To tell you all to appreciate half term with your kids, as long as they still need you and want you for their half term activities.

[QuintessentialOldDear]

My sons are now 7 and 11 (soon 8)

They both wanted skateboarding camp for half term.

Granted we went away for some of the bank holiday weekend and did a couple of good hikes and "quality time".

All I am required to do now is drive them to and from camp, and make lunch packs.

Great. I can continue to work. I dont have to take time off. Fantastic.

But, no more trips to the park and playground where I get to enjoy a latte watching them play. No more looking at birds together in the Wetland Center, or marvel together at the beauties of Flowers in the botanic gardens.

They want their own fun, and it does not involve me.

It happened so quick.

Next I will moan that they have flown the nest.

Oh my good god - I am almost in floods now potentially.

Dh is in the middle of bedtime but I'm going up for a cuddle now, if I can hold it together!

I recently got "What sharps are in C sharp major Mum ?" (from DS aged 11)
I didn't know so I ended up signing up for Grade 5 Music Theory - it's murder ! Much worse than I thought it'd be There are several kids in the class still at primary FFS !

Anyway, glad you had such a nice afternoon watching the swimming LaQueen well looking up from your kindle once in a while

• sounds good to me

Wait till the morning when you come downstairs and instead of six pairs of huge trainers and docs there is a pair od pale pink ballerina pumps and you know they aren't yours or dd's. And when gf is used to you and you are used to her your ds shouts "mum can you bring up some bacon sarnies for us". I kid you not - my response had two letters - followed by you will have to come down for them.

I can just imagine that married ... I think my problem is I'd be looking forward hopefully to DIL's, SIL's, and grandchildren ! (If I liked them at all)

I guess you have to try not to jump the gun too much

Times change and you just have to go with it.
No more days spent trying to stop them drowning in the childrens pool at the park or drying off tiny people clinging to your leg but..
Oh the joy of being woken up by a gruff DS who says " Mum dya want a cooked breakfast "
or coming home to find your house is full of lovely young men who smile and compliment you on the cake they have just demolished your baking skills.
Today I sneakily watched as my DS had a lovefest with the cat "Oh you are a good boy" " a gooooood boy " "trilll puuuurrr puuuuur" "you are a lovely boy" so sweet and he said it in my voice
married I always think of "guests" as a bonus

The cat trilled and purred not DS !

I have a 1 yr and a 10 yr and intend to enjoy every min of them as time goes way to quick!!

my two can fight like cat and dog but they are great company

they are 13 and 15, can get crabby but chat away to us and enjoy sitting in with us

long may it last!

I can't wait until DS brings his teenage chums home and I feed them all.
I remember the cool mums of schoolfriends...not cool in an AbFab, wanky way, but approachable and open. I'll try to be like that.

well i'm clearly no good at links! but that's a youtube video of brendan shine's song "my son" gets me everytime...