AIBU to ask what you would do with 8 weeks off?

[MarieNewport79]

I’ve been provided with an amazing opportunity which means I will have 8 weeks off over the summer.

I have an 8 year old daughter and we have a family holiday booked for two of those weeks. However, for the remainder of the school holidays (and a bit before,) I will have no work commitments.

I’ll never get this opportunity again and I really want to make the most of it with my daughter (rather than just spend the time cooking and cleaning etc)

Therefore, please can you provide me with ideas as to how I can make the best of this time.

I have some disposable income but couldn’t really afford to pay to go out every day.

thank you in advance.

Depends on money you’ve got to spend and what sort of activities you like doing.
id probably use that time
for a mixture of getting things done around the house and some fun things. Days out can be expensive but when my DC were younger and I was on a budget I often used to take picnics and go visit different places, the forest, a beach, parks etc. visit friends and family, take advantage of cinema deals, swimming etc

Beach days, picnics, maybe a couple of expensive treats, but every day doesn't have to an adventure. Simple things like baking a cake for a play date would be messy fun at home on a chilled day. Teach her games like domino's or rummy, bound to a rainy day when it's the perfect opportunity.

Have a bloody awesome time 😀

Not sure what your interests are/location obviously, but why not tie it to completing a list of some sort, so the whole summer feels like an event? The National Trust have a good one of "Fifty things to do before you're 11 and 3/4" which would also be cheap https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/50-things

Otherwise you could make your own list - cook and/or eat your way down a dish from an alphabet of countries?

Gosh I’m so jealous.
What we do at the start of every summer is draw a big bucket on a piece of paper and then brainstorm ideas for our summer bucket list. Can be simple ‘go for an ice cream’ or ambitious. Involve your DD.
If it was me:
I would certainly set aside lots of time for pottering at home or around the local area. Lego challenges, board games, baking something new, crafting on rainy days and water pistol fights, gardening, playing tennis, going for bike rides, visiting the swimming pool on warm sunny days.
maybe learn to do something new together - sushi making/skateboarding/boxing/yoga - whatever
I’d want to read a great kids book series together, like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson or Alex Ryder or whatever she’s into - something thrilling though where you both want to keep going all day - and now you can
Maybe do a project based on a mutual interest like one of those daily photography challenges if she has a camera or if you don’t mind sharing your phone.
maybe do some life skills stuff with your daughter - basic cooking and other skills - e.g. get her to navigate by bus or train when you go somewhere.

Not sure where you live but I’d look for free days out and/or think about a membership which would work out cheap if you used it loads. Where do you live? Could then think of suggestions.
take her to watch sport - eg if you like cricket - The Hundred is really fun

And probably I’d want to see if funds stretched to another holiday just you and her.

have an amazing time.

I'd go to the beach every day, have long barefoot walks in the sand, and swim/paddle/splash about. Write things in the sand. Though that is contingent on you living near the coast.

Visit your local library, if you have one. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of going to the library with my Grandad. He'd read old newspapers, I'd read a book or two, then we'd talk about them on the way home.

Any local historical sites? We used to visit them a lot too.

Can you bake? If so, teach your daughter how to. If not, learn together. Making bread with my Nana was one of my favourite things to do, ever. Start with soda bread, it's easy peasy.

And also, enjoy it!

Oh I think we have a book with this title so I need to dig that out.

We both like trying different foods and cooking so I like that idea as well. Thank you x

I’m sort of hinting at taking a mini break with her to my husband 😬
I’m going to get her to draw up a bucket list and she loves reading so we should definitely start a new series.
thank you for replying x

YABU

Could you look into any house sitting opportunities? Or maybe a house swap?

Thank you.

Sadly we’re not close enough to the coast, which is crazy because I love the sea.

We love the library. I can cook but not a great baker but remember my mum making fresh bread which was amazing so it would be good if we started to do this together.

thank you for the reply, I’ve got lots more ideas to get us going x

My husband still has to work so he’ll need to be at home. My first thought was to travel but I don’t think it’s fair on him. If he could take a long break however, I would love to do a house swap x

I would travel! Destination depending on budget but I’d head somewhere that has a cheaper cost of living and immerse myself in another culture for a few weeks. My DD is 7 and an excellent traveling companion. Explore the sights, try new food, learn a bit of the language.

Go to Paris on the Eurostar.

Set yourself a target. When the kids were little, I once did a ‘find the best ice cream in London’ week. We got on the (free for them) tube every day, walked around and discovered a new place each day for ice cream and then made a decision at the end of the week on a winner. The ice cream cost a bit but not an obscene amount. We never got round to the ‘best chips’ version that we planned…

I'm a teacher so get the 6 weeks off with my dc and we do a combination of days out, garden days etc... some days out are expensive ones but most are bikes and picnics at the beach or park. We're national trust members so try and visit a few of those.

This is exactly it, I need a target or I’ll blink and the time will be gone. We could go to a different town every day for a week for sure. Thank you x

I would travel. Like a mini backpacking holiday. Does your DH wfh?

No, he’ll need to go into work Monday to Friday. I travelled a bit when I was younger and loved it but he’d miss DD so much if we were gone more than a few days so I’m not sure that’s a viable option. Travelling was absolutely my first thought 😁

I think I cross posted with you when I suggest travel but you said it wouldn’t be fair to your husband. My friend is going inter-railing with her DC, and husband is joining for a few days at the beginning and end, and a weekend in between - each in a different city. Would a something like that work for you?

Oh, yes we could do that, he has weekends off and Fridays for the first three weeks. Thank you, I’d dismissed travelling but maybe it could work x

National Trust, bike rides, hiking, picnics, craft projects together e.g painting a printed canvas, fimo or decopatch, host and afternoon tea for some friends. Raise some money for charity by doing something together like car washing, have an at home spa day, go to the movies, go and try a new activity like paddle boarding or climbing or something. Visit a museum, gallery or castle. Mini golf. Swimming.

Interrailing

choose a day and look for the cheapest flight eg Skyscanner and do a city break just the two of you

Train to London or Edinburgh for a couple days - so much to see and do

reading challenge

bird diary, noting all the birds you see together and drawing pictures, writing a few facts

I get 8+weeks off occasionally and I just end up dossing about doing not much. I read, get in the garden, go for long, lazy lunches, go for occasional days out, sleep and tidy the house. I don't mind staying home though and love the feeling of not having to get up for x amount of weeks so often sleep a lot better than when I'm at work.

It's a great time for a project- maybe a room makeover? I'd touch up the paint etc. in the house and get the garden planted up as it's looking a bit tatty. Trying new dishes sounds great, travel or camping. Maybe declutter the house/ cupboards.