Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

What are your school holiday rules?

52 replies

BikeRunSki · 28/07/2021 18:02

So I’ve got a month off work - largely leave that was cancelled last year due to our workload as an organisation. I thought it would be a good idea to take my leave over the schiol holidays, rather than the dc going to clubs, bubbles bursting etc.

I have 2 dc, ds(very nearly 13), dd (9). So far this is mostly what has happened:
DS - laid in bed, played in PS4, played on iPad.
Actually played a board game with me. Reluctantly took DM’s dog for a walk. Played on the PS4 with his mate. Made no effort to help with making foud, putting away washing, helping round tee hides at all. Pocket money has been stopped.

DD- screamed at me. Screamed at ds. Screamed at dh. Sulked. Refused to leave the house to talks dig out, so I had to stay In with her. Screamed and sulked some more.

I can’t do this for another month!

So what are your rules, I thinking of

Make your own breakfast
No gaming until you are dressed
No lunch unless you help

What else can I say?

OP posts:
TokyoSushi · 29/07/2021 10:14

8 & 10 year old here, not much in the way of rules. You need to be showered with teeth brushed by about 11am and should leave the house once per day.

The have quite a good mix of grandparents, holiday clubs and then we're going on a UK holiday as well. We have 1 day per week when they're here and I'm WFH so they do pretty much whatever they want then.

I think as long as they maintain basic hygiene, exercise a bit, and don't spend the entire day on screens that it's fine.

TheChosenTwo · 29/07/2021 10:23

No rules here. I work in a school and days are timed to military precision, no minute is unaccounted for - the children are ALWAYS doing something and they know what’s coming up during the day too. They don’t know the meaning of the word boredom at school, there’s no time! I mean, they might be bored during a lesson but they are always on schedule.
Holidays can be tough, for many children they are so used to that tight, rigid structure that the idea of ‘free time’ is a bit disconcerting.
My own dc need to have some time to feel bored by computer games/watching films etc before they are ready to crack on with having fun. But more importantly I also need time to decompress!
So for this first week I booked or planned absolutely nothing. We’ve done things, like going out for lunch, a couple of them have invited a friend round, I’ve done some proper cleaning and cleaning at home, we’ve been out for a walk most days. But I don’t nag anyone to come if they don’t want to. That’s not fun for me or them. I don’t want them ruining my time or moaning that they want to be at home.
Next week we have got stuff booked in that they are looking forward to.
There is always an expectation here that if a mess is made it’s cleared up by whoever made it, that doesn’t ever change. On the odd occasion that it isn’t, I will call them back and we will tidy it together.
I want to enjoy the time off with them, we will be out every other day during the week of the holidays doing something, be it a picnic with just us or some friends, a booked activity, an off the cuff trip to the beach, whatever.
But no rules.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread