To wish the school hols were over already?

[HandbagsnGladrags]

My own offspring isn't at home any more but I have teen stepkids to contend with part of the week. Bloody dreading all the extra work it comes with which somehow falls to me.

Kids change their entire outfits every day and put them in the wash regardless of whether they have just laid around their rooms all day, moving their keyboard fingers for online gaming.

No peace to work from home, can't concentrate on meetings with the extra noise going on.

ALL of the food getting constantly eaten.

Kids wind the puppy up when he's sleeping and then eff off back to their rooms leaving me to deal with him when he wants to play. Said kids also have no desire to walk said puppy.

aaaarrgghhhhh I just want my house back..... Have already told husband that I will be only dealing with my washing and mine alone for the next 6 weeks which resulted in grumpiness from him. But I refuse to be the sodding washing fairy.

Sorry, am grumpy and needed a rant. As you were. Share your school holiday rants here if you like.

How old? Can you put them in summer camps?

Enforce rules from the get go? No puppy walking/ playing no wifi?

Can you go into the office? I'm going in twice a week to get away from the kids!

Nope. I'm a teacher and don't want them to end.

My DSC do this because it's easier to throw things in the washing bin than put them away. Anything I know has only been worn round the house goes straight back in their rooms unwashed. Hang in there, I find it makes me appreciate my time alone even more (although not really alone as have two baby daughters!).

That's a bloody good idea. And some London overnighters are in order too I reckon.

Too old for summer camps. And old enough to be doing stuff round the house. Except they don't.

Am going on strike.

Stop wishing time away. They will soon be over and then it's back to school and the end of summer.

Having kids generally means you know there's going be holidays.

Oh, and don't get me started on undies all tied up with inside out tracky bottoms, Superman style. Gives me the rage.

This is why I wouldn’t ever chose to be a step parent. I don’t want to spend this much time with anyone else’s children

I love my teens being home, my oldest is spending a couple of weeks with friends from next week so I’m making the most of having us all together. But they’re lovely company, walk the dogs and do stuff around the house.

I don’t think you can really moan about normal noise or them eating but I wouldn’t stand for them waking your dog up. It’s cruel and then disrupts you. And why aren’t they walking him? They should be doing some things round the house and tell your husband to step up, I wouldn’t stand for him expecting you to do everything.

I read that as ten step kids !!

It sounds like your husband has failed them if they think it’s acceptable to go fuck all around the house. Your problem lies with him,

Get their actual parent to deal with them! All this is not your problem. Have some ground rules about chore expectations.

Definitely have some overnight work trips!

However, my kids are always with my for the second half of the summer hols only, and I really look forward to that bit!

Same. I can't imagine putting up with anyone else's kids if mine are grown up and left home.

I sympathise with your situation op but you are being very unreasonable. I'm a teacher and I love the holidays, my own children get my attention for once.

Stick to your guns about the washing and make the step kids do some chores! Good luck!

If they're teenagers why can't they do their own washing? I did when I was a teenager. They will soon realise it's easier to hang stuff up than shove it straight in the wash

I've told him he needs to get them to do this. His job. But he'll end up doing it for them.

My dc only finished school today. We seem to be last in the country!

Yeah that sounds frustrating. Not sure what the dynamic is like in your house - it comes across like you’re not in a position to discipline them maybe because of their age or just the dynamics of things, I know it can be complicated - so it sounds like your DH needs to step up a bit and set up some ground rules.
Why is he grumpy about having to do his own kids’ washing? Or telling them to just do it themselves if they’re old enough. His attitude stinks. I hope he has big redeeming qualities.
Winding up a sleeping puppy is just dickish behaviour, my three year old would know that’s not ok.
If you’re doing the shopping - stash your treats in a secret place. And don’t buy them any. Again, leave it to dad. Leave it allll to dad.

As with about 95% of mumsnet, the real problem here is that your husband sees you as the hired help and thinks he is Disney dad.

You have got to the fourth day before posting this. Patience of a saint!!

If you aren’t doing their washing why are so many of your complaints centred around that?
It sounds like you are just generally annoyed they are there but it’s their home too surely.

After raising your own children, why, in the name of sanity would you want to be doing this for children that arnt yours? Its utter madness. Your husband needs to crack on with the drudgery and not you!

If it's your puppy then you walk it , but yes they should leave it alone and not wake it

Any clothes that aren't zipped up , pockets emptied and turned inside out (except socks , they go right way out) get given back to the owner here .

How often are they there?
And surely DH should be doing everyone’s laundry if they are his kids.

Take the puppy out on some nice walks in the evening (maybe to a dog friendly pub or cafe) and get some peace and quiet for a couple of hours.

They are here 3 days a week usually but we have a full week later in the hols. Have told him he needs to do something with them for a few days.

They think it's their dog too, until anything needs doing for him.