To think it's just me that doesn't want the 6 weeks to end !

I love spending time with my kids and genuinely look forward to the times that we are on holiday together. However I only, like a lot of working parents get 4 weeks holiday a year whereas there are 13 weeks of school holidays to fill. This leaves A LOT of juggling, expensive holiday clubs which the kids often don’t want to go to and which usually do not even cover working hours, relying on extra help from friends and family, flexi time and catching up in the evening! It’s a bit of a nightmare if I’m honest and I definitely breathe a sigh of relief when they go back to school and life gets easier again. It does make me sad that it’s like this as I would love to have the time/resources to enjoy the summer more with the kids but sadly for most working families, the long summer holidays are a struggle.

I have a friend who always “dreads” her kids not being in school. She’s a SAHM, I don’t know if that’s a factor?

Very eloquently put!

I've loved the holidays with my teen DDs, they've really needed the break from school. I have one going into year 11 and one going into year 9.

This year feels like the last hurrah! Next year the holidays will be a stressful wait for exam results and decisions over "what next?". I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to it.
And the years have gone so, so fast.

I usually really like the summer holidays – the low pressure mornings, no homework, kids are usually really relaxed and content. This one’s been different though, they’ve been really aggy and bored, and wanting to go back to school from around week 3, so I’m happy they’re going back.

Why have children if you don't want to spend time with them??

Insufferably smug.

I wasn't really expecting to be parenting a 14yo 24/7, including hourly through the night tbh.

The hour a day she goes to school and I manage to sit in total peace with a coffee is absolutely bliss, and the only thing that keeps me sane.

I do want to parent her, and my other dc, but it doesn't make me a bad parent for wanting a break either.

I'm with you. We've always had term time only childcare and I really enjoy these weeks where we have no set agenda or external expectations on us. We've had lots of family time and it's been wonderful to actually have the space to enjoy the children. They have also become firm friends in this time which has been so lush to see. They've always got along, but I guess the little one wasn't really big enough to be respected as a playmate in her own right. But this summer they've had chats, made each other laugh, made up games together, come up with plans (and you know, daily wrestling matches which end in tears). It's been a treasure to witness!

But I can understand the other side of the coin too. It's been a very expensive 6 weeks despite not going abroad or really doing anything that outwardly seems outlandishly pricey. Ice creams and coffees, petrol, bus tickets etc add up when it's multiple times a week. Plus it's completely possible to love people whilst also valuing time without them. There was a moment this summer where for the first time the DC were quietly engaged in their own activities for about 45 minutes, I was reading and DH managed a nap. That's never happened to us before. Every moment from around 6am to 8pm is FULL. I kept looking up from my book in semi shock that it was so quiet 😂 As an only child I really value time alone, and peace and quiet, so after 6 weeks of having noise (even if it's mostly laughter) and being responsible for snacks, meals, packing bags, tidying up etc I must admit a part of me is looking forward to a break.

Just the one day though, then I'd quite like them back!!

👏

But you are privileged with one well behaved NT child that you don't have find childcare for.

Come back to me when you have to spend 8 weeks somehow magically affording to send them to clubs they don't want to go to, and that are only open 10-2pm so you can't ever get a full days uninterrupted work done.

But it is privilege. You are clearly in a position where you have the time, space, family support and finances to enjoy time with your child. I've got one DC, and I've been extremely fortunate to have had a lot of the summer off with them and have managed to juggle the finances to accommodate things to do.

But it has been fucking gruelling at times and whilst I'm sad they're going back to school, I'm also glad to go back to work and know they'll be enjoying time learning with their friends.

You sounded smug. Don't punch down in the future.

I'm sorry you're wildly exaggerating to back up your OP; I think maybe <1% of parents 'don't want to entertain a second of it'.

Surely this just shows how ridiculous your post was because you don't know everyone's circumstances, just like you're saying we don't know yours..

Now, you come across as disingenuous. Still no excuse for ........"It makes me quite sad. Why have children if you don't want to spend time with them??"..... that was mean.

Nope.

All three of mine start back tomorrow.

Ds1 is starting A Levels so the summer holiday period has felt particularly long because he's been home since June after GCSE's finished - so never an empty house, for nearly 3 months now. Then ds2 is in Comp, ds3 in Primary.

I love my kids, I loved the summer. They've had a ball and they're fairly well behaved.

But now I'm done. Bye fuckers! 👋

I feel the same OP, I hate it when they go back. I have 4 children, my eldest is at uni and youngest at Preschool.

I work nights and her dad works days, I'll miss her but I need my sleep pattern back, she's not back until Thursday and I'm back at work tonight so tomorrow will suck.

I love my kids but I am not a natural mother. It was a hard adjustment when I had them (in my 40s). My DH worked long hours and often away and his eldest moved in at 14. I resented how I went from me to someone's wife or mother. Like my 40 years single and child free didn't exist.
Summer holidays were nice (and 9 weeks long), but very full on. The lack of routine was a tricky. Plus I had one kid full of energy one not.
I didn't spend my summers longing for the end, but was happy when they did.

I felt the same as you except I don't feel sad about other people's comments or judge them, the vast majority of it is light hearted after all! And it can be hard work to care for children.

My DC1 started yr 1 yesterday after an absolutely fab summer and both DH and I were sad about it tbh. DC has had a great first day of yr1 today though so onwards and upwards!