To hate all the gleeful revelling in back to school posts

[Chocolatelollyforbreakfast]

Instagram posters etc actively rejoicing in getting in the kids back to school, jokes about chucking them through the door and so on
I get it, it’s hard with kids off, you have no peace and so on, but these posts just make me feel uncomfortable and the videos just aren’t that funny

They’re just jokes. If it upsets you just get off social media or retrain it to different topics.

I don’t blame people for being genuinely relieved to be back in term time though. Modern motherhood being so intense, with no help available to most is one of the reasons I decided not to have kids.

I just feel sorry for them. My kids are incredible and I love having them at home, the summer has gone way too fast. But I see kids that are an absolute nightmare and I know it is probably a relief to have a break from them.

I think it's just a joke for most people (sadly true for others who are struggling but then are probably less likely to post about the relief).

I'm apparently (according to this thread) part of the other hated group with the opposite viewpoint - generally devastated and tearful the summer is over as was DS (DD not as much as she was so excited to start reception) we've had the most amazing time together as a family on various holiday and trips. It's been the best time of my life. I hate the cold and dark weather, and relentless school routines.

I get it, it's a bit annoying that they think it's a hilarious joke when it's just a bit boring.
The posts that really piss me off are the "Stop getting older/growing up" posts. I know what they mean by it but it's so insensitive and silly to say you want your children to not get older.

I've not seen a single thing like this. Maybe its more about the people you socialise with?

Like most jokes on social media they're so very tired and over-done as to not really be funny anymore. But they're essentially harmless, and point to an essential truth that having small kids off school for six weeks while trying to hold down a full-time job and keep normal life ticking over is not exactly relaxing.

And I'd take eleventy billion such jokes over one smug, sanctimonious, "I understand that not all families are as perfect as mine but I treasure every last second I spend in the company of my utterly faultless offspring" post. Not least because we all know you're lying.

For me, it wasn't so much them being back to school, it was being relieved of needing someone to look after them everyday while I was at work that was the gleeful bit.

Me too. I love the summer holidays and dislike term time.

I don't get it neither. I hate the school runs.

Am sorry but really? For most people it's not about whether their kids are incredible or dreadful. It's the stress, expense and juggle of having them at home for 6 weeks while trying to work. Or maybe your kids are just better than everyone else's and you love them so much more.

I've loved the summer holidays and am sad to see them end.

I have:

• A great husband who is a fantastic father and an equal parent to my daughter
• A lovely 15 yo stepdaughter who loves playing with DD
• Supportive parents who have regular overnights with DD
• A flexible work-from-home job with a generous A/L policy and flexitime for extra days which I can take at short notice
• Enough money to book holiday clubs
• Enough money to go on days out and also take a short UK holiday
• Enough money for everyone to be well-fed and housed throughout the 6 weeks
• Friends and family so I'm not isolated
• Qualifications in child development
• A happy, well-adjusted child with no special needs or disabilities

Many people have none of that. Their summer was not like mine. I don't judge them for being glad it's over.

I just don’t really get it.

I work, so the summer isn’t that much different for me. My kids go to camps or family / friends instead of being at school, so minimum difference to me really.

I feel like these videos really only apply to stay at home mums who can then just chill once the kids are back at school?

But with everything I hear about cost of living crisis - I didn’t realise there were loads of mums just chilling during the week when kids are at school.

I agree but then I feel like the only parent that actually enjoys the 6 weeks holidays and prefers to have my kids at home

I enjoy both.

I love it when the summer holidays come and we have a break from routine and endless rounds of homework, uniform, packed lunches and swimming-lessons.

But it's nice right now to have some peace and quiet to get on with things. My brain is in overload from weeks on end of two wonderful but constant little people always asking me questions and needing my involvement. I am a bit wired and ratty right now.

I will collect my DC from school and nursery today with much more energy and patience to be a good parent to them.

But then by next week I'll be moaning about the tyranny of the school routine and how we no longer have time to do stuff together 😂.

I know what you mean re not getting older. My DSS is mentally around 2 but an actually 17. You realise what “not growing up” actually looks like. I know it might not be that deep, but i secretly celebrate and feel relieved at every little milestone for my children.

I didn't post anything like that on social media but I was glad when my kids went back. The eldest has ASD, ADHD and Arfid and is a specialist provision school support placement and thrives on the routine of school. The middle child was bullied so badly in his previous school he refused to go to school most of the last term so was excited to start a new school which he loves and the youngest just likes school. My bank balance was feeling the strain of the school holidays and I was exhausted having not had a child fred day since late March because of one of my kids constantly being home. My kids are much happier back in routine and thriving.

Totally agree. I've thought this for years, the amount of complaining some people do when their kids are off school, and the rejoicing when they go back. Obviously I understand childcare logistics are a major factor, but it bothers me when people actually sound glad not to be in their kids' company any more. Tbh it makes me wonder why they bothered having kids at all if they hate their company so much.

(Edited to add: Obviously I'm not talking about families where SEN or other issues are in the mix that make it harder.)

The posts that really piss me off are the "Stop getting older/growing up" posts. I know what they mean by it but it's so insensitive and silly to say you want your children to not get older.

I just take this sentiment to mean they are really enjoying this phrase and time does fly by so quickly.

As with all the back to school stuff, im not going to lie, when mine went back after the 6 weeks it was a relief. The children were niggling at each other and getting cranky and restless. I still had to work part of the holidays and was running out of options. It was good to get back to a routine and then have October half term to look forward to. We aways went away in the half terms so it was nice to have a plan.

The memes are just joke, nothing serious, just something slightly amusing.

When I see those posts, I’m always wondering how the children will feel when they see those(by going through their parent(s) SM posts)

I'll tell you how mine feel, they react by put a laughing emoji on! They didn't seriously think it was real, they had more sense than many people on this thread have!

Won’t most just be joking and looking for likes?

Any that are serious, I’d feel sorry for more than anything. For whatever reason, they don’t enjoy being with their children and are glad to be rid. How sad.

I have always felt sad when our children have gone back to school/college/uni. I find the first couple of weeks quite depressing but everyone is soon back into the swing of things.

I love the summer holidays but also appreciate the back to routine of term time. I only really have 4 years before they become meaningless as dc will have left school. That’s a weird feeling.

I love my little one to the ends of the world but solo caring for a profoundly disabled child who needs 24/7 care is hard so yes, I was glad when the schools went back. I do the school holidays solo and I am beyond exhausted. The return to school means I can catch up on things like admin, doctors appointments (for me), getting my hair cut etc, things I can't do when I am in sole charge. There are no Instagram posts on the matter from me but I do feel the relief that the return to school brings.

It’s a bit of lighthearted jokery in a world that is desperately short of it. Yeah, it’s not that funny, yeah, it’s predictable, and yeah, you don’t have to be a comedy genius to do it. I can’t get riled by it though.

Why insensitive

Being pleased that children are getting an education, good. Being pleased for some peace and quiet, good. Being pleased to have the space to do things that are difficult when children are at home, good.

Celebrating it on social media, not good.

Exactly this.

My oldest two love school and thrive on routine, the oldest is SEN and goes to a specialist school and middle is on the waiting list for assessment.

Oldest has also had some pretty bad episodes which sets off the youngest who is a toddler and her cries anger him more. He’s been aggressive, throwing things, sleep allover the place too. I’m hoping to go back to getting four hours of uninterrupted sleep.

It’s been harder after I ended up needing unexpected emergency surgery the beginning of the second week of the holidays so couldn’t do anything that involved lifting and struggled to walk long distances the first two weeks and still have two more weeks of healing to go.

Some forget that many kids actually thrive in routine and enjoy school and six weeks is a lot for them and their parents and both can be happy they’re back in school.

My middle dressed himself for school and the oldest was ready to run out in the rain to get in his taxi.

We’re celebrating the start of school by taking them to an outdoor play, weather permitting.