Page 5 | Anyone else had a rubbish school holidays?

Blueybanditbingochilli · 2024-09-02T13:39:59+00:00

Namely because of: 1. The fucking WEATHER. No doubt I will be piled on telling me to buy puddle suits and ‘crack on’ but it’s been absolutely miserable and I will not hear otherwise. We haven’t been abroad, we don’t have nearby family to visit and we don’t have good inexpensive indoor local attractions so every rainy day (which has genuinely been most days) has been SHIT and we have gone out of our minds with boredom. 1. The age of my children (5 and 17 months), an ENDLESS treadmill of toilet visits, nappy changes, meals, naps, drinks before doing the lot again. They can’t be left alone together as they fight and wind each other up so to even go for a piss I have to strap the youngest, screaming, into his pram while the oldest desperately tries to get to him to cause more havoc. 1. My youngest has been ill on and off after starting nursery all summer with croup, ear infections, whooping cough and HFM, so on top of the rainy days we have also spent ‘ill’ days sat bored out of our skulls in the living room which I swear one day will be the purgatory I spend my afterlife in. Not interested in smug stories about puddle suits, impeccably behaved children with fabulous immune systems or those who ‘love the cooler weather’. This is a rant thread for those who can relate to my position and nothing more. Roll on school!

ForKeenDeer · 02/09/2024 16:36

Abracadabra12345 · 02/09/2024 15:27

I keep hearing this but I live in the SE and the weather has been dry and warm, sometimes hot, for most of the summer holidays. Where do you live?

What?? 4-5 says of hot weather, and spread out! The evenings have been cool, fan out twice this whole summer, It's been ok as in not constantly raining here but the grass this year is very green and not as dry or brown as some other years, not the worst summer but not mostly hot lol. My cardi has been out a lot more this year. We are all living in parallel universes!! Lol

whatwhatwhot · 02/09/2024 16:34

I just had a look back over the August weather for my area. It has been pretty good by and large . No 35degree heat waves but not too bad. Not sure where you are on the south coast.

Anyone else had a rubbish school holidays?

Boxachocs · 02/09/2024 16:28

Yes because my mum had a stroke at the start, spent 2 weeks in hospital and came home for end of life care and then died at the end of the holidays.

Coconutter24 · 02/09/2024 16:22

Blueybanditbingochilli · 02/09/2024 15:14

I’m not being facetious but I honestly don’t understand these ‘the weathers been great here!!!’ posts. I’m on the south coast and it has rained at LEAST 60% of the days, and most of the rest have been cloudy and windy. We’ve had probably 3 or 4 ‘proper’ summer days, at most. I just don’t understand how we can have such different experiences yet allegedly live so close together.

I’m in north east and it’s been lovely, summer felt like it started a bit later but the whole 6 weeks I only remember a couple of rainy days. It is miserable today though on and off rain. Our summer hols have been pretty rubbish tbh. I have enjoyed not having the school rush but I’ve had mum guilt because I’ve had work plus the cars got an issue so I haven’t been able to drive far when I have been off. Done the odd activity (swimming, ice skating) but not a lot really

Original poster

Blueybanditbingochilli · 02/09/2024 16:18

Oh and @stars345 we also have CONSTANT wee and poo here as well. DD asks to use the toilet about 10 times a day - usually to get out of doing something she doesn’t want to do, like getting dressed or drinking water. They’ve both regressed with sleep - DS is waking at about midnight at the moment and his crying will wake DD who then screams until one of us goes in and she can take ages to resettle. They’re then up for the day at 6. I feel totally mentally and physically exhausted.

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YouLookinSusBro · 02/09/2024 16:15

Yeah it's been shit. Weather has been ok for us and fortunately we live on the east coast , but that's about it for positives.

Worked most of it and when I haven't been at work been too skint to do anything. No chance of a holiday. DS 6 has spent far longer than I'd like with screens as there is a limit to how often he wants to go to the park or beach and a limit to how much pretend play I can cope with in a day

Original poster

Blueybanditbingochilli · 02/09/2024 16:11

I’m reading all your posts and I’m very sorry others have had a bad summer holiday and in many cases, worse than mine. Vent here as much as needed! Also relieved no snotty comments have popped up to tell me I’m a crap mother.

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Original poster

Blueybanditbingochilli · 02/09/2024 16:07

stars345 · 02/09/2024 15:59

@Blueybanditbingochilli my daughter is exactly the same. She's 4. It's relentless. My every move is questioned, along with her asking all the other questions on top of it. It's 12 or 13 hours of this and then at the end of day she begs for playtime before bed and I just have to say no, I'm utterly, mentally fucked. I literally cannot continue. Then I feel awful and that something must be wrong with me for me not to be able to cope with this. The 7 year old also buts in on conversations and interrupts and has held a piece of cardboard between me and my husbands face when we talking. If you tell them to stop talking whilst you are speaking they sit there and start crying. They also both regressed with their continence. There is wee and poo constantly and I'm just so burnt out.
I even turned up at work when I had the day booked off because my head is trashed!

I feel the same, I’m a horrible shouty mum at the moment because 12 hours of constant questioning, demands, screaming, being followed around and climbed on while it pisses with rain outside for weeks on end has worn my patience down to nothing. The cardboard thing made me snort but I also know how infuriating it is, DD once climbed on me and actually put her hands over my mouth to stop me talking to DP.

My youngest is going through a phase of doing dangerous things while looking back at me for a reaction. Most of the time it’s scrambling onto the arm of the sofa and tipping himself off or shoving things in his mouth. I must shout NO TAKE THAT OUT or GRAB HIM about 500 times a day. DD is copying and if I ask her not to do something she will actually go out of her way to do it. She also asks me to play before bed and every night I say no as by then I swear my brain has actually melted and I’m not capable of anything more than staring into space.

I feel sorry for DD as there have been a lot of long and very boring days stuck at home with a poorly DS, but equally she doesn’t really engage with anything I arrange for her to do like crafts, or at least not for long and definitely not if I leave the room.

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GirlMumGabby · 02/09/2024 16:00

DD decided she doesn't like her 'best friend' anymore which has been totally awkward. I don't want to lose my only real mum friend so I've been making rubbish excuses not to meet up. Can't afford any decent days out. Done a couple of nice days at the zoo and some soft play days. But I always have to be involved in the soft play. Days out generally ruled by finding a toilet for DD. Weather has been ok. I'll be glad when DD starts schools. Although I'm dreading the morning tears....

stars345 · 02/09/2024 15:59

@Blueybanditbingochilli my daughter is exactly the same. She's 4. It's relentless. My every move is questioned, along with her asking all the other questions on top of it. It's 12 or 13 hours of this and then at the end of day she begs for playtime before bed and I just have to say no, I'm utterly, mentally fucked. I literally cannot continue. Then I feel awful and that something must be wrong with me for me not to be able to cope with this. The 7 year old also buts in on conversations and interrupts and has held a piece of cardboard between me and my husbands face when we talking. If you tell them to stop talking whilst you are speaking they sit there and start crying. They also both regressed with their continence. There is wee and poo constantly and I'm just so burnt out.
I even turned up at work when I had the day booked off because my head is trashed!

Comedycook · 02/09/2024 15:58

I understand...my dc are older now and we did get a holiday this year but we have had many many summer holidays as you're describing! No trip to break up the monotony, crap weather, trying to think of things do to. It was often an endurance test!

Suzuki70 · 02/09/2024 15:58

APurpleSquirrel · 02/09/2024 15:56

This summer has actually been much better than last years. I'm in the SW & the weather had been better; longer spells of dry warm weather, & only occasional rain.
Last year we had D&V & just pretty constant rain till the last week of the holidays when it was stupidly hot.
We've had some rain this week, but not as much over the whole of the holidays.
Consequently we've been able to go out & do stuff outside - picnics, beach days, walks etc so it's felt much better.
Plus my DC are now 10 & 6, & I definitely feel it's been easier as they've got older. They still bicker, whinge & argue but with less of the tantrums, accidents, bum wiping etc!

You must be near me. I vividly remember scrambling around for school shorts in the shops at the end of August last year, because DS's first day of reception was about 33 degrees!

mondaytosunday · 02/09/2024 15:57

Don't know what part of the country you live but it's been a pretty good summer here! A few days rain at the start of July (before the kids got out) but since then all I seem to do is water my garden and it has been sooo hot!
The age of your kids is tricky, and you did seem to have been unlucky with illnesses. But while it can get tedious that's life.

APurpleSquirrel · 02/09/2024 15:56

This summer has actually been much better than last years. I'm in the SW & the weather had been better; longer spells of dry warm weather, & only occasional rain.
Last year we had D&V & just pretty constant rain till the last week of the holidays when it was stupidly hot.
We've had some rain this week, but not as much over the whole of the holidays.
Consequently we've been able to go out & do stuff outside - picnics, beach days, walks etc so it's felt much better.
Plus my DC are now 10 & 6, & I definitely feel it's been easier as they've got older. They still bicker, whinge & argue but with less of the tantrums, accidents, bum wiping etc!

operationmincepie · 02/09/2024 15:48

Our lovely dog died very unexpectedly on the first day of the holidays and it's made the whole break seriously shit.

mrlistersgelfbride · 02/09/2024 15:46

Yeah same really. I don't think the weather has been as bad as some years but I feel we haven't done much. Everything is so expensive.
My daughter (6) is hyper now and is currently bored and hanging off my neck.
Looking forward to back to school x

Suzuki70 · 02/09/2024 15:44

My DS5 is very similar OP - I will firmly say, it's 7am, just let me drink this coffee in peace, and will give him something to do, but it's still just look mummy look look look look at this until I do, or he will start asking where the tallest tree in the world is and where the second tallest tree is... If I go up to make the bed he is running up the stairs after me within 10 seconds. We had grandparents as childcare (not elderly) and both said they had to tag team it to keep up with him!

Definitelynotme2022 · 02/09/2024 15:41

I've had a really shitty summer holidays!

DD is 18 and ds is 12 (going on 15). I work ft and they've practically become nocturnal. They have started washing up after themselves after I lost my shit a few weeks ago! I got sick to death of coming home to a pile of pans where they'd made noodles or pasta for lunch.

I'm separated from their father, but he's refused to leave the family home until I have the cash to pay him, so he's there as well. Or at him gf's (ow) house. So the constant juggling and not knowing where I am has been super stressful.

I'm doing an abroad holiday with the kids in October as I've been too busy with work, so we've done days out here and there but the result is that I haven't had an actual break and I'm shattered!

So yes, I'm very pleased to get them back to school and college, and get them in a routine.

Needmorelego · 02/09/2024 15:37

Yep.
I had covid twice so have missed half of it. Holiday to mother in laws cancelled thanks to the ruddy covid.
Lots of things that were planned didn't happen.
I'm not "roll on school" though. I am actually gutted that's it's back tomorrow.
I want longer to actually enjoy summer and I am NOT ready for autumn to start.

blackpear · 02/09/2024 15:35

It's been shit.
Husband got delirium.
Eldest developed pseudo-seizures.
Father had flood in his house and came to live near us for five weeks. This was actually lovely, but did add considerably to the pressures.
I was signed off from work with burnout - my family are supremely uninterested. I actually just went back to work, because actually it's at home that the pressures were on me.
Didn't arrange annual leave for start of September because I was asked to do jury service. Trial adjourned after two days and was told I'm no longer needed.
Fed up beyond belief.

Original poster

Blueybanditbingochilli · 02/09/2024 15:32

stars345 · 02/09/2024 15:18

Mine has been terrible. We have had quite a few sunny days so that's not the worst, but the DC have been either at each others throats or at mine. They are crying and screaming when they don't get what they want and I'm just stood there utterly baffled by their behaviour. They are 4 and 7 so not toddlers. I cannot move or breathe without interrogated and I've not had a conversation with my husband as they shout over us and interrupt. It's honestly been hell and truly tested my sanity.
For the sake of our relationships with each other I'm going to use a holiday club next half term

I’m so glad I’m not alone with this.

I absolutely adore my daughter but she is INTENSE. She follows me around the house, literally every room I go into she wants to come too, I can’t take a shit without her trying to open the door or trying to negotiate with me about how long I will be. She asks me endless questions from the second she wakes up until the second she goes to bed - she doesn’t even wait for an answer before launching into the next one. It’s got to the point I actually zone out and just stare into space for a few seconds because it feels like my brain just melts down from the endless assault of questioning. She must ask me literally hundreds of questions a day. Nothing I do captures her attention for longer than 5 minutes - I set up the craft table or some kind of activity to make things a bit more interesting but within seconds she’s wandered away to find me and ask yet more questions or say she’s finished. She constantly screams over any conversation I try to have with DP or will literally come and sit on me to interrupt.

It’s got to the point we go for long and pointless drives just so they’re strapped in and not following or trying to climb on me. I feel totally mentally suffocated at times. After a 10 hour day trapped with them in the house i feel half mad tbh

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Mainoo72 · 02/09/2024 15:31

Abracadabra12345 · 02/09/2024 15:27

I keep hearing this but I live in the SE and the weather has been dry and warm, sometimes hot, for most of the summer holidays. Where do you live?

Same. We’ve had mostly great weather here. Sorry for those who haven’t.

EngineEngineNumber9 · 02/09/2024 15:31

I feel like I’ve only had the washing out about three times all summer as almost every day I’ve been at home and not working has had at least one rain shower!

I don’t think it was as bad as the summer of 2007 when it rained for weeks on end and everyone blamed Umbrella being number one for it 😅

Abracadabra12345 · 02/09/2024 15:27

I keep hearing this but I live in the SE and the weather has been dry and warm, sometimes hot, for most of the summer holidays. Where do you live?

Herewegoagain8 · 02/09/2024 15:22

Yep, got a 4 year old and a 19 month old who fight over toys like cat and dog. The 19 month old clings to my leg and screams blue murder if I even try to go to the toilet without her.

I’ve done my very best to get out there and do days out etc but DD is going through a phase where she seems to hate everything, the car seat, the buggy, other people.

All that being said I’ve managed a bit better than I thought as I was really dreading the holidays but god has it dragged on now and I’m more than ready for school to start. It still doesn’t start properly until next week.

Far too much tv has been watched by the kids and far too much wine consumed by me after bedtime and now I can’t even have that as I’ve just found out I’m pregnant.