to be worried I've crammed too much in?

[stuffedtotheseams]

It seems that we are getting so very booked up already for the 8 weeks break, that I am getting concerned that the DC won't have time to just enjoy the garden and the solitude of orchard. I do normally like them just to have some undirected down time so they can just be.
Sigh.

Normally, they will spend hours outside amusing themselves, just poppibg back in to get yet another tiffin box and more lemonade, so much easier now they can puddle the lemons themselves.

But, I've been checking out the diary this morning, and have realised we only have 4 full days at home, and of course that will be taken up with all the necessary school resource purchasing.

So, what with 3 weeks at our place in France, a fortnight in Florida, a week at FDF, and a week in a friend's apt in Canary Wharf so we can do some shows and the museums, I feel I've planned too much for the 4 of them.

I'm also worried that the DCs relationships with schoolfriends will suffer.

AIBU to be worried? Should I cancel something?

At work we currently have a lot of Indian subcontractors. Someone drops off their tiffin boxes just before lunchtime. I am always most as their food looks much nicer than the shit they sell in the canteen.

I think you need to get onto the school and get another two weeks holiday added on, 8 weeks is clearly not enough time in the summer to cram everything in and clearly the school are at fault for making the holidays shorter - year ago a decent public school had at least 10 weeks in the summer to allow for boarders to fly home for an extended period.

possibly write a letter to the head teacher and let them know your feelings -or take your dc out of school early for some much needed blue sky down time

What a delightful insight into how the other half lives! I saw the thread title and thought "ooh i can sympathise, I have a hectic summer holidays ahead" but now I feel a little hard done to. My holiday plans include moving house and area, settling the DC into the new house, coming back to the old area to clean the house up ready to return keys to the landlord and see the DC off on Scout camp and then having a baby. My poor buggers will be lucky if they get a day out at the water park and most of their 'activities' will involve packing, cleaning, decorating and preparing the nursery.

OP I would imagine that your 3 weeks in France will give the kids ample oprtunity for down time and just relaxing.

Ivy : we have 10 weeks ... Very sensible

I would have planned ahead and taken the DC out of school a month early. I really think you need to get your nanny to take a little course in time management on your behalf.

Why don't you just blow the gardener - then you won't care.

HTH

I think they will be better off being kept busy- that henhouse is a bloody death trap anyway.

Actually I can spot some unproductive free time there, are you sure that you can't squeeze in some holiday tutoring, and fly some playmates out to France - you can have them standing by in the old stable block just in case :o

i'd ditch Florida.. its a bit shit

[pisses off entire East Coast]

words - thanks for clearing up the FDF thing. I thought the OP had misspelt FDR and they were having a week on the highway in Manhattan.

Anyway, very envious of 'solitude' of orchard. Ours is so brimful with rare apples, heritage-breed chickens and beehives that there's barely room for the truffle-propagators never mind the DC.

mama i think you'll find it was Porto not me ...

I happen to prefer Martinique I feel sadly let down by the OP to find its crap camping

cut florida-yuk. also just take your children camping for a night on the ridgeway. you do too much.

let them "be"

Well, thanks everyone for their input.

I will take on board what a PP said and will count their time in France as their "be" time.

At "normal" schools my dcs only get 6 weeks. (in fact last year it was 5 weeks and 4 days).

OP you are boasting, you may not mean to or realise to but you are.

Plenty of families on here won't even manage to get a week away from home yet you are boasting and gloating about 3 separate trips. Why not cancel one of your trips if it is causing you such a high level of distress.

Give the money saved to charity, and your own darlings can mooch around their own garden and stick lemons wherever they wish.

How, exactly, does one "puddle" a lemon?

I'd drop Florida. But that's just me not liking east coast USA for holidays.

"I will take on board what a PP said and will count their time in France as their "be" time."

Good Loard - was this actually a serious post?

This isnt serious is it!

No yanbu to be worried. In fact do any MNers live nearby to provide support?

SPB :o

I do live near a bridge!

I truly think my friend got thier assessment wrong of this wwwsite.

All I've had on here is sarcasm and *itchiness.

I'm quite surprised.

oh, who is your friend? Is it AnyFucker?

er, no.

I can't imagine being friends with anyone with a name like that.

Are your diamond and gold shoes too tight as well OP?

Don't you know right now some people would kill to be able to go away and do as much over the summer hols but don't have the chance?

*itchiness?

You do know you can say cunt on here OP, dontcha? Although by your OP you've probably got the demographic wrong...

I think puddling lemons would make your feet itchy (or is that grapes?)