To think it's just me that doesn't want the 6 weeks to end !

[seasonalnamepending]

Reading on here and on various other different social media platforms has me thinking that I am quite alone in not wanting my child to go back to school tomorrow.
I have absolutely loved the summer holidays - it's my first one after the first year in reception, and I just don't want her to go back!
I'm going to really miss her!
All I saw before the summer holidays was parents saying how much they were dreading it, and midway through saying they were counting down the days until September..
And now, all I am seeing is posts and videos of parents joking about how they will be at the gates early, practically shoving their children through the gates and skipping home afterwards.
It makes me quite sad. Why have children if you don't want to spend time with them??

Anyone else going to miss the time they get with their children during the holidays ?

But you are privileged with one well behaved NT child that you don't have find childcare for.

Come back to me when you have to spend 8 weeks somehow magically affording to send them to clubs they don't want to go to, and that are only open 10-2pm so you can't ever get a full days uninterrupted work done.

👏

I'm with you. We've always had term time only childcare and I really enjoy these weeks where we have no set agenda or external expectations on us. We've had lots of family time and it's been wonderful to actually have the space to enjoy the children. They have also become firm friends in this time which has been so lush to see. They've always got along, but I guess the little one wasn't really big enough to be respected as a playmate in her own right. But this summer they've had chats, made each other laugh, made up games together, come up with plans (and you know, daily wrestling matches which end in tears). It's been a treasure to witness!

But I can understand the other side of the coin too. It's been a very expensive 6 weeks despite not going abroad or really doing anything that outwardly seems outlandishly pricey. Ice creams and coffees, petrol, bus tickets etc add up when it's multiple times a week. Plus it's completely possible to love people whilst also valuing time without them. There was a moment this summer where for the first time the DC were quietly engaged in their own activities for about 45 minutes, I was reading and DH managed a nap. That's never happened to us before. Every moment from around 6am to 8pm is FULL. I kept looking up from my book in semi shock that it was so quiet 😂 As an only child I really value time alone, and peace and quiet, so after 6 weeks of having noise (even if it's mostly laughter) and being responsible for snacks, meals, packing bags, tidying up etc I must admit a part of me is looking forward to a break.

Just the one day though, then I'd quite like them back!!

Why have children if you don't want to spend time with them??

Insufferably smug.

I wasn't really expecting to be parenting a 14yo 24/7, including hourly through the night tbh.

The hour a day she goes to school and I manage to sit in total peace with a coffee is absolutely bliss, and the only thing that keeps me sane.

I do want to parent her, and my other dc, but it doesn't make me a bad parent for wanting a break either.

I usually really like the summer holidays – the low pressure mornings, no homework, kids are usually really relaxed and content. This one’s been different though, they’ve been really aggy and bored, and wanting to go back to school from around week 3, so I’m happy they’re going back.

I've loved the holidays with my teen DDs, they've really needed the break from school. I have one going into year 11 and one going into year 9.

This year feels like the last hurrah! Next year the holidays will be a stressful wait for exam results and decisions over "what next?". I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to it.
And the years have gone so, so fast.

Very eloquently put!

I have a friend who always “dreads” her kids not being in school. She’s a SAHM, I don’t know if that’s a factor?

I love spending time with my kids and genuinely look forward to the times that we are on holiday together. However I only, like a lot of working parents get 4 weeks holiday a year whereas there are 13 weeks of school holidays to fill. This leaves A LOT of juggling, expensive holiday clubs which the kids often don’t want to go to and which usually do not even cover working hours, relying on extra help from friends and family, flexi time and catching up in the evening! It’s a bit of a nightmare if I’m honest and I definitely breathe a sigh of relief when they go back to school and life gets easier again. It does make me sad that it’s like this as I would love to have the time/resources to enjoy the summer more with the kids but sadly for most working families, the long summer holidays are a struggle.

Nope OP I am so sad. My 6 year old goes back tomorrow. And my littlest starts school on Monday I am just grieving is the only way I can describe it!! Took them to a local cafe and library today and was watching them eat and compare books and I just suddenly had tears pouring out - mortifying! Then a lady on a table next to me asked for directions somewhere, when she saw my face she and her elderly mum were so, so kind. She actually said “It shows how much you love them that you feel this way.” Which didn’t actually help to stem the floods of tears but was so sweet of her. She also promised I’d get used to it and my DD would be fine! They sat and talked with us whilst we had lunch and until I stopped crying. So lovely. The kindness of strangers 🥹

Okay, have some more perspective -

I am a young mum, who is not actually allowed to work right now, due to a multitude of reasons. I would love to work; and am trying to find a way around this.
I have no contact with a large portion of my family due to childhood neglect, so they are not around.
We have never been abroad and do not go on holidays.
I have one family member who we went out with this summer, sometimes a few times a week.
I am NOT financially stable in any way. I have no savings, and live on a small amount month to month.
I do not drive.
I do not get days/ nights off or away from my child.

Yes it's just you, the rest of us hate our kids.

Why have children if you don't want to spend time with them?

Why make a post if you’re this dense?

No one wants to do any one thing 100% of the time – adults and kids included. Does it occur to you that many children are incredibly happy when in school routine and less happy out of it? Does it occur to you that children miss their friends, enjoy their lessons, feel excited about moving up a school year, want to use their new stationery and wear their new shoes? Does it occur to you that parents run out of annual leave? Run low on money for activities and/or childcare? That working parents can’t do both their jobs brilliantly for extended periods of time?

What an ignorant thing to say.

I’ve enjoyed the summer. I’ve been lucky enough to be on mat leave for most of it, But I’m glad it’s over for another year. I can only assume @seasonalnamepending doesn’t have a child who needs to be exhausted, both mentally and physically, to both sleep at night and not be a destructive whirlwind looking at you DS1. Summers were much easier with one DC who was happy to potter and colour and help me out around the house!

What I said in my original post very clearly does not apply to any of you. So there is absolutely no need for you to be offended by it.
If you are NOT one of those parents that sits there, complaining about their children, saying how annoying they are, saying that you can't wait for the holidays to end, and that you can't stand half terms when your children are off, this does NOT apply to you.
I am not talking about working parents.
I am not talking about SEN parents.
I am not talking about low income families who can't afford things for the holidays.
The listed above (and more I've probably forgotten) have REASON to be not entirely ecstatic about the holidays. I understand that and their reasons totally.
This post does NOT apply to those groups of people and more.
Please don't be offended by something that I am not attacking you for.

This summer has felt like a good summer for me and the boys. We’ve had two lovely holidays, and they’ve played with each other and we all relaxed as a family. The weather held out for us. I have enjoyed seeing them, talking nonsense with them, giving them lazy morning cuddles. But then I am fed up with working full-time, and I will miss them when they’re not here.

Yes looking after them is hard but so
much more fulfilling than being at work. It means so much more.

I don't know why it would be a factor really, as she (as do I) gets all the time in the world on days that the kids are at school, that you'd think it would be lovely when they are off.
My mum was the same. She was a SAHM and hated me and my siblings being off, we never did and thing and she would basically hide in the kitchen all day and leave us to it!

So you don’t work, so you don’t have experience of juggling FT work and school holidays. Why would you assume the working juggle equates to people not wanting to spend time with their children?

@Didimum - please read my above posts about this. I have cleared that up many times. This post does not apply to working parents who have to juggle childcare etc.

Consider yourself very fortunate you enjoyed the holidays OP, and have not had to juggle childcare, other commitments and a burned out, emotional child.

I took the first week of the holidays off to have some nice chill out time with my DD (just finished reception). She was extremely teary and difficult, so overtired from school finishing and the weather was awful. The next 3 weeks were a v stressful mix of juggling work with grandparent care, holiday clubs and swapping childcare days with friends, to the point DD was crying every morning because she was so unsettled and didn’t want to leave me. We had a holiday for 10 days which was lovely, but she is definitely missing the structure of school, missing her friends etc.

Ive only encountered two types of experience of the summer hols - working parents stressed out trying to balance childcare and work, and non-working parents (or parents who only work term time) completely burnt out from managing their kids 24/7 without a large budget for treats and days out.

If you are NOT one of those parents that sits there, complaining about their children, saying how annoying they are, saying that you can't wait for the holidays to end, and that you can't stand half terms when your children are off, this does NOT apply to you

I am not talking about working parents
I am not talking about SEN parents
I am not talking about low income families who can't afford things for the holidays

Im an old mum, so maybe I have never been exposed to this on social media. But, taking your list at face value, ie your post is aimed at well off, SAHPs of NT kids… I’ve literally never come across anything like what you describe.

Juggling work and kids being off is not easy!

I suspect the ones who aren't so keen to have their children back at school are the ones with plenty of money. We are skint!

Ok have just seen your update that you weren’t referring to working parents - I sympathise a bit as it sounds like you’re having a bit of a tough time, but it’s v naive to think you could post something like your op the week the schools go back and not start a massive bun fight. A lot of us are hanging by a thread at this point.

Right...so your OP is a diatribe against other parents, but none of the other parents on this thread, because you say so.

It's not easy taking on board other points of view is it?