Reels of parents dancing for joy when kids go to school

[Caterpillarcakeforlife]

On Instagram & Fb.

I get it, I’m craving some space and time on my own now after a long summer. But I just find the really exaggerated reels on social media of the parents being so damn joyful to be getting rid of their kids and back to school a bit..uncomfortable/distasteful
Am I just a boring stick in the mud

It’s just a joke. Ok some people might mean it to varying extents but for most people it’s just a lighthearted bit of fun. I do agree though that I personally hate my kid going back to school! And find it a bit sad if people genuinely feel this way. We are both so much happier and less stressed in school holidays (even though I still have to work some of it, though I do take some annual leave during that time).

All sounds very codependant!

Yes!!! This!!

Also it's not parents saying they want rid of their kids and absolutely hate them, more that the holidays have been relentless and life is more manageable when they have a bit of structure (provided by school). I enjoyed seeing my 3 off to school yesterday but I'm horrified that some of you are insinuating that's because I hate my kids and my kids would be devastated if they thought I was glad for the start of routine etc.

And there are also lots of memes aimed at teachers feeling the same at the end of term.
Social media has something for everyone!

I imagine some of them are posted by people who work, thus the holidays present a challenge.

The perpetually offended. They are lighthearted fun. You don't have to find them funny and that's ok. Just scroll and ignore.

Absolutely. And lots of kids like school, and do better with the structure it affords.

School Vs holiday clubs makes maybe a 5 hour a week difference to how much I see mine. But there's a more consistent routine and my DC likes school and was excited to go back and see her friends.

Almost as boring as your kids back to school photo

'and just liike that Jonny is in year 1- go smash it!'

no one gives a shit

I think the main issue is if a child finds the video and takes it seriously, which is entirely possible if they're posted online and the child is 8 or 9 - even if they don't have a phone, some of their peers will. And some children at that age are very literal and might start thinking their parents don't want them.

It's not my sense of humour, but people are allowed to find different things funny.

Mine's just going into year 10 so he's "only" had nearly 7 weeks off.
It's been tricky.
We live rurally so I've needed to juggle getting him places around my own work. That's IF he's been able to make plans or even wants to. He's 14 - up and down, can be selfish and untidy.
I'll be glad to have some space.

I don't see an issue with a joke. If a child is old enough to be finding it online they're old enough to realise it's a joke.

The summer holidays are a huge stress in our house, the same as others. Too much work, not enough annual leave between both parents to cover, holiday clubs that cost £££ etc.

I disagree. I love seeing the back to school photos. You maybe don't give a shit, but I've seen lots of sweet and funny photos this week.

Oh FFS there’s another thread on here attacking parents who are sad on social media that their kids are going back to school.

Parents can’t win!

It is a bit OTT but it is just a joke. I do wonder how these parents who want their children at home with them all the time will cope when they fly the nest?

Yeah I don't find these funny, rather pathetic. Mum's at my dds school were shouting loudly "freedom" and "whooping" out of gates and it was so cringy. I was rather sad they've gone back, I think if we could have had this sunny week I'd have been happier, the weather has been such a let down over the 6 weeks. I'm happy to get back to normal routine but I certainly don't consider if "freedom" to be away from them

Exceptionally crass, and hopefully not done in front of their children who definitely will feel shit their parents want to see the back of them. However I do get the sentiment of wanting schools to go back, it was a long summer.

It's just a joke. It's OK if you don't find it funny, but it really is just a joke.

I'm not going to make a reel out of it, but I'm feeling pretty joyful at the prospect of a full 6 hours of solo adult time after 48 days in a row of continuous company with little more than an hour to myself here and there.

I absolutely love my children. They're going to school, not a prison camp. They'll be home by 3:30pm. I'll then have another 6 hours in their company by the time they go to bed. But that chance to do something like a lane swim that I can't do with them, or get around the other supermarkets that gets logistically awkward with company, or just have a few hours without hearing bickering or about gaming/ warhammer is blissful.

And when I do see them at 3:30, I will appreciate them all the more for it. We'll have things to talk about and share when we eat together this evening.

We need routines. We need time with our peers or by ourselves. We don't need a martyrish approach of celebrating every single bloody moment together for 18+ years. My children know they're loved, and appear to be untraumatised by the time I skipped off after one of the lockdowns. We have a lot of humour in our relationship.

I love the long holidays but the juggle between work and kids and the guilt of doing neither well builds up. Some people just love being at home with their kids and are content with it. Others are less patient and need more - me included. So whilst I love seeing them more, and think they need a long break each year, I’m delighted school is reopening today and i can do each of my jobs - parent and professional - a little better.

I just wish we didn’t feel the need as women to ‘compete’ over this stuff. Some of us love the holiday/mum experience, some of us struggle or hate it, all experiences are different, valid and worthy. I’m anti sm anyway because of the performative nature of it, but can’t see a ‘slam dunked the kids into school - hurray!’ is any different to a ‘here’s darling Olivia in southern France’ post or similar. If that kind of thing bothers you, I’d come off sm (I promise you won’t look back and will like people more!)

I adore DS and would happily spend every day of the holidays with him - but I have to work, and I’m glad he is back in school this week just to have some predictability back in my routine!

Scrabbling to find reliable childcare for 6 weeks is a nightmare, and I have a tonne of work piled up that I haven’t kept on top of while he’s been off. I’m looking forward to clearing it now he’s back in ASC and I can focus on my job for a bit.

Summer holidays can be tricky for modern parents. If you're working then holiday childcare can be logistically tricky compared to school and after school club in the same place every day. If you're not working it can be a long six or more weeks keeping them entertained.

I love mine but then I find I can love people a lot without wanting to spend all day every day with them for weeks on end.

I wouldn’t post anything like that as it is just fucking horrible to your kids isn’t it?

I find being a parent really hard and I often don’t enjoy it. But I don’t tell my kids that. I tell them I love them and love the times we spend together ( and there are times I love). I would never post a reel like that. It would hurt them if they knew.

I had a friend once who was really hurt as she was holiday with her husband and he said how he couldn’t wait to get back to work and how much he was looking forward to it. I don’t see why kids would be less hurt by such an attitude

Back in my childless days when I would have given anything to be a mum, I used to find these kind of videos a bit distasteful when friends shared them on social media, so I get where you are coming from, OP. Now I have a kid and frankly they still aren't really my brand of humour. I say this as someone who is rather enjoying a hot coffee and a scroll through Mumsnet as I commute to work while DH is toddler-wrangling so maybe I'm a hypocrite - obviously we don't have to love every second with our kids. I totally empathise with the fact that it's been a tough summer holidays for many with shite weather and the cost of living crisis but I still agree with you!!

I have found it best to never talk about DC on social media. I share their pics/news with close family on WhatsApp, and keep my social media clear of all this.

I have 5 children, 4 with SEN and 3 are CSA.

I find these posts unfunny and disgusting, time flies there are only 14 years of childhood, 14 summers where the children want to be with their mum and dad. A brief time in life.

I dont know if these parents had children by an accident or are they looking forward to retirement and hopefully their children havent read and heard comments how annoying and troubling they are and how glad they are to see the back of them etc when they are adults and remember that when it comes to visiting the elderly parents.

I shut these comments down asap when I hear them especially in front of my children, I get them because my children are home ed and some bizarre people cant think of anything worse than raising their own children.