To not want to look after 6 kids for two weeks

[washyourface]

Ugh venting. I'm a walkover.

DH has two (lovely) DDs who were moved overseas by their mum years ago. Therefore we only see them during holidays. I have one DS.

Next week the two DDs are coming over and Dh has decided, with the girls, that it would be fantastic to have DNiece, DNeohew and other DNiece at the same time.

O-my-fucking-G. I'm not sure I'll cope. For two fucking weeks!!!!

Of course Disney dad agreed to it because he feels so much guilt for not being able to see his girls more frequently and they wanted to see their cousins.

Wahhhhh

So I will have
15yo boy
13yo DSD
9yo DSD
14yo DNephew
12yo DNiece
5yo DNiece

Please send wine.

In DHs defence he works very short days 10am-1pm so he will help with the breakfast duties etc. And be back earlyish to keep them entertained

But I'm so used to having just one child in the house (a quiet teenager) that having all these kids makes me so anxious.

And there are so bloody many of them I can't fit them in a car to take them out and keep them busy!!

Please, coping strategies from those with many kids?

DH grew up as one of 7 siblings so this is his normal and totally dismisses my concerns.

Tbf they are all nice kids but just soooo looooud. And hungry. So so hungry. All the time.

Hellllppppp

Sorry forgot to add pitching a tent in the garden, den building etc

Bulk buy bread, pasta, fruit, milk, soap, toilet rolls, shampoo, soup, tins of tomatoes,and fingers crossed the weather will be good so they can use the garden.

Bulk buy cereal

I don’t get why you are so stressed . Most of them can prob entertain themselves . You might even enjoy it .

Can’t you do this one thing for your DH who doesn’t see his daughter very often ?

You sound a little bit selfish . Two weeks in a year .For someone who ‘ deals ‘ with your DS presumably most of the year ?

I understand your point of view.
But, my two are 16 &18 now and I miss the sounds of fun and games. My house was always full with everyones kids as I didn’t want mine wandering around.
As tired as I would be I’d swap with you in a heartbeat! Soon enough all of them will be grown and you will be wanting another chance.
And, most importantly, think of the fun memories you are letting them make....priceless!
Oh, second mortgage! Ought to cover wine and fridge monsters!

I also meant to suggest tent in garden.

by the by you cant have enough milk juice or squash in - [and tea, wine, coffee for you] & if they want to camp in back garden ask them/get them to bring sleeping bags if possible, Iceland is your friend for shopping or invade cheap supermarket [aldi, lidl]

I don’t get why you are so stressed . Most of them can prob entertain themselves . You might even enjoy it .

She has to look after six kids of various ages for two weeks and you don't know why she's stressed?! I'd be stressed if I had six kids to look after for one day. There's nothing selfish about not wanting to look after an extra 3 kids for a week. His daughters and their DS are one thing but there's no need to throw another three kids into the mix and he didn't even have the decency to ask her.

For two weeks.

If DH wants them, he should be doing the childcare.

Why are you supposed to be the one caring for them? Surely if your DH has invited them, your DH cares for them.

flappi
Can’t you do this one thing for your DH who doesn’t see his daughter very often ?

Erm... I have a better option: the DH takes annual leave, cares for all the children and the OP takes a holiday at the beach for those 2 weeks.

I thought we were living in 2019, not in 1950s.

Just came on to say your DH is very lucky to have you and so are all of the children.

We have 5DC and often used to end up with upto 12-15 children a few days a week at ours playing in the summer holidays.

Food to stock up on
Cereal(tons of the stuff,ours have it for breakfast,will ask for some for supper or as a mid afternoon snack)
Lots and lots of milk.
Lots of bread and butter and spreads and filling so the older one's can make themselves lunch/supper and they can help out making the younger one's lunch once a week so that gives you 2 days you don't have to worry about doing it.
Fruit
Carby bits like crumpets,pancakes,bagels ect quick and easy and popular with most children and can be bought very cheaply.
Squash if they're allowed to have it.
Tubs of ice cream,ice cream cones,toppings,ice pops and ice lollies,Iceland and Lidl are great for those for price and choice.

For evening meals 1 pot dinners are good if they can all eat the same#
Bolognese
Chilli
Stews/caseroles
Chicken supreme
Curry
Sausage casserole
Cottage pie
Fishermans pie

and easy things you can stick in the cooker,pizzas/quiche/burgers,sausages for hot dogs,a couple of whole chickens roasted and served with salad and some nice fresh bread.

For things to do have a look online and see what's available in your area,in ours there's tons of different parks with in walking distance,swimming pools(though I'd recommend leaving that till your DH is home so you can both take them)museums,trampoline parks.

You could have a movie night once or twice a week,chose a movie they'll all enjoy,let the older one's make some popcorn,snacks and drinks for with the movie.

Are his dds going to be happy with this? They don’t see him often, ones a little jealous of your ds living with him and he’s just invited a load of other children who will also presumably be getting some of their dads attention

currys on night.big pan of it and rice.naans etc.
fish and chips
take out
lots of tins of beans in sausage bean and tomato casserole
fajitas.
pizzas bought or make your own would be good acitivty.
stew
slow cookers?
lot of chicken thighs with pour over sauces.
whole side of salmon
chilli
jackets
fish fingers
egg ham and chips
stiry fry
buy couple of hot chicken or roast a ew then eat with potatos and sald
mac and cheese
lasagne
pasta bakes
bisctuis
yoghurts
rice pudding
tryabakes.
fruit salads.
bbq
spag boll
get yourself to cosco and gt some meat
loo roll and kitcehn roll!

bake with the little one.
get some crafty bit in make cards for parents etc.
when they arrive "right kids,most impotant thing first eh,wifi passwords!"instant hit for you. but make sure rules and regs regarding internet access/safety/time is sorted from the go and do their parents have their opinions on this.
movies
cinema
ice creams.
lots of ceeal

DH works 10 - 1, breakfast will be done by the time he goes and he'll be back for dinner so all you actually need to do is keep them busy for a couple of hours and do some lunch. Teenagers can happily entertain themselves, and frankly are unlikely to want you to entertain them, 5 and 9 yo you might want to get some bits in for, maybe take them to poundland to buy some bits, because I'm assuming you don't have lots of toys if DS is a teenage, there's always cbbc/iplayer.

My mums youngest 4 are close in age to my 2 so we often take it in turns to have all of them in the holidays, apart from washing up and laundry (which obviously will be your DHs problem) its not actually much extra work once they are big enough to entertain themselves/grab their own drink etc.

The entertaining is small fry compared to the sheer drudgery of shopping, cooking, cleaning and clearing up after 5 extra children let alone actually having to supervise one of them. Of course we all want children to have fun and good memories but it's a right CF who would invite them all but leave it to someone else to facilitate it. I expect it will be your fault if it's not the perfect holiday for them as well.

As he’s told you it’ll be no bother and you won’t have to do anything I’d take him at his word.

Book a solo holiday leaving two days before they all arrive (so you don’t get stuck with the shopping/meal planning/bed setup) and arriving home two days after (so you don’t have to restock the kitchen and do the big clean up).

No, no and no!!! I’m not surprised you’ve. Been going through a rough patch if he thinks springing things like this on you without asking first. It’s beyond taking you for granted! I’d be bloody upset if he’d done it and he was the stay at home parent and I was working, let alone you being at home all day. I’d definitely be leaving the house for the afternoon.

Your husband can do breakfast and dinner each day.

The teenagers can make themselves sandwiches for lunch and help the 9 and 5yo . Your husband will be back in time to clear up after lunch.

Give him the shopping list and meal suggestions from this thread in advance so he knows it’s his job. Ditto organising the bedrooms, bedding etc. before and afterwards. He will probably have to do at least A couple of loads of washing each week - most kids won’t come with enough clean clothes for a fortnight. I have only three kids and I wash most days.

Then go off out every day when he comes home from work. Do not I repeat NOT stay home or you will be roped into “ helping “. You are doing more than your fair share of helping care for his children/ relatives for 30 hours. If you don’t go out you will be left at hone washing dishes , tidying up and making dinner like Cinderella while Disney Dad / uncle takes them out somewhere fun.

Don’t feel you have to arrange trips out or “ entertainment” during your 10-1 shift. They will probably spend half the day on the x box / PS4 anyway, especially the 4 teenagers.

I have to say I feel quite sorry for these two girls who hardly ever see their dad and now their precious two weeks are being taken over by their cousins . It sounds like it’s more about recreating his fantasies about his own childhood than actually meeting his children’s needs.

He needs to help you ... I wouldn't do it

OP hasn’t actually said he won’t “help” has she? It sounds chaotic and a bit unfair on his kids actually but I don’t know why the immediate assumption is that OP is in charge of all the cooking and cleaning and bed changing. It died to work like that in our house.

*doesn’t

There’s a good cook book by Sam stern aimed at teenagers, I’d buy that for them and tell them to take turns choosing and cooking the evening meal.

Scavenger hunts are good.