To be horrified that there is 4 weeks left of the summer holidays?

[Faraway75]

Omg, 5 children - the mess, the whinging, the bickering, the expense...!
What a joy

I am a teacher, so there is no escape! We've been and returned from our holiday. We will do a few more 'big' days out...

Please say it's not just me. I love being a mum, hence 5 kids (!!), but AIBU to find the summer holidays hard?!

This is coming up for our 7th week off, go back a week on tues or wed?! Can't bloody mind but 7 weeks and 6 days is too much! We usually go away for the last 3 weeks so usually only 3 weeks to contend with but not this year.

4dc here, the first 3 weeks I had 10+ kids here everyday and it was absolutely fine, I actually quite enjoyed it got to stay in my jammies . Actually thats my top survival tip, turn your house into a kids club

Spent the next two weeks doing day trips every second day into the city. The last couple of weeks it's been fairly quiet, but by fuck I've really struggled with patience this week. Dd7 is really frazzling my tits.

Have spent a shit ton on food and wine! And I still need to order school shoes....

You are my people. Not back until the 5 September. I have a count down clock already. 24 days tomorrow .
I work part time but have a chronic health condition which I look after in my days off when the kids are at school. Now I have to look after the children which means my health suffers and I'm often in pain.

If it's any consolation I've been stuck in a motor home for 4 weeks with 2 kids ( due to holiday & sporting commitments). Yes the weather has been great , but we are in the south of France/italy so it's really really hot and sometimes it's too hot for them to go out....the bickering is so pointless and exhausting...it drives me mad . We have one more week then home, so they can then bicker from their respective bedroom's 😂

brazzle I agree, the days I've a housefull are the easiest. Apart from getting out some snacks i can read in peace!

No totally disagree, I have seven and wish the holidays were 3 months likes the States.
It’s lovely spending time with my dc with no school stresses.

My husband works through summer "holidays" as it's his busiest time. It's just me and DS( ADHD) for 6 weeks 24/7. DS never sleeps beyond 6/7 am so no lie -ins! Hubby might get a week off at end of August but it's more stressful having them both at home. I always have a holiday planner to make sure we have enough things to do or he gets very bored quickly/will not play alone

I'm in the US, and we've got 15 weeks. It's a lot.

I think it’s going too fast.

Move to Edinburgh, I'm back on Monday and Ds goes back on Wednesday 😂

I used to say that the best thing about having five dc in the long summer holiday was the relief experienced on the first day back at school Now four are adults and the youngest is fifteen the prospect of September is nowhere near as inviting and I sometimes miss the noise and mess of having a house full of little ones.

I want to say yes but I really despise the school run.

We have 3 weeks left here. I am back on Mon 3rd for an INSET (teacher) and DS is in on the 4th.

I like the holidays, however, I only have DS so only 1 child to entertain, plus, I am obviously on holiday so no child care to sort. In addition, we were fortunate enough to be able to go away for the first 2 weeks so that breaks things up.

I can imagine that with more than one child (particularly if they have additional needs as some posters have mentioned), child care to juggle and not able to get away then it must be hard work.

I do think that a lot of kids miss the routine of school and their friends after the first couple of weeks. They like the idea of long holidays but then get bored after a bit - particularly older kids who are not as easily entertained.

I wish they were longer, they seem to fly past, then it’s all the term time rushing around and endless bloody homework. It also means autumn/winter are on their way and I’m not ready for that yet either! I love both, but not for a while yet please!

...but deep sympathies to anyone who is fed up with the bickering or is struggling with DC with SN, especially those unwilling/unable to leave the house...that’s absolutely no fun.

at least you get six weeks holiday, my OH is a lecturer at uni and he gets no holidays till resits have been done and marked, training courses done and still has to squeeze his two weeks into the students returning for start of new semester, so we are stuck with having to go last week august first week september every year

YABU, my dd has 3 days left and I couldn’t be less happy.
I absolutely love the summer holidays and the lack of structure it allows us. Dd gets to play late and enjoy the summer evenings. Granted I’m not off the whole time with her but I reckon that would be even more fun, love hanging out with my little girl. Icut my hours over summer and have at least two weeks annual leave - if I could afford a month unpaid leave I’d take it!

DD has just under 7 weeks including inset days. It is a long time but the weather has mostly been fab. We had our main holiday in June so are doing days out & DD is booked in for gymnastics workshops & a streetdance “ intensive”. I only work part time & it’s great to be with DD. She does take a while to adjust as she loves school & thrives in the routine. She can get bored VERY easily!

Only 3 weeks left here.
I could keep going with this life for months, tbh......... but my dc are now grown

On the routine not in

I'm finding it less stressful than term time (I'm kind of a SAHM). I wish that the holidays were longer. No school run, all feeling a bit more free than usual.

And because I've got my kids I am "let off" being a carer for my Dad during the holidays. This is much more fun.

My older child goes back on the first Monday of Sept, so only three weeks away. Mind you, he's been off since the end of May so it has been a really, really long holiday. Younger DC only finished at the end of June and she goes back on the last Thursday of August, which was much more manageable.

Mine are back on Wed after 11wks off (US). Yes to lots of mess and noise and bickering and boredom. We haven’t been able to take a holiday this year. But, as it goes, the days are long but the ‘weeks’ are short. I can’t beleive we go through it and are getting organised for school. I’ll miss the little buggers when they’re back. Will still have the preschooler to keep me company though.

Wish I could have more than 2 weeks off in the school holidays. I feel I have missed the best years of my DC’s life always having to work.
My DM was a STAHM until divorce when I was a teen but I always felt like we had endless summers. No real annual holidays just lots of family days, I feel so sad my DC hasn’t had the same experience, just several family (rushed) annual summer hols.
A friend works in a school and so has summer hols off- I’m very envious of her lazy summer days of doing lots of different things rather than cramming it all into two weeks every year.
I feel so envious I could cry. I’m sure you feel envious of people who get to leave their kids instead of being a referee for the whole summer......grass is always greener

DS is starting reception in September. I really don’t want the holidays to end. He’s ready for school, I’m not!