What do your days look like in the summer holidays?

[bojosquiff]

The summer holiday really stress me out. The lack of routine, constantly having to think up ways to entertain the kids, constant snacks, the expense. I love time with my dc but it's hard! Kids have a big age gap, one toddler, one year 6 so it's also tricky keeping them both happy.
I have work to juggle although I do have quite a few days booked off.
We live in an area with some nice walks and parks but not near the seaside or any big towns etc. I have booked a few days off while the youngest is at nursery to spend with the eldest so more scope to go further afield or do age appropriate things then.
Just wondering what everyone else's routines are like during the holidays....

Mine are different ages to yours but I can share some ideas of things we do in the summer which help create a bit of routine.

Baking, my dd 11 is getting quite independent with baking....and then learning how to clear up. Toddler could bake their own or just roll out pastry and cut shapes.

Trips to the library.

Painting / craft - dd enjoys making cards e.g birthday cards, can easily set this up yo include the toddler.

Bike ride with the toddler in a trailer or tag along.

Play doh for the toddler, fimo jewellery / figures / keyring for the older dc.

Swimming - could take an a friend for the older dc.

Pool party - Paddling pool / water pistols / water balloons and bubbles. Get older dc involved in making some summer mocktails and fruit kebabs and setting up the playlist.

National trust if any nearby, they always have some activities on in the summer.

We used to make a plan for each week, ensuring we had an activity for each day.

I have four under six!! Including a newborns

Firstly, there is no routine. We get up when we get up. We decide what to do and just get on with it. There will be some days when we have arrangements with family/friends or have tickets for something, but most days we’re on the beach or in the park, or just playing in the house and garden.

We do spend a week at my parents holiday home in the countryside, and will go abroad for two weeks as well. So I am very fortunate in that respect.

Plus DH is home on paternity leave and that’s taken a lot of the pressure off me obviously.

I don’t worry too much about my kids being bored. It’s part of life. If they claim they are bored they are told to throw tennis balls for the dog or sweep the floor!!

I find it takes us a while to get going in the morning and toddler still naps too so it's usually lunchtime before we get out and about. I want to try and be a bit more relaxed this year and not worry if dinner and bedtime is later than usual.
Social media has a lot to answer for. I think I see other people having endless amazing days out and feel shit that I'm not doing enough. But when I think back to my childhood I can't really recall what we used to do during the holidays - probably not a lot!
I'm pretty anxious in general and do cope better when I have structure and routine to my days so I think it's a combination between the lack of that and the pressure I'm putting on myself to create this magical memories. I probably just need to chill.

The last 3 weeks we are abroad but the first three I'm WFH.

I'm waking at 6, working 6.30-12. Then we are having lunch and going out for a walk/Park in the PMs. I quite like that I have some structure but WFH with children is not for the faint hearted

I agree. I did it for a while when my youngest was small. When the started toddling it became too much and I went back to the office. It's easy to do think you can juggle but long the stress is absolutely not worth it.
Eldest is home with dh today as he's wfh. Checked in and I think he's had a quiet morning reading but might be meeting a friend this afternoon.

I have 4, now aged 13-19, all living at home. I don't plan anything, they all get told to entertain themselves, although I am amazed by how little kids of their ages actually physically get together. They don't seem to just 'hang out' doing nothing like we used to in the 1980s.

I haven't ever 'organised' the holidays, we have always just taken each day as it comes. With four, you can't please them all and any kind of day out is very expensive.