot of them still in poverty with no chance of working to lift themselves out if it. In hindsight I should have posted this on the other thread but can't be bothered to retype it so sorry for crashing this one.

It has been awful. But...I still remember the most awful summer a few years back when it rained from the day the holidays started until they went back. I'm in the west of Scotland btw so rain is no stranger to me, but that was dreadful. I had young kids at the time too which would have compounded it for sure. This has been a bit better (and the kids are older!)

Yes. Close friend died suddenly, followed a couple of weeks later by a much loved older relative.
been fairly shite, can’t say I noticed the weather.

@Blueybanditbingochilli you will of course get those on who swear it's been dry and scorching hot for most of the summer in their little bubble- I can confirm here in Bath I would say we've had about 10 what I call nice days-the rest a mix of rain, ( ranging from drizzle to monsoon) cloud, wind and cool

Utterly crap summer holidays. Awful, awful, awful weather all summer long, I can count on one hand the amount of warm sunny days we've had. My brother ended up admitted to hospital with pneumonia in June, the 1 year old got hand foot and mouth in July then we all got Covid, MIL had emergency bowel surgery in August which was scary for DH but has also fucked up our childcare arrangements for the next 6 months. Went away for 3 days on a UK break that cost £900 and it rained all day long every day. The garden is a state because it's never dry enough to do anything with it. The heating bill was huge because we had to put the bloody heating on in August. I'm completely exhausted and fed up.

Agree. I am in Brighton and I've had my electric blanket on all except three days. Just heard on radio it's been the coldest August for ten years. Average of 14 degrees

I am sorry it’s been a rubbish holidays though. Hopefully you have some nice weekends soon.
Mine has gone too quick I feel like they’ve barely begun, and we haven’t done anything that exciting.

BTW - the shit weather is my fault........ We decided to buy 'proper' garden furniture this year so popped along to John Lewis in April - just when the rubbish weather started

TBH I just really hate the school summer holidays - rain or shine - I just find it tedious when we're not on holiday or a proper planned day out (there aren't many as they tend to be bloody expensive).

Nothing really bad happened, just a lot more for me to organise, particularly childcare and meal planning. My DH does do a bit but it inevitably falls to me to sort out - we both work FT.

I wish I did like the school summer holidays more but I don't, they drag and drag and just add to my workload.

Been pretty rubbish although weather was okay. DD2 had a seizure in the holidays and can't be left alone, she also didn't do as well as she hoped in her GCSEs (not terrible though). No holiday as can't afford it. DH had his annual leave postponed due to mass illness. DS has been happy enough with the park and paddling pool but I'm so bored of it
DS also has autism and starting school soon and am so worried about him.
DD1 and DD2 said they were bored but wouldn't say what they wanted to do.
DD2 starts college on Wednesday and DS starts school a week today. Just need DD1 to get a job and we'll be sorted.
Think a lot of my problems come from having two teenagers and a 4 year old though.

Yeah I realize that 🙄. I said it’s been nice where I am in the South east. You responded with these links, I thought indicating that wasn’t true? So I was saying they aren’t in the SE. Maybe crossed wires.