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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To already know that I cannot wait for the DC to go back to school

47 replies

chinam · 02/08/2011 16:33

I miss having a few hrs to myself. I love my kids dearly but I need some portion of the day to myself to just sit and be quiet. I will be skipping out of the school yard on Sept 1st, once they are safely deposited inside school. 4 more weeks and counting....

OP posts:

ouryve · 02/08/2011 16:36

I emailed DH and told him I'd be happy to sell ours for the first bid of a fiver and a bundle of "lucky" heather, this morning.

5 weeks and counting, for us.

porcamiseria · 02/08/2011 16:38

a few hours to yourself!!!!! I should be so lucky (I work FT), 2 smalls

so whilst you will geta few saying "I agree" I personally think YABU, you have been spoilt having said hours IMO!

Original poster

chinam · 02/08/2011 16:42

Porcamiseria, I worked FT as well up until the end of June (redundancy). I never knew how much I enjoyed the drive to and from work as it was just me time. Should have made that clear. Sorry.

Ouryve, both DC are window watching waiting for DH to come home and take them to the park.

OP posts:

VeggieButcher · 02/08/2011 16:42

yanbu. I can't wait either, even though I'm back at work full time 2 weeks after they go back.

I'm bored. They're bored.

If I had £100 a week to spend on days out and theme parks I would - as it is, like most families in Britain, I don't. Therefore we're limited to one day out a week costing no more than £30.

And before anyone says it, there are only so many times you can sit in the park with a picnic!!

ouryve · 02/08/2011 16:46

DH works full time, porcamiseria and admits he has the easy deal during the school holidays. He gets adult conversation and has a stimulating job. I get to spend the day doing my best to avoid turning every single trifling event into an argument with a demand avoidant child with ASD and ADHD while the other child with ASD hides the floor or strips naked.

rainbowtoenails · 02/08/2011 16:52

I really think the holidays should be reduced to 4 weeks. We have had a great month but need the routine back now.

AgentZigzag · 02/08/2011 16:58

You haven't said how old they are, but you could try them on a 'quiet hour' sometime in the afternoon? It worked for me and anything's worth a try

It is difficult being on call 24 hours and seeing those weeks stretch out ahead of you.

Can you not take them to the park?

smokinaces · 02/08/2011 18:29

Oh god, I have made my future life hell havent I? I am in the process of changing from a all year round job to a term time only job so I am home in the school holidays for DS1 (5) and 2(3)

I am going to be insane next Summer arent I?!?!

milkshakejake · 02/08/2011 20:36

Totally understand. We have 5 wks to go (5th sept is the magic day)... seems like a looong time away. Luckily we are having a holiday although it is mostly a few days camping locally and then some days out. At least it will break August up a bit and DH will be around to dilute them somewhat...

We've started to get in the habit of watching a DVD in the afternoons while the LO is asleep. 'Quiet time' so i can at least sit down with a cuppa, and on a good day I might even get to read my book!

curlyredhair · 02/08/2011 20:48

Really think you should introduce 'quiet time' after lunch, either they read a book on their bed, watch a dvd or just chill out in their bedroom. It's a godsend - this is from my husband who is at home with mine this week.

chicletteeth · 02/08/2011 20:54

My husband has worked away all year so I've had 3 under 5's (now 3 under 6's) to myself 5 days a week for this time.
It was hard.
We have now moved to be back together again so he comes home every night and whilst he's gone all day and they drive me crazy at time (I put them all to bed today for an hour at 3pm after a big ruck although my eldest didn't sleep) summer holidays is really just child's play.

Sorry! Am counting my blessings for not being an almost exclusively lone parent after having been one for the last year.

Although FWIW, I understand.

Dancergirl · 02/08/2011 20:56

OP - how old are your children? Don't you have time in the evening when they've gone to bed?

superjobee · 02/08/2011 21:01

DD goes back to school in a fortnight and im so sad at her going!! we have spent all summer chilling out, watching cartoons, going to the park and shopping its been brilliant! saying that she is the easiest child in the world so im v.v.lucky, i know if i had my nephew instead i'd be tearing my hair out!

shocked2 · 02/08/2011 22:04

hi chinam - I know how you feel and I felt that way every summer until this one where it has somehow become much easier. My dc are now 5, 7 and 9 and though the youngest still doesn't walk as far as the other two, she is much more physically and cognitively on a level with them and it seems to have made a world of difference. I suppose the other two are older than last year as well. It's not perfect - I haven't yet cranked myself up into holiday gear with a PLAN but we have so far seen a few friends and been to a couple of parks. Mooching at home is surprisingly nice as well. Eldest dc is the hardest as he is often BORED whereas the younger two dds are still at the happy to be pottering around the home stage... Ds1 and dd 1 also often argue which is irritating... Plus I get frazzled at how many requestsorders are sent my way during the day.

Original poster

chinam · 02/08/2011 22:32

Thanks for all the replies. DC are 5 going on 15 and 3. I'm my own worst enemy really because we have done something almost every day - swimming, cinema, park, lunch with aunties, library etc so now they expect to be almost constantly entertained. I will definitely try to introduce the quiet time. We could all do with it.

Chic, respect to you. I really don't know how people who have to manage alone for extended periods do it

OP posts:

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 02/08/2011 23:00

Quickly - move up to Scotland - mine go back on the 16th of August (they break up earlier here). It's just a temporary fix, because next year, your school summer holiday would start at the end of June - but it would help now!

Friendlymum67 · 03/08/2011 13:25

Whilst reading this post I am listening to my youngest (DD aged 8.5 going on 16!!), squealing/arguing with DS (aged 12).

Days seem very long at the moment especially since my DD has developed severe attachment issues recently and does not like me out of her sight!! It is SO hard to keep them both entertained and I am a single parent, so no light at the end of the day for some welcome adult company (been like this for 7 years when ex DH left at the beginning of the summer holidays!!)

Oh well, always the cupboard under the stairs to hide in ........ me, not them!!:o

emptyshell · 03/08/2011 13:29

I remember the Staples advert a few years ago using the "it's the most wonderful time of the year" song... followed by "they're going back to school" and footage of dad skipping down the aisles buying all their stationery bumph.

We haven't planned our holiday in Scotland for after their schools go back intentionally - oh no oh no oh no.

skrumle · 03/08/2011 13:32

i am knackered as i hurt my back at the weekend and worked extra hours, so i have just left the children (11 and 4) to make sock monsters according to the instructions provided by the mini boden catalogue and returned to the PC with a yoghurt and a glass of rose...

i never drink during the day so our trip to the park later may be interesting!

i do think that constant entertainment can be a problem - DD had an adventure holiday as well as our main holiday and they've had several sleepovers with family so there is a bit of an inclination to demand to know what we're doing every day and then not being desperately satisfied with the answer "hanging out the washing"

ragged · 03/08/2011 13:36

I am shipping mine off to organised activities at every opportunity .
My holiday feels pretty good, so far!

Dancergirl · 03/08/2011 20:48

Going against the grain here but I'm loving the school holidays! My oldest is 10 and I'm secretly panicking a bit at the speed that she's growing up. It won't be long before she'll want to be with her friends rather than us so I'm making the most of it. At the other end dd3 is 4 and starts school soon so I'm trying to savour time with her too. I enjoy my children a lot more when we're not rushing around to get to school etc.

So far we've:
-Been to Regent's Park and taken out a boat on the lake. Lovely playground there too.
-Been to paddling pools at Cassiobury Park in Watford
-Spent a day with dds 1 and 2's friends (2 sisters) who left the school this term and are emigrating

And the rest of the time lots of hanging around at home and in the garden. I try not to organise too much (in fact hardly anything this year is planned in advance) so we can just see how the mood takes us. It's GOOD for children to get a bit bored sometimes so don't worry about that OP.

I also love discovering new places with my dds. I bought Time Out Children's London and I've been poring over it. There's sooo much to do it's not true. Not all for this year but it's nice to have a few things planned for whenever (although this backfired a bit today as we tried to go to Parliament Hill Lido today and couldn't park ANYWHERE so we gave up!)

LineRunner · 03/08/2011 20:50

Can you not take them to the park for picnics?

NickRobinsonsloveslave · 03/08/2011 20:58

I think it really does depend on the age of the DCs and how many you have.

I should imagine 1 DC aged 8 or 9 is easy. However, 3 or 4 with very different ages, thus very different interests, is bloody hard at the best of times.

I am tired already of hearing the word 'bored'.

Have tried to find an activity for them to do pretty much every day and actually put some money aside in order to do this. However, our house was burgled last night and the arse took my purse....although he did kindly put all other stuff in my bag in a nice neat pile on kitchen floor.

So we are now living on chiken noodles and lots of walks from now on.

Roll on school.

sarahtigh · 03/08/2011 21:45

Nick so sorry your purse got nicked hope you managed to cancel cards and everything quick enough to stop worse trouble you need

if i said I was bored in school holidays my mother found housework/ gardening for me to do, it was amazing how quickly i was un -bored ( i know that's not a real word!)

DD not at school/ nursery yet though

Andrewofgg · 03/08/2011 21:45

Roll on school . . . could they be quietly thinking the same thing?

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