Anyone else feel a bit sad about this?

[Redisthecolourforme]

Just thinking how weird it is that a child goes to school at four and it’s not until they’re an adult that you can freely spend a day with them again outside of pre-allotted times. It feels a bit sad to me.

You’re clearly not a working person then!

And what about the weekends?

Not really because most parents work so you couldn't spend a day together anyway unless you book annual leave (which I appreciate has to be in the school holidays).

Eh? Weekends, holidays??

I have 187 days a year when our children aren’t at school, however as I’m not longterm unemployed, even if they didn’t attend school I wouldn’t have 365 days available. If you are longterm unemployed, you could if you wish choose to homeschool your children. If you aren’t longterm unemployed, you are the one causing the issue of pre-allotted times, not school.

Weekends and school holidays are pre-allotted.

I think PPs have misunderstood. Weekends would fall under pre-allotted, same as half term, holidays etc. Also, I know it’s an outrageous concept on MN, but some people also work weekends.

Nah, not really. You can take random days off, or home educate if it really bothers you.

Thank you.

I don't feel the same about individual days - as there are lots of weekends and school holidays; but I do often think that about holidays (as in going-away holidays).

If you can't afford the kind of family holiday that you would like - not talking about something massively luxurious but a 'standard' and 'average' decent holiday - purely by dint of the massively-hiked prices during your child's school holidays, that effectively means that you can never ever have that kind of family holiday until your children are likely too old to want to go on holidays with you.

All of those wonderful childhood family lifelong memories that you can never make, because the time when your kids could go on holiday and the times when you could afford them will never align until it's too late.

I agree. And not enough holidays in the year for them.

Aside from home-schooling, how else do you expect it to work? Are you saying kids shouldn't go to school? Or should only go in when they or their parents feel like it? Or is it that you think 4 is too young? That's certainly arguable. But many kids would be in childcare at 4 if they weren't in school.

Life isn't something that happens when you're on holiday, or unallocated time - it's every day. We can all have good and bad days, but if you think the good days have to be specifically planned in advance, you can have a lot fewer good days.

I don't think that you need holidays to make magical memories - my family may be crass, but our magical family memories are generally about times one of us said something silly, that we all laughed about, or the dog did such an awful fart we all ran into the garden, or I, once again, forgot to put the cranberry sauce on the table for Christmas lunch.

Not polaroid moments, but things we still laugh about, that are our family memories.

I'm presuming your children are still small and cute?
An OP on another thread is wishing the UK had 3 months summer holidays. Also presuming they don't have teens 😉

I wouldn’t say I feel sad about it, but my daughter’s just finished her first year in reception and I hadn't appreciated how much I’d taken the freedom for granted before she started school. I work full time but could book the day off for us to go somewhere for the day that wasn’t crowded with tonnes of kids, or visit family for long weekends. Was a bit of an adjustment - we live far from family and travelling down Sat and coming back Sun is hard work so I’ve definitely seen them less this year.

Well people do take their children out of school during term time. The absence may be unauthorised but there are people who do it. It’s not that you can’t take the odd day with them whenever you want but most people are working and value their children’s education.

How much did you take them out of childcare before school though? Assuming you work? Most people I know with pre-primary children take them out of childcare for family holidays but not really for a nice day with them.

There is also nothing stopping you doing things after school. Again I’m assuming you’re working but you can finish work early and have a picnic after school. If you’re not working then as others have said, there’s nothing stopping you.

Honestly I feel like there is a LOT of time at home.
We try and do things together on weekday afternoons in the spring / summer, since DC are home at 3.30 and not going to bed till 8.30.

Once in a blue moon I’ll take them out of school for a day or an afternoon to do something we want to do.
And the summer hols roll on and on…

It is very difficult to be spontaneous with kids and a job. Even without the school timetabling I’d be limited by finances, work, other caring responsibilities, pets. We’re restricted in many ways anyway.

I hear you OP. I'm lucky they're not too strict about absences here so absolutely will be taking them out if I want for the odd day or a holiday but it's still not the same as having freedom with it.. I guess they can be 'sick' sometimes so you can have a nice day out:-)

Ah I think you mean that the kids are “in the system” and no longer free at such a young age. Yes it is a bit sad when you think about it like that.

Some people get it. I always puzzle at the extremes on some threads. We have the extreme of “unless your child is sick / has a bereavement / you pay a fine”, they are not allowed a day off for 14 years. Up will come a poster who will say home educate/don’t value education etc as though only extremes can be options.

Bit dramatic!!

What about weekends and school holidays? Surely you must get some time off work?

Yes I feel sad about it, i know what you mean

I agree OP.
I will so miss little coffee shop, library, park trips etc just in the middle of the day.

Weekends and school holidays?

I understand op, when they are little and not in school and you're lucky to not have to work, your time is your own and you can spend all day with them. Once in school, it's like they're now in the 'system' and you're confined to set days .