To hate school holidays

[havetobecareful]

I know IABU and should be treasuring this time to make memories but I’m fed up and it’s only Tuesday!

How old are they?

I mean it's obviously pretty sad that you don't enjoy spending time with your child/ren. Can you say why?

One is four and one is two. Neither have started school yet (obviously not for the two year old) but my four year old is at a TTO preschool. Normally the two year old would be at nursery yesterday but obviously not due to bank holiday … four days has already felt a bit relentless.

Everyone is different, but for us school holidays are a break from rushing between swimming lessons, Rainbows. Brownies, tutoring, drama clubs,dance clubs, netball and trying to juggle all these with both working, I love them.

They do get easier when they are a bit older though and can do more for themselves.

Well, let’s see.

Firstly, to be blunt about it, I can’t really do anything for me when they are around. That sounds very selfish and I don’t mean it to, but it would be nice to read a book, watch a show I want to watch, visit a place of interest. I’m sure some people will reply incredulous that I can’t walk around an art gallery with them; go ahead, I can’t.

Then they argue and bicker a lot, lots of crying and tantrums, fall outs.

Food; I am sick of thinking of and preparing meals which aren’t well received. And I don’t want advice on this (sorry if that looks rude, the poster asked why I’m not always enjoying spending time with them) - I’m not going to not prepare home cooked meals for them but it does mean there’s a certain amount of cajoling / nagging three times a day. And mess.

Have I mentioned mess?

Those ages are hard and the weather here has been rubbish so if it's the same near you, I'm not surprised it's been a slog!

Are you able to afford to take them out?

Library (free!)
Park or just a walk nearby(just put them in coats/Puddle suits/wellies
Swimming?
Visit a friend/relative

When my son was young, I used to go out every day just to stay sane! He is 11 now and I can say it definitely gets easier!

We do get out. I just don’t seem to be enjoying myself much. Feeling tired at the moment and the days feel like a chore and not enjoyable.

Have a routine for school holidays then everyone knows what to expect. At that age, we did a couple of day trips to a museum, beach or country park. The days we were not going anywhere really, we still went out locally so the kids weren’t climbing the walls.
Our days went something like this -
breakfast and make lunch
pack lunch and go out to a park or the woods.
raincoat and wellies if wet. If really wet then go somewhere indoors like library, b&q, swimming.
eat lunch out or take it back home.
after lunch, tv and some quiet time
activity like garden, play doh, toys, art, baking (for older dc) books
dinner
tv
bed

There is 22 months between mine, I remember what it can be like. It's difficult because their not really independent at this age and can't regulate very well yet.

Distraction is key I found 😅 do you have a garden?

Your in the trenches right now but it does get easier the older/ more independent they get. What support do you have around you?

I think nursery is my support! 😅

To be honest, this is what is terrifying me. This weeks been tough but it is just one week: soon I’ll have six of them and I honestly am worried about how I’ll manage.

I feel you, OP. It can be hard. I adore my two - 3 and 7 - but sometimes when I’m trying to prise them out of the house on a rainy day or put my foot down about no screens or eating something healthy or whatever, yes, I just want to slink away with an audiobook. We have a great time when we go out and they’re generally very good at home but wet holidays in particular can feel relentless. I make the effort to treasure everything I do with them but I also make sure I allow myself to be kind to myself when they’re scrapping, screaming, messing up my newly tidied house or asking for a snack because they didn’t want breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Mine are 4, 3 and almost 2 so I'm there with you. My 3 and 4 year old miss preschool during school holidays as well as my 4 year old missing her usual groups & clubs.
The weather here has been especially poor and isn't getting much better for the rest of the week so we're stuck inside. The kids miss the routine and so do I.
All the places we usually visit (softplay, library, cafe) etc are busy due to the holidays so even that feels like a lot of effort.

This week, they’ve been waking up so early. The eldest used to but stopped when he dropped his nap a couple of years ago. This week it’s been 530 starts, and I’m so tired and I hate the fact that nine o clock comes around and you’ve been up hours!

It took me a minute to realise you meant 6 weeks and not 6 children 🤣🤣🤣

Do you have any mum friends or family who you can spend time with, with the children or if they'll babysit? Do you have a partner?

I fled DV when mine were 8 months old and 2.6 so I literally had zero support around me aside from DD going into nursery. It was really really difficult...... now their older ( 8 and 10 ) I always feel guilty I didn't enjoy those earlier days as much as I could of..... but it's difficult with very little support isn't it

Do they go to bed at a reasonable time? That's your best way of getting some time to yourself, or if the 2 year old still naps you could get a small break there ( lots of ways to keep a 4 year old entertained )

It's hard now but at the same time they will have very similar likes at this age so a tad easier to keep them entertained with the same thing

Mine have so much fun with a hose pipe, making potions from leaves and paint/ mixed with water, colouring in,

I got them a puppet show thing once that was a huge hit 😅....

Hang in there. We absolutely love time off school now, we have done nothing all week but relax and we've all loved it

You're not being unreasonable at all. 2 year old are very tiring. The days are long and it was such an effort to get them out the door some days.
Soft play centre to tire them out, or get outside in the rain for a walk to the park, or a drive in the car and maybe they'll fall asleep and you can park somewhere and read a book for a bit? They will soon be a bit older and you'll be able to actually do things with them, hang in there.

The routine upthread would be too much for DC this age, maybe something like in the morning try a walk or something simple at home like baking cookies or play dough, then lunch and nap time for the youngest and a bit of TV / reading

That sounds a bit more manageable and suitable, really. I remember those ages and it was hard especially with the toddler tantrums etc. hang in there OP!

I love school holiday - Easter was chaos for us as we were in the US in and we’ve had a wedding over the bank holiday weekend so it’s felt sooo full on.

we are just chilling the rest of this week, trip to library today. Couple of friends round tomorrow. Maybe a trip into our local city later in the week and some sport at the weekend.

I absolutely share your feelings. It is so hard trying to keep everyone entertained and having to referee arguments every 10 minutes 😵‍💫

We live in the US now due to DH’s work. Summer holidays here started on Friday…..and are TWELVE WEEKS LONG. 🫠😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫
Twelve weeks.
We are a one car family at the moment and DH needs the car for work. So that’s 12 weeks of me and the DCs bouncing off the walls 🫠🫠🫠 We also live in the desert so from early June to late August, it’s simply too hot to be outside.
Kids here don’t get all the half term breaks U.K. schools have, just long weekends for national holidays, a week for Thanksgiving and a week for Christmas. I’d sell a kidney to go back to having more short holidays through the year than a full 3 month block.

Sorry- just checked and it's fine! I think I saw all sorts of trips out..forgive me

also people need to just not feel guilty about chilling! My youngest has come back and made some bookmarks (she is autistic and really needs these calming activities) weather has called for sausage and mash for tea! Eldest has taken her books upstairs to read

I felt like you when mine were that age.
Now theyre older, older primary still, but I love holidays now.
I can get stuff done while they play, take a bath while they play, they dont need my constant attention and are sometimes lovely company.
Wouldn't take them to museums but the beach, nature walks, movie days, out for treats etc.
Most meal prep and cook still relentless tho.
Give yourself a few years grace xxx

Oh and kids have argued a couple of times but I let them sort it between themselves but they are 10 and 13

How do you get a 2yo child to chill? Really I want to know your secrets, mine just followed me round like a puppy would not do anything independently. He’s fine now playing by himself at 4 but never cracked it at 2.

Are you putting yourself under pressure to do things a certain way, do too much, keep the house a particular way, compete with other people and what they say they’re doing?

Unless the mess is dangerous or unhygienic does it matter? What do they like doing? Does the 2 year old nap?