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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be relieved that the school summer holidays are nearly over?

87 replies

NotEnoughTime · 28/08/2017 15:53

I have really enjoyed them (mostly) but I feel exhausted and skint and fed up (with myself not the DC).

I work part time (so the DC were in childcare on those days) but the days I have been with the DC have been really full on and I don't feel like I have pleased either of them some days (big age gap between the two).

I had lots of plans but some most haven't come to fruition which I feel guilty about and now we are running out of time

I always imagine everyone else frolicking their way through the six weeks

At the beginning of the summer I vow to be like Mary Poppins but end up more like Cruella Deville.

OP posts:

PresentlyTense · 28/08/2017 18:45

Six weeks is not long. The UK has the shortest school holidays in Europe.
We've been away for two weeks, had a long weekend away as well. DD has had a summer job, so been working for some of it.

We had visitors for a week, then my niece came to stay for a week and boom, the holidays are nearly over.!!

I have no childcare issues. DD starts sixth form school soon, but still love the summer hols

SparklyUnicornPoo · 28/08/2017 19:00

YANBU. I love my DC, its been great but they are bored and doing my head in now, not helped by the mysterious appearance of a mountain of homework they promised me they definitely didn't have. My bank balance and my sanity can't take it and I haven't even had to factor in childcare.

I never get any child free time anyway but I am really looking forward to going back to school with lovely little children, who don't think I'm embarrassing (Or at least don't tell me to my face) and who generally won't start answering me back until at least October (reception class) and who mostly have simple problems that I can fix rather than DS(13)'s teenage emotional roller coaster and DD(8)'s horror that she is so totally grown up enough to go into town and stuff like DS does and I am literally the most unreasonable person ever born.

WipsGlitter · 28/08/2017 19:05

I'm looking forward to a routine. Bit of a shot summer for various reasons. It did go really quickly though.

formerbabe · 28/08/2017 19:09

I've noticed parents of one child seem to enjoy the holidays more than parents who have 2 or more!

SecretMagicThings · 28/08/2017 19:15

Very, very true formerbabe .

ohdostopfiddling · 28/08/2017 19:15

Complete nightmare here. One very ill child who can't really leave the house and one very fed up 12 yo. I am losing my mind

MakeItStopNeville · 28/08/2017 19:29

11 1/2 weeks off and I love, love LOVE summer. It's fantastic to get my kids back, all their stresses behind them. That said, they're all really looking forward to going back now, more so than I am. 2 of my kids have spent today excitedly organising their desks and their school supplies. Tomorrow they're organising their back to school outfits!

Mittens1969 · 28/08/2017 19:29

Yes, YANBU, I've enjoyed the summer holidays and we had a lovely family holiday but I'm shattered. I'll definitely be glad to have some child free time again. And my DDs need to be back in their routine, they're starring to get bored.

metalmum15 · 28/08/2017 19:42

makeitstop are you in the uk? Not much fun organising back to school outfits here, they all look the bloody same 😉

Original poster

NotEnoughTime · 28/08/2017 19:42

to all whose children have been ill over the holidays-that must be so stressful.

Best of luck to all the DC starting "big" school.

It seems I'm not the only person to feel relief at the DC going back to school although it seems some of you are sad that the holidays are over. Can you let me know your secrets to a better holiday so that I can prepare for next year?

OP posts:

BeyondThePage · 29/08/2017 08:01

NotEnoughTime with us it was just a matter of time - as they got older it got easier. Now they are 15 and 16 they can be left with a list of stuff to do - one likes to walk the dog, the other doesn't - but she doesn't mind cooking dinner. One will empty the dishwasher, the other hang the washing, one hoovers downstairs, the other upstairs.

So for us an easily dividable set of chores was key - they take all of a couple of hours tops and then they can do what they like for the rest of the day. They are independent enough to hop on the bus, to take care of their own lunch and to stay in communication - so even at work I know what they are up to.

When the holidays are over I get to work AND do all that stuff AND have tired/grumpy kids - so that is why I do not look forward to them going back!

custardcreamplease · 29/08/2017 08:13

I do like getting back into routine, but it does tend to spike my anxiety - having to juggle everything, the commute to work, organising school pick ups. I very much like pleasing myself during the summer.

On saying that, this year we were all sick for a few weeks, and now it feels as though we haven't done half of what we intended. I don't know where it goes.

hopefulclam · 29/08/2017 08:13

Dd is finally back tomorrow after 12 weeks. I'm not gonna miss being a taxi driver but she's not looking forward to it. YABU to those who's kids are off for 6 weeks

Juanbablo · 29/08/2017 08:19

We are all fed up of each other now. It's been great having them all around and enjoying their company but by the end of last week I could see we all needed a break from each other.

I don't work and they haven't done any holiday clubs so apart from the odd play date I've been with them all the time. My patience is wearing out, my wallet is empty and the bickering is increasing to a ridiculous level!

I will miss the little rats when they go back to school and pre school though.

MargeryFenworthy · 29/08/2017 08:20

No, we are just back from our summer holiday and had the best time. Thoroughly enjoyed the time with the DC before we head back to the usual hectic routine.

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 29/08/2017 08:23

I'm having very mixed feelings.

We've had a good time and managed to get away a couple of times which was lovely...but I think I've run out of things to do now. I have the holidays off so it's a lot easier for me that for people who work all year but I'm not looking forward to ironing and packed lunches...this is making me feel a bit grumpy.

Plus I start a new job in a week so I'm simultaneously excited and utterly terrified.

DS1 is ready to start back...he loves school and misses his friends. DS2 isn't talking about it. He struggles with school. That I'm not looking forward to.

I wish we were still away on holiday really.

Only1scoop · 29/08/2017 08:28

Dd has been off 8 weeks

I literally cannot wait until the 4th Sept

yumyumpizza · 29/08/2017 08:30

Sorry OP, YABU. I've loved have all 3 DC home, feeling really sad this is the last week. It has been pretty relentless but we've packed a lot in. 8 weeks would be the ideal time I think.

Tumbleweed101 · 29/08/2017 08:39

I've always loved the summer holidays. I have loved them even more last few years because I work term time and get the summer off with my children.

I'm not looking forward to the morning rush - getting three children to three different places and myself to work all by 8.30am! I'm not looking forward to fitting all the work that needs doing in house/garden around work and after school activities etc. Has been nice having time to cook and organise and garden.

I've had a productive few weeks off and got little jobs that have been put on hold all year done. We haven't been away, just a few day trips. Mostly we've just chilled at home and the kids have seen friends a few times.

RaspberryOverload · 29/08/2017 08:45

Hip, hip, hooray!
Back to school today.

For us, at least. They're old enough to look after themselves, but I've not had a moment of time to myself, even though I'm happy to have them around.

I'm looking forwards to a day when they're off to school and college, and I'm the only one in the house.

Westfacing · 29/08/2017 08:49

I had lots of plans but some most haven't come to fruition which I feel guilty about and now we are running out of time

Don't be hard on yourself I'm sure the children had a good summer - you can't be doing fun, crafty, baking things every day, and days out can be very expensive, plus you a big age gap makes it harder.

I didn't do baking, crafting etc., it was the park, theme parks, swimming, cinema, friends, plus many do nothing days. Money wasn't a problem so that made the summer holidays so much easier but I never felt the need to have a full-on programme of events.

My sons are now adults and don't even remember half the activities!

RaynaJaymes · 29/08/2017 08:50

Like Coloursthatweremyjoy I've got mixed feelings

Ds has asd so the structure of school makes for an easier life but that said he's moving on to high school further away so a whole new stress level of school run

Meanwhile I'm starting work for the first time in 6 years and DD who is a clingy 6 year old is probably going to find that hard

So I'll try and savour the last few days

Ecadia · 29/08/2017 08:52

Yanbu. The first 4weeks were great, days out, movie days when the weather was bad, holiday with the oldest 2 and a week home spending time with the youngest 2. Since the elder 2 came home we've managed one nice day out other days out resulted in arguments and coming home early. The dc have had enough of each other and have started their own countdown to going back to school . I will miss the laziness of the holidays but glad to be back into a routine and have some structure to our day

allegretto · 29/08/2017 08:52

3 weeks still to go...

BrutusMcDogface · 29/08/2017 08:53

It's fascinating how different everyone is! From the poster whose dd boards and therefore will be terribly missed (why does she board?) to people who can't wait for the kids to get out of their hair!

we had a brilliant family holiday this year and the rest of the hols have done not much at all. I think we could do with another week or two, but with a few hours of holiday club for the older two!

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