To wonder why people need to "Survive" school holidays?

[SaggyOldClothCatpuss]

There are always threads about this. I've been there, done the small child phase. It's hardly life shattering! We have a garden, a playground nearby and a local beach, tv and nearby friends.
I love spending time with my Dcs, but don't feel the need to occupy them for 24 hours a day! Why would you need to survive your own kids?

[fromparistoberlin]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24846804.html


bargain!!!!!! and get this: Situated within 150 yards of the seafront is this two bedroom detached bungalow benefiting from off street parking, 14' lounge and no onward chain.

[fromparistoberlin]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24846804.html

[SashaSashays]

Had to spend my childhood holidays at Clacton. You have my sympathies.

Just to confirm what I said earlier, this week is shit.

DS3 has swanned off to get some bits for lunch, is yet to return and is ignoring my calls. I've spent an hour dealing with a brawl between 4 & 6 year old, DS2 is moaning about us the younger ones being around the house and being noisy so has invited his mates over who are seemingly trying to enter into a noise competition. DS4 wants to spend time with me, alone, he's unhappy about the fact I'm ill and required to parent other children, I've been named 'the evil one' and he has stomped off to get up to no good which will most likely involve but not be limited to riding his bike in the house and something with paint.

Also one of the cats has vommed and the dogs are showing an unhealthy interest in it all.

Off I go to cherish my children.

[ByTheWay1]

This past half term (11th-18th for us) was an exercise in survival for us -

MIL's heating broke - she moved into the box room for the week - the box room WAS full of all the stuff from downstairs as we were planning to decorate and had stripped the walls ready, that stuff went into our tiny bedroom. Kids were off and had flu, dog had a crisis due to slurping up a warfarin tablet that MIL had carelessly dropped and not told me about - then hubby managed to contract measles - actual bloomin' measles.....

Sometimes having a garden and being near the park just is not enough......

but "this too, will pass"

[groovejet]

This half term is one of survival.

2 kids to entertain plus am trying to do some painting and major decluttering so our house is ready to put up for sale next week so am constantly shooing kids and dog away from wet paint, a stint of playing schools, and amusing kids and dog in the garden to make up for lack of lunchtime walk. Have filled 7 bags of things to take to the tip, only to find out that the tip is shut for 2 days and on top of this am fighting off a cold / cough and all I really want to do is go to bed for a few hours.

This week would be much better if I didn't have children to entertain but day 1 and they have actually been well behaved, this will not last I am sure.

Still Hopefully a week of this will be worth it and get a quick and good offer on the house, DH home soon but will have to go on extra long dog walk tonight which given the nice weather should be some what therapeutic.

[StrawberryGateaux]

Come to my house today op, you will soon change your mind
Pandemonium-that is all!

[jamdonut]

I live in a town in East Yorkshire which has a very lovely beach, in fact, a whole beautiful bay- some with soft sand and dunes, some with rocky outcrops and rock pools. I'm so glad I moved here.

Father and Step-mother live just outside Clacton.

Just so you know.

[alistron1]

I'm really lucky, I work term time only so half term is a holiday for me too. However, with teens it's quite difficult to occupy them without going bankrupt.

Also during 'my' week off this week so far I've had a wiring inspection and a man in to fix my heating. Tomorrow I've got a decorator arriving at 9am and I'm having some work done later in the week to fix my kitchen and bathroom.

If any of us survive this it'll be a bloody miracle. Roll on the easter holidays!

[ByTheWay1]

I think that is the main trouble - if it were just "entertaining the kids" we'd have no trouble at all.... but if you work -- EVERYTHING has to be done when you have time off- all the appointments, deliveries, decorating, rewiring, carpets, plumbing etc - if you are working, holidays can be a nightmare, stuffed with all the stuff others can fit in in the day.

When I was a SAHM I dealt with all the "stuff of life" during the week, whilst working that is impossible.

[GarbledMessage]

OP, I am usually of your frame of mind. I LOVE half term and all holidays. No school run, loads of time to hang out with the kids....and then last week I had the week from HELL! No matter what we did my two just would not get one, non stop scrapping, whining and fighting. I was relieved when they went back today.
Am sure it's just a phase, but it made me much more sympathetic to those who have that experience EVERY holiday.

[Bosgrove]

I am hoping that I survive this week, I have 3DC aged 8 - 3, and married to a teacher who is on a school trip this week. Leaving me with 1 sick child and two who are really missing their Dad.

Until the sick child is better, what we can do is very limited.

[CockyPants]

Am I the only one who calls it the hellidays?
Can't be arsed to apologise for not being an earth mother.
My DD seems to think I'm a good enough mum so not really caring about what other people think of my non maternal nature...

[countrykitten]

Yes - because only 'earth mothers' enjoy spending time with their children....

[goinnowhere]

Isn't it obvious? If the holidays are harder than your normal days, they will feel tough. If they are easier, holidays will feel great.
As a teacher, for me they are heaven, despite cost, bickering etc. Cos it's easier than work.
If my dc had SN and normally have a great routine and holidays disrupt that, it would be hard.
A SAHM of school aged dc might find it harder work than normal. All depends.

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

I like the holidays, but then I am lucky. I have the one child, who is generally very good at amusing himself.
We live somewhere "naice". There's a park, there's woods, there are activities I can just about afford now that I have a better job.
However, I can totally picture myself in a not nice flat on a dodgy estate, with 3 kids, and even less cash than I have now.
I have forged relationships with ds's friend's parents to do kid swaps in the holidays. Ds is at a nice school. His friends have good parents. I am happy for him to hang out at their houses, and vice versa.
However, if his friend's parents were awful, or he had no friends, and had no-one to play with in the holidays It would be shit.
I have family nearby who help me out. If I had no family near by it would a lot harder.
So I can totally understand why a lot of people feel they are "surviving" the holidays.
Not everyone is as lucky as I am, and I know that. It's called empathy.

[DamnBamboo]

OP I know what you're saying.
Many people I know do this whole 'phew I survived business' and they are the ones who do generally have things to do, people to see etc. I find it a bit pathetic.

Do most people really have such shitty circumstances that the holiday's become about survival?

Most people have no resources, friends, play areas, etc...?

Really?

[skaen]

I feel like I survived half term last week and certainly didn't enjoy it. DCs both had flu, started to feel better, I got flu, they got norovirus, DH got norovirus.

It is quite a relief to have a quiet week at work.

[Sallystyle]

On one hand I love half term, the relaxing in the morning is great but after a few hours of five children arguing none stop it gets stressful. My son who has suspected ASD and mental health issues doesn't do so well with change.

My 13 and 11 year old aren't easily entertained with going to the park anymore and things like the cinema and museums aren't cheap with my lot, although we always do one thing special with them during half term. Plus, my 13 year old is in that lovely grumpy stage.

I enjoy parts of the holiday's and other parts are stressful. I do try to keep them busy with DVD's, walk in the park with the dog, seeing friends etc but mine all seem to thrive on routine and it was much easier when they were all little and not teen/preteen age and a run around the park was enough to keep them happy for hours.

[OliviaMumsnet]

A handy half-term link to our guidelines

[HeadfirstForHalos]

I love my kids, love spending time with them, but the school holidays can be tough. One has ASD, 2 are being assessed for ASD, and because of the massive routine change (they love school, lots of routine and clear expectations, plus I'm rubbish at organising stuff) it can be CHAOS (capital C times 1000).

By the time they've settled into a regular "home" routine it's time to go back to school, then they get distressed at the change back!

Even without ASD, when kids are used to being kept very active at school they can easily become bored and restless at home. I have a plan this half term, most days are accounted for, even lazy ones, and yes, it's my "survival plan". :)

[HeadfirstForHalos]

Samu2, the Odeon and Vue both have cheap kids films on at weekends and through school hols, with 4 dc it's been a godsend! I took 6 dc, my dad and myself to see Rise of the guardians at the vue today for £14. Plus 99p pick and mixes each for 99p shop.

I can't justify or afford full ticket prices.

[Disappearing]

This week I'm not in work, I had to take hols due to our work's "use them or lose them" policy, I had leftover holidays from last year. Despite this I'm so busy at work I'm failing, so have been working from home anyway. The constant tidal wave of work is why I always have holidays left over. I only get paid for 3 days/wk also [poor me emoticon].

The children told me they'd rather go to the childminders than stay around with me - yay thanks kids for this demonstration of love! So I sent them over there for a few hours before thinking better of it and getting them back home, so they watched TV while I split my attention between them and work, and juggled a few extra chores like shopping and extra swimming lessons.

My whole week is likely to pan out like this. However I'm still happy-ish because this is better than usual.

[lljkk]

If you're having a good half term week you don't need to come on here to moan about it, do you? So of course the unhappy are over-represented.

[FloatyFlo]

I haven't read the whole post.

Just the first and last page.


But if I may, op, do bog off!