To be absolutely dreading February half term

[Whatdoesitmatterif]

I know i am being a bit pathetic about this but It's actually making me feel so nervous and sick because I know it's going to be impossibly hard.
the weather will no doubt be shit.
The kids will just fight at any given opportunity if I take my eye of them for a second.
we live in a small flat with no outside space or anything like that.
I have no money to do anything with them, we will be stuck in the flat pretty much the whole time.
i know I need to just build up some resilience and just get on with things like everyone else does and make the best of it but I just want to cry at the thought of trying to entertain everyone for a week, one dc has sen and I'm a single parent so even just going to the park or the shops can be very chaotic when I have to take the children with me.
the February half term is definitely the worst, most miserable one imo!

How Smug

Have a plan for everyday. Look up every free or nearly free half term thing going. Story telling at library? You'll be there. Free coffee and balloon at costas? You're all over that. For the gaps make a timetable, includes chores, TV, snack time plus fill a jar with ideas and everyone has a timetable slot to pick one out (ranging from the stupid makeover your mum, to the silly race round the park as an animal)

It’s been a while for me, but craft box, baking, watching films together, board games and all good indoor activities if you really can’t get out the house. We also went to the library and had play dates but if you can’t do that, stick to the above.
Getting fresh air is good though as long as it’s not pouring, then it’s miserable. I always felt better having gone out even just to the park - kids got a runaround and tired themselves out.,

I do understand where you are coming from, but I think you are building it up to be a bigger deal than it will be. It's only a week.

When my kids (including one with SEN) were primary aged I used to have mixed feelings about the holidays. On one hand I had to be with them and try and find ways to entertain them all day with no break. On the other hand, life was much more relaxed. No getting up early with a mad rush every morning to get everyone fed and ready to get to school on time. No homework. No huge concerns about fitting everything in after school in order for everyone to get to bed at a good time.

Maybe try focusing on the positives about not having school for a week?

I have 3 with additional needs. I struggle to go anywhere with all 3 alone (they all need 1:1 and I only have 2 arms). I therefore don't plan to go out everyday. In my case they are often able to be alone in their rooms playing for short bursts so I can take it in turns to do an activity with 1-2 of them at a time. Generally I try to do 1 baking activity, 1 or 2 movie sessions, 1 or 2 outings (with picnic/snacks as sit down meals don't work well for us), maybe a craft thing if I'm feeling brave and ideally we'll have a visitor or 2 over the week (grandparent or play date). Most things are optional and flexible which lowers demands on all of us. We watch too much TV. Many activities will involve stress and someone getting upset however sometimes they work out well..... then we return to screens.
Key thing is to lower expectations and demands on everyone. I now look forward to the holidays when a few years ago I dreaded them. I'm not sure if it's got easier or I just stopped trying to do too much and feeling guilty when I couldn't do more.

Hope you are feeling ok OP….. x

#bekind rainbows and unicorns innit

🌈 🦄💗

Sounds like you're in a tough situation op!

Depending on what you've got at home, some free things you could do:

• painting (could do a tutorial from YouTube rather than a free for all)
• makeover/ pamper - foot spa with the bath/ washing up bowl, then a pedicure, manicure and hair styling
• walk to nearest patch of grass for sports practice (take football, or bat and ball with you)
• collaging
• crafts - lots of stuff on Pinterest, using stuff in the house, (Eg Pokémon pen pots using loo rolls, or plant pots using pop bottles)
• board games
• baking
• films
• make smoothies/ home made ice lollies
• make cards for family members

If either of your kids are in extra curricular clubs, you could also see whether there's anything from them that you could do (Eg brownie/ rainbow/ cub/ beaver badges, exercises for sports practice, a certain song to learn on a musical instrument)

• home disco night.

Out and about:

• if you're near a town or city, see if there's a museum or any venues with free things for kids on
• library will probably have some free stuff on, or you could just visit a few times and choose a couple of books, then go home and have a snuggly night to read them
• check with local schools or unis for free events
• local parks or rec grounds - wrap up warm and go out and play, if you can rope any other adults in to play too.
• playdates with friends, invite a friend each over and have them pick some toys to play with.
• charity shop hall - walk round your local ones and find the best thing for 50p.
• if you're fringe brave, let the kids have a friend sleepover.

@Gymmum82
I actually feel a bit sorry for your children..in fact, anyone who has to interact with you.

Many apologies!! I MEANT @Nocutenamesleft

Here’s some offers for kids food during half term

I too am penniless - literally. I've got £1.50 until 20th February and I'm also a lone parent (widowed so no father involved) but I've been counting down the days to the half term! I love spending time with my child.
You sound depressed OP. I mean that kindly. Please see if you can get something from the GP. Meanwhile look up free places to go (if you're anywhere near York, the Railway Museum is free.

Because I have a life outside of my kids? Ok then

Not RTFT and not sure if you're allowed to do links here, but mirror publications are giving away 25,000 free national Trust Day Passes if anyone wants to try to get one and use it as a half term option (I think they have to be used by 31 March so don't 'save them for summer'

One thing I find helps my anxiety is to break my day into chunks and then it never seems as bad. My go to routine is usually:

6am to 8am - Wakeup, milk for baby, breakfast for toddler and me, chill out with TV, books, toys etc, chores that can be done quickly.
8am to 9am - Get ready to go out
9am to 12pm - Activities e.g. library, park, shopping, feed fish at the aquarium (£1! Amazing!)
12pm to 1pm - Lunch
1pm till 3pm - usually me cooking, toddler doing water play, or other chores whilst she jumps on the bed, independent play.
3pm to 5pm - As much 121 time with the kids at home I can give with maybe a half hour break for TV.
5pm to 7pm - Dinner, daddy comes home, wind down time, stories, bed.

So its really the 9am to 12pm slot which I have to plan something for, and kids are very easily pleased, so it's never anything big. I find it great if you can find a busy park, as the chances of your little ones finding a friend to play with are greater, so an even better day out in the end :)

How are you getting on OP?

Better than I thought, managed to bribe the youngest into behaving by letting him play on his games in the afternoon if he behaves well in the morning (he isn't usually allowed on weekdays) so managing my eldests behaviour out and about hasn't been too hard with the youngest on his best behaviour
so we've been going with craft type activity/walk in the morning and then screen time in the afternoons

Awesome update! 🙌

Did you not live through lockdown?

How's this helpful?

@Whatdoesitmatterif

Ah that's good, I'm glad that you have a plan that's working. You're half way there! Hope things stay calm x

Which just maybe why OP knows how difficult it could be?

Had you not thought of that?

Probably not, you seem fairly dim with that answer to be fair!

Brilliant @Whatdoesitmatterif !

A few things we did for free entertainment:

• kitchen skittles: line up some plastic cups and roll a ball or slide another plastic cup (rim down) along the floor to knock over as many as possible
• kitchen curling: like that, but with concentric chalk circles drawn on the floor
• spaghetti and marshmallow buildings, who can make the tallest?
• Lego towers, who can make the tallest in 60 seconds?
• heads/bodies/legs, where you draw a third of a creature and fold it over so the next person can't see except for little stumps to show them where to start drawing, and they draw the next third
• floor is lava - a classic

Brilliant update OP, you're doing great