To be worried about holidays with my own children?

[Itsastrugglenow]

I’ll be honest here and admit I’m finding parenting really hard, my children are 3 and a half and 8 months. There are lovely moments but they are moments and the days are a slog.

I am a teacher and I feel I get a bit of respite at work, the other massive advantage is I get two days a week during school holidays when they will be in nursery and then I get time to do some cleaning, meet friends, hair appointments etc.

Obviously when the eldest starts school this won’t happen and I feel a bit tired at the thought of the six week ‘holiday.’ Do others feel this way or does it get easier?

I've done 12 summers of little ones (my kids are 12, 9 and 5). My elders is nearly 13 and I'm mourning the fact I won't get those summers for much longer. We are lucky to have national trust places nearby but my kids were always happy with a picnic and a walk somewhere.. Especially if in involves an ice cream out. We take our time & have lazy mornings. (Well, I do laundry, clean a bit) then head out anywhere for a walk and picnic lunch. Come home 4ish then they can play or chill with a screen. It is tiring but the years go by quickly even if the days seem long. It does get way easier as they get more rational. I feel.so lucky I've had those summers with them (work in as school).

You will feel differently as they get older - I have loved spending all the holidays with mine ( teacher also ) - just changed professions and no longer term time only , sad times although they are growing up now and needing/wanting me less .

My son has asd and I find holidays stressful (as does he)
I work 2 days a week.
I normally plan in advance. In laws normally have him a couple of overnights. I plan to meet friends and sil a few times. I normally book a couple of day camps and get dh to book a few days off.

That probably leaves me with around 5 days for parks/lazy days etc

You can't pour from an empty jug. If you don't get down time/me time then you never refill the jug. It's bad parenting not to refill the jug iyswim. Don't feel guilty.
I found you do need to have a plan of attack for the hols. A 6 week planner and some obsessive scouring of things to do etc. And nursery days.

Once they are in school you can send them to holiday camps.

So mine did a selection of barracudas day camp, a week of art camp, as they got older they did three days of PGL which was residential.
You can sometimes persuade grandparents to take them for an overnight as well,

It breaks it up a bit.

Yes! Drama or sports camps they'll love, or holiday destinations with kids clubs

You can also do a play date or child care rota with pals?

I'm not much help I'm afraid. I've worked in a school for the last 4 years and admit that I struggle with the fact that I never get a day off without my children. Every day I'm off, they're off! No opportunity to take a day off while they're in school. It's pretty relentless. I'm not going to lie, 6 weeks (usually raining) with 2 children to entertain is hard work (& exensive) I know my children are happiest at home and not being shoved from pillar to post so it's a trade off. Good luck with it all

I think the first couple of years after having my second were definitely the most tiring and relentless OP, you are in the trenches right now. Naps, high chairs, crawling, toddling, trantrums, night wakes aghh. Yes, the school holidays are still exhausting in their own way and I feel anxious at the start of a 6 week stretch but generally life is just easier and you feel less worn down by it all. And lots of fun moments too! (We don’t use holiday clubs yet so I have them both the whole summer)

It all depends on your children’s personality too. My youngest is easy going and I could have her full time no problem. My eldest is exhausting by lunchtime and I have to parent her in a different way and it’s very challenging. Also depends on how well the siblings get along. Continuous bickering isn’t fun! Very rewarding though when they get along and bond during that long downtime from school. You will get various different answers when you ask people how they feel about the school holidays, ranging from absolutely love them to dreading them

(amazing not having to do the school run though!)

I have learnt that I need a break from the children in the holidays for my sanity and I am a better parent to them when I do that. No grandparent help so I book the school holiday club and other activities that pop up which I think they might enjoy. My eldest especially seems to have a need to be very busy so quiet days at home aren't really an option... So I think some people's experiences may be different if they have children who really need downtime during holidays. But as he's getting older there are more activities available to keep him busy... He is signed up to go on a 6 night residential, that's going to be really weird not having to entertain him.