"fucking school holidays !"

[mrsfuzzy]

have just heard the gentle tones of my neighbour with her two young dcs, they broke up yesterday ! how does anyone manage nowadays ? are more dcsgaming/indoors or do people actually take dcs out ? years have gone by since i did this stuff and i'm out of touch

Ouch Dragons. I'd guess you'd need to contribute a whole lot more were Nicki to leave the care of her disabled children to others eh? Checked out what benefits are set out recently or have you been too busy polishing your claws?

moglovesegg love the idea of going to a different town and finding parks etc what a fab idea!
We're moving house in 2 weeks so that should keep us busy and finding out whats near us!
Love school holidays but they can be hard! Always feel like we should be doing something but also need to not spend a fortune!

Some if you don't like your children very much by the sound of it. School is for education, not free childcare

I am loving it but we are only on Day 1.

I used to work and sorting out childcare was a nightmare so I am really looking forward to this summer with DS. Some stuff we avoid as he is autistic and hates some things, however he recently discovered Pokemon Go so we have had a lovely long walk today, we ate lunch out and bought an ice cream to eat in the park. He is 13 so I am making the most of these lovely close moments together.

We've no major plans for the next week but are off to Herefordshire for a week after that with exDH and in-laws....me and exH get on very well and often take DS on joint holidays so he can spend time with us both.m

So so looking forward to the rest if it....just pondering in ordering a huge pool for DS to splash around in. Will need chemicals though etc.....might just stick to the local swimming pool.

Gosh did someone REALLY just mention benefits and other parents "paying for them"? Really?

Just chuck some Milton in.

I get that Dixie. I didn't mean to offend.

I always find on these threads someone will say have a cheap day at the beach, not so easy when you're in the Midlands!

I am very grateful that I now work TTO. Previously the summer hols meant 2 weeks on hols, 1 week on my own when DH took DD to MILs and then a week at our caravan at the end. It always seemed a little 'boring' (although I have to admit, my week alone was pretty lovely - no noise, no mess and coco pops for tea!)

Now I'm TTO we have 2 weeks on hols (leaving tomorrow!), then a week home where DD will spend all her time with her mates (and ask for lots of sleepovers), a week at MILs (which will be hard work tbh), 2 weeks at the caravan and finally a family wedding. It's going to be busy getting to all the places but relaxed omce we get there.

We will spend the most money at the caravan or the wedding. Our hol is AI so all paid for and MIL lives in a coastal town so lots of beaches/rock pooling/walks up the mountain.

I sympathise with all those having to find childcare etc. It's bloody ridiculous how much this stuff costs. I think if we had that issue I'd try to fork out for PGL or ATE for DD - it probably works out the same cost in any case.

Only on the 3rd day of school for us,5DC(2 oldest no longer at school)the first day we went to Dobbies with the 2 youngest we bought them a drink and snack each in the cafe,picked up huge water guns for the 3 youngest then went to the world of water next door looked around at all the fish and the reptiles they've now got there,looked around the lovely gardens and the girls got to feed some of the Koi carp then we stopped and picked them all some nice lunch(late lunch that day) up on the way home.
DS18 had taken DS14 out hunting for pokemon.We came back had lunch and then they al went out the garden soaking each other with they're water guns.

Yesterday we went to Pizza Hut for lunch.

Today we went and bought our 2DDs some new clothes and then we took our DC out to Dinton Pastures,it's got lots of wildlife,lakes a big park and a nice cafe.
We had lunch at the cafe,went and played in the park,bought some ice lollies,had a walk around and then headed home were not long in.

The rest of the holidays so far we've got a holiday booked and we'll go to some theme parks,visit some family and friends have some friends round for BBQ's,visit some different parks and have picnics,might go to the cinema and bowling as well not sure yet.

Blimey some people could start a fight in an empty room!

I have mixed feelings about the loooooong holiday because - yes shoot me know - I work PT so 3 days a week involve packed lunches, where are my trainers/hair bobbles/pants etc and herding them into a car and off to holiday club OR not seeing them at all because they are with my mum 150 miles away.

But the second part of the week is lovely - I lay in bed and drink tea - lovely!

I work FT but am enjoying not washing school uniform this weekend. Yay me.

We're at the squabbling stage. They finished on weds and we've been up to visit cousins for a couple of days. I'm a SAHP and DH is at home through redundancy so although it's nice having the girls home and we're seeing a lot of daddy, at the same time he's working trying to get another job and money is non existent. So in theory I love it, in practise it could be better. Is that positive enough?

How much do you think you have spent so far on the holidays.? It all sounds fun but on a low income I couldn't keep buying lunch, shopping for new clothes, drinks and snacks etc. Not having a go at you personally but your lovely days are a good example of "normal" holiday stuff which can't be done on a low income. And this is why many people dread the holidays.
And it gets hard when the dcs are older. When they were little, they would go to the park or beach with home made sandwiches, fruit and bottle of squash and it was a picnic. Ds (14) wants to hang out with his mates and be able to buy lunch in subway or MacDonald's like they do. When it's sunny they hang out in the park and play football, but when it's raining they want to go to the cinema ( and MacDonald's) or 10 pin bowling or sit in a cafe....all too expensive.

YY dementedma. Toddlers are much easier to feed picnics to than older children! We start the holiday with an expensive day which I can then refer back to for the next six weeks to show kids I am not mean but things are expensive. And we will have another expensive day at the end but the middle part is distinctly less glam.

Very interesting reading for me, my oldest is 4 and going into reception in sept! Am on Mat leave with our new baby so am at home and am very aware it's his 'last' summer before the next 14 years of school routine! We're planning on being really chilled tbh. Park, paddling pool in garden, local farms, walks in forest, that's about it. And our holiday which is a week in Cornwall, can't wait.

I want him to start in sept really relaxed and refreshed so just lots of fresh air and play.

Plus I am too sleep deprived by his sister to plan lots of elaborate days out with long drives, I have to avoid the FB induced guilt of what my friends without small babies get up to!!

I find the holidays stressful if I haven't planned anything. Last year was awful so I have booked a holiday right in the middle. Booked swim classes everyday and have friends on standby for random trips to park and play dates. Cannot have another summer like last year, 2 weeks rain in Cornwall, a husband with back pain, new born baby with colic and an autistic child with no routine...... Never again!! Good luck everyone!