To feel I wasted the 6 weeks holiday

[hi2416]

I work term time so I can get same holidays as mum kids so I can’t even use the excuse I was working as I wasn’t. I feel incredibly sad and upset with myself for wasting the holidays away. First 3 weeks we had lots of play dates abs catch ups with family then I got Sick, the kids got sick then DH got sick. I feel embarrassed what the kids will say when asked what they did. We didn’t even leave our city! I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time on play dates. I wish I had made some memories alone with the kids.

Can’t be helped now OP. There will be other holidays.
Sometimes ‘the more you have, the less you make the most of it’. You see this 6 week time span in front of you and you waste it and then bam, back to work. We’re all guilty of it. Plan some nice weekends while the weather holds.

I'm just happy we got through it, balancing work and time together is tricky in this long holiday! We didn't do much, me and DH had 2 weeks off each and then 2 weeks of holiday club, but DS is safe, loved and food on the table so I'm not going to feel guilty that we haven't done enough.

It sounds like you did make the most of the first couple of weeks and then you were all ill, that can't be helped. Sometimes it's good just to have time to rest and recharge and catch up with people you never manage to the rest of the time. I'm very skeptical about the whole "making memories" things. We make memories all the time, it's just a ploy to get us to spend money. If you feel that bad, book some time away in October

Kids are funny little beings and you can take them round the entire world and the one thing they’ll remember is the shitty one euro toy they bought in a newsagents.

I took my nieces and nephews to a big European city this summer and my littlest nephew could not have been less arsed about all the amazing things we did. He was however completely wowed by the flocks of pigeons flying in synch.

I’m sure your kids have had a lovely summer even if it has been more low key than you planned. They’ll be refreshed and ready for the new term.

If the kids have been happy then it’s fine. We’ve not done loads but when I’ve asked the kids what they want to do they’ve not suggested any big days out. And the favourite day was spent in the garden, my 7 year old said it was the best day ever.

My friend took her kids for a very expensive trip to the zoo. What did her dc talk about afterwards??? The ducks. That you can see for free at the park.

I'm sure your kids will have a different view of the holidays. Don't be so hard on yourself.

It’s a bit strange you didn’t even leave your city. I’d find that really claustrophobic but if you were all sick, it couldn’t be helped. Can you do a weekend beach trip over the next couple of weeks?

I was feeling the same. Spent first 3 weeks inside as potty training and a series of illnesses. We watched so much tv way more than I ever would like to admit but the parent police haven’t been knocking yet! Tried to do lots of play dates after the illnesses but they’re sometimes more stressful than doing something by ourselves. I’m just proud we’ve done it me and my girl just the two of us from 7am to 6pm every week day! And that’s what she’ll remember - mummy was around and played with me. Can’t be undone now!

I left everything that needed sorting out for this week and this is the week I feel the worst! I’m on Antiobiotics and feel so incredibly tired. My kids are in their devices. I’ve put a load of washing in the washing machine and cleaned the kitchen but I can’t breathe. I feel I need to lie down. I’m so annoyed I didn’t plan ahead.

My daughter told me yesterday that she's had the best holidays because it was a mix of chilled and a few lovely experiences. Her favorite days have been when we've crafted while watching a film. We have spent entire days sitting and reading. It's been brilliant!

Teaching our kids to stop and smell the roses is as important as having tons of experiences.

There are many cities which have so many things to do that you can have a perfectly fulfilled holiday without having to set foot outside it. It's really not that strange, but a bit of a rude thing to say when there are so many families that cannot afford to go on a holiday away, especially in a cost of living crisis. The beach weekend suggestion is 😂

OP, you haven't wasted your holidays. Term-time only staff often get ill during the holidays because their bodies need the rest; it's just unfortunate that it happened to all of you one after another. As others have said, if you feel you lost out there are other holidays to come. Don't worryabout others, they most likely don't even listen properly when they hear the answer to "how was your holiday?".

You really need to stop beating yourself up. Play dates would have been fun for the DC. You can't help that everyone got sick. It sounds like as a family you needed some down time. That can be just as important as "making memories "

I think often with things like this, you can have great plans, butthe reality of it is it day trips are very expensive.

We haven't done much. Week holiday in caravan for first week, trip to theme park but last two weeks we have ran out of money so lots of park trips and staying home watching movies and gaming.. kids have seemed happy enough but lots of mum guilt. Just can do our best

We did a weeks caravan in Cornwall, but very little otherwise. Lots of days at the park for us this year. Sometimes we all just need to relax and unwind.

I’ve done very little. No DC to entertain a few a days out here and there but that’s it. No holiday as it’s too expensive over the summer. I love the chance to reset.

October half term will be here before you know it, can you plan something fun for then?

I find it a bit strange you’d find that claustrophobic. Maybe a weekend beach trip would help you?

When do they go back? Hopefully you have a couple of days to get things ready so you take it slowly.

Whats done is done now. I agree with you about playdates. I tended to one or 2 during the holidays but used the time mostly for doing things myself with the children. There is half term in October. That includes Halloween. Start planning a few things to do just you and the children that will be fun.

I am sure your children still enjoyed their holidays. It’s just not quite what you hoped for. There will be other opportunities.

plan ahead for sickness??? That would be a good trick. Schools are being asked not to do the what I did on holidays thing because of the kids whose parents can't afford to do anything special.

Same. I am utterly utterly sick of playgrounds now. Playgrounds and play dates. And screen time. I don’t know WHY I ever thought I’d have MORE time to get thin and get prepared for my new job either. What the hell was I thinking. It’s been relentless survival.

Kids are funny little beings and you can take them round the entire world and the one thing they’ll remember is the shitty one euro toy they bought in a newsagents.

This. My son’s favourite childhood memory? Going with a bunch of adults to strip an orchard. Best day ever apparently.

Then don't waste any more days! You don't need to wait for the school holidays. And so what if they don't have amazing stories to tell their friends?

My best childhood summer holiday memories are the lazy days, playing in the garden and everything just being more relaxed so don’t beat yourself up. Also you don’t get to decide what ‘makes a memory’; you could do amazing days out with your kids and in a a year or 2 or 5 years they’ll remember the time they fell over in the garden or playing with a specific friend etc and not those days out

Please don’t beat yourself up over this. Like you I’ve been ill for nearly four weeks of the holidays and am still on antibiotics and steroids. I feel exhausted too . I’m just so grateful that I’m safe at home, relaxing and not having to get up for work.
My daughter has told me that she’s really enjoyed this holiday. We normally spend a small fortune going abroad and it all gets so stressful.