AIBU to hate bank holidays?

[SophieB0012]

I literally cannot wait for Easter to be over. I feel this horrible crushing pressure to do stuff whenever it's a bank holiday and when the weathers nice I feel like the worst mum and human in the world if we're in the house. We managed to fit in quite a bit at the start of the holidays and now we're all tired and a bit irritable and I just want my routine back.

I don't really know what I want out of this post. I guess it would just make me feel a bit better if someone else also just hates it and wants normality back. I think I've got undiagnosed ADHD and I'm much better when I'm quite literally forced into the school routine. I have to be up and out (often a bit late but still) and once I am up and out everything else feels easier to cope with. I find having to think of things to do and planning stuff excruciating - like almost painful. I'm starting to think as I write this maybe I should look at some sort of therapy 😂

The trouble is once the kids are back at school I miss them terribly and then feel awful I didn't plan more and make the most of it more. In all honesty I would like to remove my brain and give it a good scrub and put it back in.

How old are your DC?

DD is 7 and DS is 4

Such as shame that you have kids but don't enjoy the opportunity to spend time with them.

I think it's about finding a balance. Personally, I need to get myself and the kids out once a day in the holidays or weekends otherwise we all go stir crazy. It doesn't have to be much, a trip to the park will do but as long as we've done that I have no guilt about chilling. They do need some downtime too, school is busy!

E.g. today we went out for a couple of hours this morning. Drove to a local town, mooched around some shops, fed the ducks and went to a cafe. We were home by 12, all had a bath and have been in our pyjamas since. They are currently playing a game and we have spent an hour or so tidying up around the house but other than that they have been watching TV. DD1 just asked me if we can have a chilled day on Monday and I've said that's fine. I'll do a roast that day so am thinking we can walk to the supermarket, buy what we need for dinner and then come home and chill out. We've had a lot of days out over the holidays and it sounds like you have too so don't feel guilty about having a rest. Everyone needs downtime.

Do your kids hate being at home OP?

I've found the Easter bank holiday hard being at the end of the holidays. I've ran out of steam with the kids now but there's this pressure to be out doing stuff isn't there. Just tired now tbh 😂😂

@Starzinsky don't shame the op young kids are bloody hard work

Kids don’t need organised activities every second of the bloody day. This is why there are so many young people unable to do anything for themselves or show any initiative. They’re subjected to this constant imaginary parental pressure from unrealistic social media to always be ‘doing’ or ‘achieving’ Leave them be and let them learn to entertain themselves!

Bank holidays make me anxious but I don't know why. I love the downtime and doing things with family. But I think there is some kind of unspoken pressure to be making the most of a free day off work so if I don't have definite plans it makes me feel like I'm wasting time and this makes me anxious. I feel better when I plan to do something, even if it's just make a cake, do my nails, watch a film etc.

You didn't read the post, that's not what the OP is saying

No bank Holidays are lovely for people who work snd can get the time off.
Chill, enjoy the day, don't feel pressurised to go out, the children are tired and irritable, do them a favour, let them eat their easter eggs and have some down time.

I don't think people need therapy, I think they should come off social media, people don't all do expensive things and have to go out all the time. Most of those wonderful social media pictures are posed.

It sounds like you have unrealistic expectations of things probably based on seeing what other people are doing on social media.

We’ve done stuff, not done stuff, pottered, seen people, not seen people. The weather’s been good here, the kids have just enjoyed no routine and being together more than when the bigger one’s at school.

Why decide you hate this time? Try and let expectations of shoulds go and embrace being with them and doing what they enjoy.

Glad it’s not just me! I have hated bank holidays all my life, even as a child. Everywhere is busy, roads are congested and there’s this frenzy to Have A Good Time. Never been keen on barbecues which always seem to be most people’s idea of fun on a bank holiday. And the actual day is like a Sunday because you still have work/school the next day! It’s like Sunday evening feeling x 100 for me. I think the best thing to do in life whether single, in a couple or with kids is to forget holiday pressures and do whatever you want. Don’t compare to any other family.

You know you don't actually have to entertain children in the holidays...

Mine used to play out in the garden or their friends used to knock and they'd play out the street. (Obviously depends on your location)

Love a bank holiday if I am working - double time, nicely nicely.

I don't feel pressured to do things I don't want to do and I've no desire to go anywhere, the only thing I dislike is that a bank holiday is the time one of the animals will decide to need an emergency vet... but I have now accepted thats just how life is!

Easter holidays Is the trickiest of them all

Your reading comprehension could use some work..

DH and I have both worked all easter holidays, we managed to squeeze some bits in at the weekends.

DH is working all bank holiday weekend, I've had a mad fucking week at work. You can bet your ass I'm sitting and doing nothing!! Kids are happy to entertain themselves.

And Kids should learn to entertain themselves, they don't always need to be "out" doing something. Doing something in the house is just as acceptable.

It's not helped here by Easter being at the end of 2 weeks off but I feel no guilt whatsoever that we will probably spend the next couple of days watching films and eating chocolate with DS6. We've both worked for 2 weeks so he's been on a mini break with one set of grandparents, been to about 5 National Trusts with his other grandparents and done his usual football/swimming/rugby clubs. I do not understand the "pressure" people say they feel. Why? From where?

Seriously some of these replies have made me feel a million times better! Thank you all 😘

Of course I'm ignoring the one that said I don't enjoy spending my time with my children?! It did give me a laugh though!

I think everyone who said to stop comparing to everyone else is so right. I feel like everyone else is making the most of it but for some reason what we've been doing isn't enough. We were in Cornwall for the first week doing stuff all day everyday, we've seen friends and family etc. It's just today that got to me for some reason!

I actually think the Easter holidays are the hardest. They get sooooo much time off and that’s before the whole egg thing on the last Sunday of the holidays so by then, parents are knackered and fed up and out of ideas. Weather is typically touch and go but overall it always feels like a long time to me with no structure - I don’t know why but even the summer holidays don’t feel as stressful as Easter. It’s a long stretch

Honestly, everyone else I know with kids also did All The Things the first week and has spent today going to places like B&Q or B&M!

What would you LIKE to do given the choice op?

If I'd been off the whole holidays with them I'd absolutely not feel pressure to do special things. Just treat it like any other day of the holidays. The bank holiday makes no difference if you're already off.

Ive not been off at all during the holidays so cramming in as much as I can with the kids as it's the only four days we have had throughout, you don't need to stress about doing that.

Just take it easy and get organised for going back to school, your kids don't know its a bank holiday.