To not understand where my Summer has gone!

[smoulderingmould]

I am back to work in 2 days & the dc go back to school next week, I am not ready!

I have had almost a month off work which I appreciate is nice but it has gone way too fast. Plus all the things I intended to do; daily yoga, sort out a Vinted pile, order a new bathroom blind, read, etc has not happened. And the list of things I need to do is still very long eg sort school uniform & shoes, dentist etc.

Pretty sure i'm peri menopausal but I am dreading the grind of early mornings, work, school, dc's activities etc. I'm feeling quite depressed about it all & that is unusual for me. Any tips to improve my mood & make Autumn & life in general more pleasant?

Just me then 😆

This summer has flown by and it has been glorious. I am not looking forward to the nights drawing in and the school routine. I have read a book and I have been learning French. I also ordered a blind for the bathroom which I have been meaning to do for years! Sorry OP!

We've been planning things to do in October half term and a couple of weekend days out in September, the beach will hopefully be less busy and the zoo will be cooler to walk round ( asd/ adhd kids)

I can't wait for September, I live in a very busy tourist hotspot on the Med, summer has been so hot and we have been overwhelmed with tourists, worse than previous years. We have been hibernating 😂The roads are busy, tourists going the wrong way down roads, so many accidents leading to more traffic... September is lovely here, still warm but quiet

@awakeandasleep the weather has been glorious & I think it has kept me out of the house more.

I did manage 2 books but jealous of your French learning - on my bucket list.

How dare you sort the bathroom blind though!

I have nothing planned for today except washing so I'm going to try & read and do yoga later. Obviously I'm sunbathing now!

Not sure what ages your dc are - I’ve three and youngest is 6 so it’s been absolutely full on. There is so much (unappreciated) to do to prep them for the next year and I’ve still got so much of it to do, because the days are full of playing with them and not getting through a tonne of tasks.

@onwardandupwards I did say to DH how many weeks till half term as I can have a few days off then!

@bert3400 that does sound annoying. I normally look forward to September, Autumn is my favourite season & I love my job so don't understand why I'm so devastated. Maybe it's because my dc have actually been quite lovely and I'm not desperate to get rid of them 😆

I'm a teacher and have been off for nearly 5 weeks. I always overestimate all the jobs I will get done in that time. We were away on holiday for two weeks and have visited family. When I make a list of holiday jobs now I try to keep it realistic. I have managed to declutter and repaint DC1's bedroom, do some important paperwork and go to the dentist. My plan to empty and clear out all the kitchen cabinets has not materialised sadly. I am a very un-energetic person -would love to be someone who enjoys being busy.

I'm planning out my Halloween decorating, and making a costume with my youngest GC. She is being Samara from the Ring and we are making a well. I clean for my youngest and I've bought a life-size pumpkin head, who I'll put in different poses around her house. I've planned vintage pumpkin/ghost train vibes. We've also booked Halloween events.

@Notoironing 9 & 11 so one is starting secondary & they are much easier vs when they were younger.

I think it’s just time management to be honest
I moved house this summer and managed to arrange a hell of a lot for that…including blinds. Went on holiday for a week, did days out, took my dc swimming most days etc. I think it’s just a matter of doing it! I also don’t have social media like facebook/instagram rt. so I don’t fall into scroll holes for hours at a time.

I am a very un-energetic person -would love to be someone who enjoys being busy.

I have found my people 😆

Now my 4 weeks off have been fab, lots of holidays & seeing family & friends but I'm pooped!

I have managed to declutter and repaint DC1's bedroom, do some important paperwork and go to the dentist.

All things on my need to do list & Autumn is always super busy for me so...

I have loved this summer. I left teaching in July. It’s seemed to go on forever. I think it’s been my best one!

I have done a lot of lounging and bare minimum of jobs.

I actually can’t believe I have to go to work next week, every day and then keep repeating it, and it’s a new job, so I actually need to be switched on!!

Bloody tourists, eh?.😂imagine going to a popular place on the Med?!

I’m in Scotland so kids already back but it did fly by! I think because the weather was so good, we did so much, we were out of the house a lot and that makes time go so fast. We had loads of stuff we didn’t even get round to, I actually felt quite sad that DD1 was back to school already. It’s been a shock to the system having to get back to routines in the morning, we haven’t quite hit our stride there yet!

I feel like this every single January OP.

I am in the SH so its our long summer holiday over December and into January and I have to take leave then as many businesses close down during that time. Every year I have big plans for what I will do during that time off if I am at home, and I cannot remember one year where I have actually done all the things I planned that I would.

So I just go with the fact that I rested well 😀and that it me all rested in preparation for another long year ahead.

It is so lovely to not have to be prisoner to a schedule and be able to wing it every day. The monotonous structure ahead now is lurking and you are not ready. I get it.

I always find the first week of my holiday it takes me a bit of adjusting to get into 'holiday mode". Unfortunately the same is true for the first week back to get back into 'work mode'. We all call it the easing in week and we are all just a little extra kind to each other if we are not all that productive. We are all feeling it the same.

It sounds like you have had a lovely break.

@Ponoka7 great costume idea!

It's been a lovely summer, but I'm very much looking forward to getting back into a routine and doing full weeks at work again. My inbox is terrifying and I only have one day at work this week (no-one else does my job when I'm off, it just piles up).

Not looking forward to the boring bits of getting my child to bed on time, up and dressed in the morning and remembering to wash uniform, but will be good to know who's where each day and reduce the daily spend.

@isthismylifenow you are exactly right it's the schedule prison & the monotony is so dull. I work in education so my work & home have the same rhythm. The last term was exhausting on both fronts! You are right that I feel rested so should take that win.

I go back a few days before dc & it does help my mindset to get myself back into the routine and then I can get them into theirs.

Can’t wait for it to be over. I love the sun but only in places other than the U.K. I hate the lack of routine. So looking forward to structure and routine again. Roll on September.

@LavenderBlue19 same on the work front. Aug is lovely but I then have an intense September catching up 😆

Not looking forward to the boring bits of getting my child to bed on time, up and dressed in the morning

My eldest is going to have a shock getting up for secondary!

I'm glad lots of posters have had good summers!

See autumn as a new start where you're going to live more closely to your dream summer. If daily yoga matters (and it's a great habit!) carve out some time by doing it instead of something that matters less (TV, phone). Apply this to everything you want to add into your life. Daily walk? What can go so this can happen? Turn any dead time into something enjoyable. Read while waiting for DC at activities. Talking books while doing housework and so on. Get things like ordering a blind out of the way ASAP as these little tasks all add up to feel like a lot hanging over you, when in reality they're quick to get out of the way.

My daughter has been back for a couple of weeks and I know a lot of parents look forward to the return to school, but we had a really low key summer with a lot of time at home and it still went by too fast. I miss her wee face around the house during the day even if I'm wfh. Work and endless routine is thoroughly depressing.