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.

Nope it's the swing for me.

I'm always standing next to a happy clappy mother who is singing and bouncing around wildly and my child is fixated on them. I can't compete with that. Just pushing is enough.

Oh god yes, the shows and over enthusiastic mothers at the play ground.

Good: longer more relaxed mealtimes after which they help clear up
They get on better together than at any other age so far
Can go out for meals and coffee and stuff and just chat rather than cutting up food
They both go off into town with friends on a half-term afternoon and come back on the bus, leaving me to mn get some work done
Everyone likes doing the same thing on holiday
No babysitters needed

Bad: miss little hands in mine, and them skipping along and wanting to walk on any available wall
Later bed times = shorter evenings for us
Don't always know what's in their heads
Can't choose their clothes
Have to get train and shop elsewhere if we're having a day shopping the three of us because they'd look sad if we went into ours and bumped into gangs of friends while they were out with Mum and sister.

Thankfully mine never did "shows" - drama is not a strong-point in our family!

We were reminding them (on the long car journey up to our friends the other day) of how DS used to say to DD, nearly every day, "Can we play families? You be the mummy and I'll be the baby" and how they used to play schools and cafes... How a cushion and a blanket kept them happy for hours!

Don't miss the park, though! Don't think I watched/pushed them much as I was too exhausted from having to play footy with DS for hours!

Am ROFLing at the ability to turn this thread quite quickly into one not quite so keen on those lovely childish moments....

I loved mine being little. But I was so tired all the time. Even with children who slept well. I nip over the road to my mate there if I need a fix of baby-cuddle....and then home to (relative) peace and quiet.

Sorry bring it down but know your miss the young stage but do not let that stop you enjoying the next stage

Some of us have dc that all reality will never leave the park/animal farm /paddling pool stage behind even though our dc bodies change their mind won't

Edit/Update

Still in PJ's (though we have had a wash)
We are staying in, we all plugged into something...well...weve done a lot of gallivanting when it got to midday I asked DS and he said he wanted to stay in and do all that stuff with Daddy on Saturday.

Im a bit fed up of Cock a Moo Moo though

I give a lot for ds3 to become a sulky stroppy teen . Right now he is small and cute no one judges him for his childlike innocence but am sure they will as gets physically bigger

Mine are 14 and 11 and have been lounging in PJ's all morning watching telly. Hoping they'll get dressed soon and we can go out to park.
Life changes very slowly here !

Mind you last weekend DD was off with a group of other young people on a Quaker residential trip, so I do know what you mean.

Thanks for your thought provoking posts catapault
Hope you have a good day with yours - are you on half-term hols this week ?

Oh yes, that moment when you can take them swimming but you don't yourself have to get into the pool. Champagne corks popped in this household .

Now just need DD and friend to be able to take bus to said swimming pool on their own...

Everyone keeps saying how tiring young children are but I really don't find it to be that way.

We have a 5yo, a 2yo and I am pg with dc3. I work 20 hrs a week. And I can honestly say I am not exhausted by them, not now the baby stage is over anyway.

5yo dd1 is witty and makes me laugh. 2yo is a typical toddler but even her tantrums are endearing. I dip in and out of playing with them and I don't find it tiresome or tedious. Their enthusiasm for everything is quite infectious I find and their excitement for the most mundane things rubs off me on.

I am currently MN'ing while they make me a selection of food out of some playdoh I made after lunch and even though DD2 is potty training atm its hardly exhausting work.

I never want this stage to end tbh. I have no doubt I will enjoy them as young adults but this is the best age IMHO.

Now that's an idea LaQueen and Bonsoir - going swimming without actually going swimming, but just having the nice coffee afterwards bit.
Is that allowed ? How old do the children have to be do you think ?
Ooh, nice new idea

There is one line in this article which gets me

It's the 'in a time when affection was easy between us'

That's a very moving article that will bring a tear to your eye ...
but also very slightly daft and self-indulgent ?
We are so lucky to have them through the changing years x

Doesn't ring true somehow for a boy who is only turning 12

I thought that verycold.

But that line still gets me.

Yes it is touching. My dd1 will turn 12 tomorrow and I certainly don't recognise her in that article. My dd2 is nearly 10 and devastated at me going back to work, so in a way I wish she was slightly more independent.

frosty and verycold, DS is quite like the boy in the article. Suddenly hit puberty big time as he turned 12

He still has his moments though!

Anyone feeling a bit sad about their kids growing up probably shouldn't watch this then...
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