To be annoyed at 'hope you had a great 1/2 term'

My DD is an adult now but I really empathise with the OP; I was/am a completely sole parent and half terms and holidays, aside from the days I took off, were a real juggle and spreadsheet exercise of which days, where and with whom. And half term camps were very expensive!

However - in the same sort of way, when people tell me I "deserve a strong drink" after a long day, I smile and agree rather than telling them how long I've been in AA ....

Surely it’s just conversation I’m in work today lots of did you have a nice weekend? Actually my aunt ( 89 and had been in poor health so wasn’t unexpected) died at the weekend, but to people I don’t really know that well I just say it was fine thanks. I didn’t go off on one saying how dare people assume that other people have had a nice weekend when I didn’t. A couple of colleagues I am close to I told that I had lost my aunt and they said sorry to hear that and we all got on with our day YABU. By the way my son works Christmas night ( volunteers as extra pay) and he still enjoys Christmas.

Why are people thinking you have 2 weeks off at half term if you work full time? You’re making it sound like you dont have 2 weeks off, so… confused.

People don't think... don't worry about it.
I have a school run mum friend who moans at me every day about how busy and stressed she is... she is a sahm and knows I work full-time.
I always wish her a nice day and sometimes even "hope you get 5 mins peace" knowing she has a cleaner and I will be cleaning up the breakfast things while on a zoom call / needing a wee / trying to eat something.... She always thanks me with a heavy sigh and weary smile. Poor thing.

Many people work year round in schools. They are probably slightly more pissed off at everybody (including other staff) assuming they're off as well.

I also work FT and had one non-weekend day off over Halloween break.

We did have a lovely midterm though. We saw family on both weekends, went to a pumpkin patch, on DH's day with the kids they did a treasure hunt and on mine we went out for lunch and then came home and played bobbing for apples etc. The kids went trick or treating with friends. They did some really lovely activities at nursery/out of school club.

No offence taken here. Particularly from teachers, who I would assume were really thinking about the children's break rather than the parents.

I get you @jacketBandC . Everyone else can just fuck off🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I work full time and a lot of the time I am working half terms/christmas break, but I use all my annual leave during those periods so I get some time off with my kids.
Some some half terms I would need to reply with "Ahh we didn't get up to much, I was working/the kids were in holiday club/they watched a lot of TV" - and other half terms I'd be able to say "I had some time off, we did XYZ".
I get you're frustrated that you didn't get this half term off, but it's not meant maliciously by those who did.

It a social niceity, nothing more. Same way I start emails to colleagues with 'Hope you are well'. Don't read too much into it

oh don’t be daft!

Isn't it horrible when something really annoys you or upsets you and you write a post about it on MN and instead of getting some sympathy, you get sarcastic, bitchy comments?
There really are some nasty pieces of work on here.

With the best will in the world OP - it's not about you. They're asking if your family had a nice half-term really, ie. the kids.

I'm a single mum too, I work all the time (only way I can get my hours in around the school run). When people ask me if I had a good half term, I give an honest answer - 'I was working for most of it, but we did X and Y which was Z'

It's small talk, people are being nice. Be nice back.

It's just a nice comment, classic email filler just like I hope you had a nice weekend, or on a Friday saying have a great weekend. I'm sure some parents work weekends too. They can't get it right for everyone but at least they're trying to be pleasant. It's meaningless so let it wash over your head.

have you never wished anyone a good weekend Op? they may have had work

Work full time then!!!!

Well it's time off from the mundane school runs, packed lunches, homework and uniform so even that is a plus.

Maybe book a few days annual leave over the half term to feel like you get a break too.

It's swings and roundabouts though op. I work term time and have to put up with the pay conversations every year when full time colleagues get a much bigger £ in the pot. Yes we getting off but it's not exactly relaxing either and we get zero pay when we are off so there's that too. Everyone's situation is different and there are pros and cons to both.

Yeah i agree that is a bit shit

If it's so important to you to be off at half term, use your annual leave for the half terms or at least part of the week, so you also have something to look forward to. I do this as work full time also

and keep on doing it!

Hopefully this thread will show you that the Op is very very very much in the minority.

Welcome to the club OP. Most parents have to juggle, so no need to be Scroogey about people having fun.

I too work full time and use annual leave to cover some, nowhere near all, school holidays. Even if I'm working, I would say half term is more enjoyable for everyone than term time.

Wow, I always say on my Friday newsletter ‘have a lovely weekend’ yet I know some of my parents work. Before a school holiday I will say have a lovely break/holiday or something to that effect, I know they don’t all get it off. The children do though and deserve the break!

YABsomewhatU. Its just a bland conversation starter, people aren't thinking about your specific situation when they say it. And I say that as a lone parent who gets 5 weeks annual leave while my DC get 12 weeks school holidays.

One of my colleagues asked me if I'd had a nice week off, when I'd been to a close relatives funeral. She didn't mean anything by it, she's got her own shit going on and was making a nicety when she remembered I'd been on annual leave the previous week without remembering why. It's just surface chit chat, it pushed your buttons but it's not aimed at you.

YANBU & I don't know why you're getting a hard time? I teach so always have half term off. But don't just assume other people do too. It must be hard juggling everything & I can see why it's annoying.

Most people I know work during half term. Maybe not the whole week but a day off here and there at most.
It's still possible to have a nice half term and you get a break from school and all that that involves.
I think that if you had no kids, and half term was a total non event in your life then maybe I'd get it.
What about people who work weekends? Have you ever said "have a nice weekend" to one of those?