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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the summer holidays should only be four weeks long.

251 replies

MyBrexitUnicornDied · 02/09/2018 20:22

I’ll probably get flamed for this but I really think 6 weeks is too long for kids to be off school.

The kids (and teachers) still need to keep the same number of weeks off as holiday but summer really drags. My kids end up bored and miss their friends. I think there’s an issue with some kids losing skills over such a long break too.

It makes more sense to me to have

2 weeks half term in October
2 weeks Christmas
1 week half term February
2 weeks for Easter
2 weeks half term May / June
4 weeks summer break.

Anyone else of a similar opinion? Or am I going to get flamed?

OP posts:
Original poster
MyBrexitUnicornDied · 03/09/2018 09:19

It's not the same though as weather not so good in many places. Also I prefer to let DS have a day or two before and after the holiday to relax

The weathers often great in May (frequently better than August). The autumn term is sooooo long, a two week break would be lovely. Lots of people would choose to go on holiday to Europe for 2 weeks in October when the weather is pretty good.

OP posts:
Newsofas · 03/09/2018 09:22

I love the 6 weeks off for the kids. It gives them a long rest. It gives the teachers a long rest too. If you shorten it means those teachers who have to be in for exam results etc will have even less of a break. The weather this year has been great which has meant we have camped in the garden, gone to the parks, supported the local ice cream traders etc. I’m dreading tomorrow when we get back in the hamster wheel of clubs, homework etc etc.

Allegorical · 03/09/2018 09:23

I would drop to 5 weeks. Go back a week earlier and have an extra week for the may/jun half term. Gives people a few more
Options for their summer holiday.

SoupDragon · 03/09/2018 09:23

If you have a child that thrives on routine, don’t you just keep to a routine in the holidays? I have children that seem to thrive on a lack of routine so shoving them out of the door every morning from school is the challenge for me :)

AgentJohnson · 03/09/2018 09:23

Two weeks off in rainy October, er no thanks. At least there’s more chance of better weather in August, which means less of an excuse to stay inside.

GiveMeAllTheGin8 · 03/09/2018 09:27

We have 8 weeks for summer, 1 week October, 2 weeks Christmas, one week February,two and a half weeks Easter and two days in may.

I would prefer 6 weeks in summer and two weeks in October.
I always feel the week is not long enough in October as it's the longest term and the kids need to recharge for Christmas!!

bridetobe2017 · 03/09/2018 09:28

My child has just had 7 weeks off, by the first week he was bored stiff and crying to go back. I was heavily pregnant so couldn't do much with him. I agree it's far too long

Enb76 · 03/09/2018 09:29

Yeah but come October you’ll be wishing the one week holiday was a two weeker

Ha, probably. My child is truly awesome at the moment, I love spending time with her. She, however, is really looking forward to going back to school as she loves it in a way I couldn't have imagined at her age.

CharltonLido73 · 03/09/2018 09:34

The school I've just retired from operates on a 5-week summer break and a 2-week October / November half-term break. We all loved it as it breaks up a very long term and you can get some bargain breaks abroad in the second h/t week as currently few other schools on holiday then so the prices are low. We had a fabulous week in Cyprus in the second week of the h/t break last year.

However, I realise that if this were adopted nationally the prices would shoot up.

That said, not that I am now teaching but greater flexibility to get away at times of year other than August would have been great. Two weeks in May would be lovely. So much of Europe is sunny, warm and in flower then; much nicer to go then than in August.

Holidayshopping · 03/09/2018 09:40

But I also think 6 weeks is too king a break - losing skills, getting bored.

Do all of the people who want the summer holidays culled remember them being too long when you were a child? Were you bored??

I certainly wasn’t!

I also don’t think it impacts much on learning either. Yes it might take a few days to find your feet after a holiday, but probably no different to an adult getting back into the swing of work after a long break.

We couldn’t do 2 weeks at May because of the external exams and I wouldn’t want to swap a week for two weeks in October-it always rains! An extra week with kids inside on their phones rather than out in the garden is daft!

I think we need to get the government to look at promoting better childcare if that’s the problem, not more school. I presume the person suggesting sitting gcse at 14 and 48 week terms was joking, OP!

I wouldn’t want my kids to be at school for any longer than they are and think they need that long break. Private schools round here have the same school hours much much longer holidays!

Schools-especially big schools need that amount of time without children on site to decorate, deep clean, maintain run down buildings and do building work-this is often v difficult even with 6 weeks.

Original poster
MyBrexitUnicornDied · 03/09/2018 09:42

Do all of the people who want the summer holidays culled remember them being too long when you were a child? Were you bored

Thats not really a fair question. It’s much easier to recall interesting new memories than times of boredom.

I definitely remember finding it hard to write in September. There was a PeterKay sketch on it, I very much related to it.

OP posts:
Sleepyblueocean · 03/09/2018 09:51

"Routine is our saviour so lengthy holidays destroy that"

My son definitely needs routine and it is so difficult to get that when everywhere is not set up for him. When he was younger I could physically manage his behaviour if it all went wrong but he's 12 now so it is too difficult. I can only take him places that I am pretty sure are not going to upset him which is very limiting. There is also very little set up for 12 year olds who play like 18 month olds.

SootyandMathew · 03/09/2018 09:55

Primary is 9 and secondary 13 here. You don't know you're born with your 6.

Lemonysnicketts · 03/09/2018 10:03

If you have a child that thrives on routine, don’t you just keep to a routine in the holidays? I have children that seem to thrive on a lack of routine so shoving them out of the door every morning from school is the challenge for me smile

I’ve kept as much as I can but I’ve three children, not just one, so it really isn’t that simple as there are three different sets of needs and no ‘one size fits all’. We have the typical breakfast / lunch / dinner set routine which hasn’t changed, and we go out somewhere almost every day, but actually that’s exhausting all round with the only one who enjoys that being the eldest, the next one down asking to go home and the youngest along for the ride. My next one down much prefers to play quietly with Lego at home and the toddler is happy bumbling around wherever but has her own routine of a two hour nap every day after lunch which she needs and none of them have slept well in a pram so it’s better at home in her cot.

It’s just very long and the eldest buzzes around me constantly, she cannot sit still and she bugs me from morning til night, the littlest could be having the biggest tantrum and the eldest will still be wittering on or after her own agenda of park / library etc.

I have immense envy for those who say their kids just happily mooch and play, read, get up late etc and I desperately hope we get there but I’m not sure it will ever fit DDs personality to be content to ‘mooch’. But she is only 6 so I’m still hopeful.

Lemonysnicketts · 03/09/2018 10:07

I think school works so well for her because they feed that busyness with a change of activity every 45 minutes or whatever ...they are set up for that, I’m not (and would probably have a breakdown!). At home she’ll do 20 minutes drawing then be off on the trampoline etc - but she can’t do a whole day of it because she doesn’t know how, she’s never had the ability to play alone and needs constant company (again, school is wonderful for her) whereas myself and the rest of the family all need time on our own to just ‘be’. I like having her around but for us, it’s too long a period, and she’s desperate for school. She just asked me if she could do the vacuuming ...it’s serious! Grin

Lemonysnicketts · 03/09/2018 10:10

I don’t think I’d have this issue with the younger two to be honest. It mainly is just her Sad I feel guilty all the time that I’m not keeping her busy which doesn’t help!! Boredom is good for kids I know, but she makes it feel like a death sentence and I feel like a rubbish parent as she’s following me around constantly!

Lemonysnicketts · 03/09/2018 10:12

sleepyblue that’s really, really tough for you!!

Lavenderdays · 03/09/2018 10:22

I think it all depends on what your own personal situation is. There are so many pros and cons to having a longer holiday. We have had a good Summer but my middle dc has challenging behaviour and seems happier with more structure. My eldest dc has enjoyed the holidays but is looking forward to going back to school for the challenge and to see friends. I have a baby and we have been limited in what we can do. I know of other families who don't seem to have stopped this Summer with activities/holidays etc. Then there are others who are juggling childcare. I think it very much depends on an individuals circumstances (which of course changes over the years). Personally, I will be relieved, for he reasons mentioned above and then I can get some more one to one time with baby plus a bit of space between family members is good for everyone after a while I think after a period of 6 weeks. I can very much relate to the guilt thing you mention Lemon.

AJPTaylor · 03/09/2018 10:32

People would not magically take hols in may or october. They would think "great, only 4 weeks to cover and i can 2 weeks of it as hols".

TheSconeOfStone · 03/09/2018 10:39

I would rather have 4 weeks in The Summer and longer Summer and Autumn half term. Would be cheaper to holiday abroad as not competing with mainland Europe schools and would give a much needed rest. My DD has ASD and school exhausts her. She is physically ill be Christmas and end of July. UK weather can be better in May and October then it is in August as well.

PerverseConverse · 03/09/2018 10:43

We have 2 weeks at whit and 5 in the summer at primary but this changes to 1 week at whit and 6 in the summer at secondary which is a pain with a child at each school and and ex to organise contact with. We often have good weather at Whit so 2 weeks is great. I'd prefer longer at Christmas.
It would be good in some ways to have standardised school holidays to avoid the different holidays for different schools locally but then as pp said, it would affect demand for holidays.

steff13 · 03/09/2018 10:50

My kids' last day of school was May 23. They go back tomorrow. So, they've been off about 15 weeks. It's a lot.

arethereanyleftatall · 03/09/2018 11:15

Maybe it's just my dc are not at the 'I'm bored' stage yet (they're 9&7) but they've never said they're bored. How can a kid be? They have such active imaginations, that they'll make up a game out of a pebble. By 'they' I don't mean my kids, I mean all kids.

I think if a young child is saying they're bored after a week off, then the problem isn't the length of holiday.

Sleepyblueocean · 03/09/2018 11:22

Children are all different. Some can't do imaginative play.

arethereanyleftatall · 03/09/2018 11:47

Is that the result of helicopter parenting? Daily on mn, there are posts like 'how do I entertain my baby?' Etc. Does that result in a bored 8 year old?