Does anyone else get anxious or a bit down in the school holidays, for no real reason?

[Bloominglovely13]

Just that really. I do and I don’t really know why.

Maybe it’s the change in routine, worrying that the dc are happy and have enough to do/are not doing too much.Maybe it’s that I imagine that everyone else is having an amazing time and we are mostly pottering about. I honestly can’t quite put my finger on it. .

I know what you mean - I often get this on bank holidays - feeling like my homeshould look like a white company shoot with all the organised fun and festivities on top.
In reality it’s busy and the weather is rubbish. Everyone I know is either abroad or pottering for this one.

I am certainly not full of the joys during the school holidays... we have an only and I find not having any head space of my own for weeks on end very difficult.
It can be relentless. Make plans with people ... feel to over socialised ... don't make plans feel guilty for sitting round the house all day.

People often ask me what I’m going to ‘do’ over the holidays and I always say ‘absolutely nothing’. That’s what I look forward to and my kids followed - they’d play, have Easter eggs, watch films, some crafting, maybe pootle to the park. All low key.

Of course, there is SM pressure now. This idea that everyone is living some sort of ideal existence of laughing children rolling in tulips and hunting Easter eggs in perfectly curated pastel outfits. Bollocks. Don’t compare your back of house to every one else’s show reel. Most people will be doing the same as you I can guarantee, whatever their FB shows. Just enjoy the down time and chilling with your kids. That’s all they really want - time with you.

I posted on another thread - I love love love school holidays and bank holidays.

We (DH, DCs and I) have super busy weeks - full time (>120% hours per week for both of us) jobs, school runs, extracurricular activities, supporting homework (make a volcano anyone?!), laundry laundry laundry (hockey kit, football kit, swimming kit), meal planning then making the meals etc.

Then the holidays comes.
(Nearly) everything stops - one or both of us may still be working but everything else eases up. The DCs really appreciate some chill out time, too - reading, watching a box sets etc.

We are not on SM.

I work in a school and increasingly struggle in the holidays. Older dd is now at uni and ds is in secondary school so they no longer need me to arrange things for them in the holidays. Last summer was the start of it (first year of dd at uni) and it was actually like i felt I had no purpose. I feel like i need a routine and to be busy all the time as day to day life is crazy busy during term time. I plan on having a house project to do in the summer hols to keep me busy and feel useful.