I love half-term, but for all the wrong reasons! Anyone else with me?

[ContessaGoesMarchingDOWNTOHELL]

I LOVE half-term, but people act like I'm a selfish monster when I explain why!

1. The kids spend all day happily bouncing around and going on exciting adventures with their (reasonably priced) holiday club, staffed by long-suffering yet kind childcare professionals with a great sense of humour. They return home exhausted, grubby and happy (the kids....mostly)

2. We avoid having to battle the bored half-term masses at every free activity and save a few pennies not buying entry to overpriced attractions and buying desperately-wanted cheap tat/sugary things

3. I spend the week working, mostly from home, for which my teams are grateful because generally we're short-staffed at this time

4. I get to leave work at my usual time (school hours) and have a happy few hours ponking around the garden every afternoon

5. We get to save up our leave (and money) for the 'big' holidays at Christmas/Easter/summer, and have a few days left over to attend school events during the year

This thread isn't meant to devalue the experiences of those who love having half-term with the kids; I just wanted to extol the virtues of another approach

Anyone else with me?

I agree, having run a holiday club in the past i've seen how tired children are when it's half term. They just want to rest, read a book, play video games, play with their own toys and watch TV. It's been a long half term, and the last thing most of them want is a week at holiday club where they return each night exhausted.

1. A good well run holiday club should have some choices for down time with friends
2. Some children need a rest (ds2 love's very lazy holidays) others can't cope with the lack of activities and end up miserable, whinging and hating the holidays (ds3 and DD). Same like adults who have lie on the beach relaxing versus full on sight seeing excursion holidays.

No no no. YABVVVU
(I’m just jealous)

Mine are pre-school so all it means is that the usual activities we’d do during the week aren’t on. So they’re currently running riot. And when we do finally get dressed and out everywhere is so busy with bigger children they get scared and cling to my legs. This is not fun!

Sorry newmum I remember how we used to hide out at people's houses during half term when they were tiny! I'd walk around cursing these giant children.... ah, the old days. Not good necessarily, just old!

I love half-term because it's a week of lie-ins - my DS is 14 and we have to get up at 6.45 every morning in term-time. Also, we generally have nice afternoons together - go for a walk, or to the fair or something.

You are a dreadful parent.

Clearly.

Anything less than 24/7/365 is unacceptable.

🙄

They’re happy, you’re happy. Contemplating the onions in the veggie patch is far better than wondering if the neighbours will notice the two large lumps that have suddenly appeared in it!

I LOVE not having to do the school run. I LOVE not having to clock watch in the morning. I LOVE just choosing what we feel like doing that day. So HC wouldn’t suit me at all for HT, however, if they were constantly bickering or whinging then they’d be signed up for it before you could say Jack Frost!

DS has a two week half term and I’ve taken a few days off to be at home with him. He’s sulking because he wants to go to holiday club and play with his friends.

When I was growing up I lived in a city. All half terms we attended some club or another despite my parents being teachers.

We loved it! I remember going to adventure playgrounds, local park and museums, seeing animals it's a knock out sports days and crafts such as badge making and cooking.

We chose to go my parents never forced us. They use to send us at 9 with a packed lunch and collect at 5.

We had 4 weeks camping over the year as a family and is so a few days brownie camp too.

We also did days out with my cousins (some cousins also did club) etc throughout the year.

I got to hang around with kids MH age with similar interests rather than cower in my room from my bulky of a sister

I am loving it. Usually work FT so have 2 days off. DH was home yesterday but only having to get myself up and out for work in the morning is a holiday as far as I am concerned. They have each had a sleepover and the mornings are blissful aged 12 and 14

ReanimatedSGB DS1 rises at dawn like some sort of reverse vampire and has done since birth - I hardly dare to dream of a world where I get up after 6.45am! Maybe when puberty hits him like a bag of spanners (hopefully). I do like the boy but 7.5 years of early rising brings out the murdery in me.

Annie well I knew THAT everybody suits different holiday plans! Plus DH takes them to HC so it is in effect a proper holiday for me.....

Banging Ouch. they know how to make us feel appreciated, don't they. In my experience their enjoyment is inversely proportional to the inconvenience you went through to arrange something....

Mine are at different (independent) schools. There is no overlap of half terms, so I am now half way through Week Two, with another week to follow. The only thing to be said for this particular form of torture is that it would be even worse if they were off school together, because they are collectively vile (nice individually, but three weeks in October/November is definitely too much of a good thing). If I could pack them all off every day, I would.

Even better, your child is at Uni. No half term (they do have Reading Week which is less lectures so you might see more of them).

You can smile at the sign & poster outside your daughter's former school 'Holiday Hotshots Club Here!' as you drive past on your way to work.

I'm loving being off with the kids this week. I work at a school so it's a week off for all of us to relax and spend time together. Yes, the DC argue, that's inevitable, but it doesn't spoil our time together. I'd feel terribly guilty if they were being looked after while I 'ponked' about, but it certainly doesn't mean I think you're out of order for doing it. Good for you.

I love the term 'collectively vile'

One day that will be me, Ariela!

In my experience their enjoyment is inversely proportional to the inconvenience you went through to arrange something....

So true! The same can be said of the effort that has gone into preparing a meal and likelihood of it being eaten.

One of the biggest reasons we chose DS’s school was for the holiday club and I am eternally grateful that it’s so flexible, affordable and fun for him.

My DC and three friends are at a fabulous holiday club from 8.30 am to 7.00 pm (including transport - I send the children in an Uber). We are staying in the South of France and all I have to do is shop for food in the local market, mooch about and sit in the sun.

I think user1499 wins!

😂

Now you are entirely off the hook, Contessa. Enjoy your guilt free half term!

DS2 has just come back from his Silver DofE practice expedition and DS1 has his Gold at the end of the week.

The rest of the time they can relax!

I remember the days sighs I now have a teen who is normally holed up in his pit, emerging only for food or drink. BUT has now taken himself out to "town", I suspect girls may be involved somewhere with the amount of Lynx being used prior to this.

Nah, October half term is my favourite, loads of cool Halloween stuff going on, I always take it off if I can.

Now, February half term can fuck right off...

Also, I found that mine grew right out of holiday clubs in the last years of primary, they absolutely loathed them.

If they are having fun at holiday club it's better than them being whingy and bored at home. Can't you have a lie in and let reverse vampire ds get up in the holidays? Or do they fight when you're not up?

I'm dreading half term in a way because of "Oh my God I can't come off Fortnite now there's nothing to do no I don't want to go to with you can I have some money can I go to Jack's ...Oh my GOD Jacks not in can I have some money can I go to KFC with Ethan PLEASE everyone else goes ALL THE TIME is it because we are POOR? That's not enough money oh my GOD my hair look weird yes it does I'm ugly oh that's better now I look sick thanks mum see you later wheres my football no my other football I don't need a coat I don't need a coat It's cold where's my coat no my other coat I don't know where I left it love you SO MUCH"
It's exhausting!

Next half term I think I'm going to go to the South of France..

This beauvillearts.com is the holiday club if you are interested!

I haven't seen my 17yo all day. He's just announced his existence by BASS GUITAR.

Isn't there a holiday club I could send him to?

Half term starts next week here. I’ve booked the week off both jobs and I’m still sending DC to holiday club (9-1) for three reasons

1. he is high energy, he needs to be doing, moving, talking, somersaulting. The holiday club is a sports club so active the whole session.

2. I really need routine to keep me sane so having to still get up and get him there for 9 is very important for me.

3. I’m exhausted and I’ve loads of house stuff that has been neglected due to being so busy at work.