To ask if you have targets for the summer holidays?

[TotallyBurnt]

What are your plans for your children during the summer holidays? Do you have any “targets” for your children? For example, I have an 8yo I’m going to teach to tie shoe laces for Sept because I’m fed up of replacing school shoes only because the Velcro has come off (yes I’ve tried glue!). I’m thinking about potty training my 2yo but I’m not fully committed to that yet! 😂 I appreciate everyone has different situations regarding childcare over the summer holidays, I write this as someone who will have their kids at home for the majority of the holidays, whilst juggling self employment.

Just survival really!

My DD is starting secondary school in September, so I’d like to help her prepare for that - she’s just mastered tying a tie, but I want to practice walking the route to school with her (she walks to school by herself now, but it’s a longer route to secondary), getting a bus by herself, that kind of thing.

She reads a lot, so she’s going to do the library summer reading challenge, and I might add an extra challenge of reading some older children’s classic books to expand her reading. She’s also mentioned wanting to learn to knit / crochet, and I was thinking of trying to teach her how to cook a few things (currently she can make beans on toast, but that’s it).

The main issue is that I’m recovering from surgery, so I’ll be off work and home for a good stretch of the holidays, but won’t be able to do much with her. Right now I can only walk down the street for a short distance and back, so I couldn’t walk the 30 minutes to school with her, or go swimming, or get out and about.

There’s a couple of summer camps she could attend for a week or two , but the logistics are tricky as they run 9-3 and DH’s working hours make doing that drop off and pick up difficult. I could do it as I work school hours, but not while I’m still recovering. Not sure how we’re going to handle that.

Any other suggestions for summer entertainment would be welcome!

No targets. The first week I'm getting all the appointments out of the way (dentist x3 DC, optician x1 DC, allergy clinic x1 DC and x1 private lesson for DC3) although we'll continue our private SEN lessons for DC3 throughout the whole summer.

I'll also use this time to get the uniforms ordered for DC1 and DC2.

Then I'm working for 2 weeks and then we are away for 2 weeks. Cannot wait for a complete break as it's been a long old school year.

my eldest child goal will be learning to tie a tie, he’s had clip on tie until now!
my youngest goal will be to and improve his joined up writing.

One child is away nearly all summer with holidays and scout camps.

the other we are hoping to get out the door to uni so it’s getting him to do some chores and make plans

get your kids into beavers and scouts - they learn shoelaces and school ties at age 6 plus loads more

Due #3 at the end of next week so mostly just hoping we all get through the summer tbh 🫣 It's the least organised I've ever been before a long holiday. Usually we're off to visit friends, have camping trips and days out booked, stockpiled activities.

This year we're very much winging it 😅

He does got to Cubs (and Beavers before that) but shoe lace tying has passed him by!

I get this! I’m always optimistic at this stage, and then reality kicks in after the first week 😂

If he masters it make sure you tell the leaders cause it counts towards skills badges

My primary school kids have been on holidays for the past two weeks, while my secondary school child finished 6 weeks ago (end of May).
Younger two have done a week of camp, this week at home/2 days camp, next week half camp half home. Then I’m off for 3 weeks, first week sorting uniform for secondary school child, other two are fine. Also painting front door and trying to figure out what to do with back garden. Then hols for two weeks and then DH takes them away.
We don’t go abroad in the summer as it gets too hot (we go at Easter). So summer holiday is west Cork, and then traipsing across the counties.

Youngest is turning 4 in August so upgrading him from a balance bike to a pedal bike, hoping he'll be able to ride to school in September. Oldest has just turned 8, she and I are doing one day fully in Spanish each week of the hols ahead of her doing a long weekend in Barcelona with DH at the end of the summer. Her aim is to be able to interact confidently by the time they are there.

Other than that, survive, stop them killing each other, find opportunities for naps because I'm pregnant. Expectations are low. 😂

Loads of time at pump tracks for youngest, try to get the grumpy teen to enjoy a day out with us once a week

Other than that it's just trying to survive 6 weeks with the youngest 🤣

No targets here but try and do one weekly treat.
Like go to the beach, go to the dessert cafe. Only something small but just to make the most of it

Started potty training my 2 year old today. I've decided it was a terrible idea and I love nappies 😂 But hey ho... I'll try again tomorrow I guess.

@TotallyBurnt there are some really good videos on YouTube about shoe lace tying. My youngest didn't do it till age 13!!!

Saving up for my youngest one's kitchen utensils kit for when he starts college in September....,.£265!!! 😱😱 Bang goes the holiday

DD (7) will be learning to do her own tie & practising her 3 & 4 times tables.

DS will be working on his horrific handwriting

Yes - two SEN kids (both in mainstream with support). I spoke to their teachers last term to work out which subjects they’re struggling with most, also last term whenever I noticed practical skills they’re behind on I jotted it down.

Now we have a fairly long list of things for them both to practice/work on! We are rewarding effort/resilience, so they get ticks on their reward chart if they have a decent go at something (some of these skills may simply not be achievable for them yet, so we don’t need success just effort). Then we have small rewards/treats set up for the end of each week to reward good effort.

Tbh all these treats are things I’d have done or bought for them anyway over the summer but I’m happy to use them as bribes so they do something other than play video games/talk about video games/nag for more video game time all summer.

I want my youngest to learn how to read and write her letters (she is 7 and about to go into year 3. She does have SEN but it is time) other than that I was a peaceful holidays. No shouting and being able to ask what we want rather than shouting for it 🙈

Not having a breakdown before sept 1st is my current KPI.

@ChippyDinner I know how you feel as DD loves gaming too, and it’s what she always wants to do 🙄 In the past year, there’s been a couple of days during school holidays where I’ve wfh while she entertains herself, and she would have gamed all day if I’d let her!

I’ve just had another idea of doing a ‘Film Club’ one or two afternoons each week, as I could sit and watch with her, and we could do popcorn and snacks. It might be time to introduce her to more ‘teen’ films, or some 90s classics. I might start a separate thread for suggestions.

@EllieQ Film club is a fantastic idea! At the moment they just want to watch YouTube crap, I can’t stand it. It would be lovely to be able to relax together with proper TV. Let me know if you do start up a new thread :)

@ChippyDinner I’ve posted a thread over in Chat with my initial list, so hoping to get some more suggestions.

Film Suggestions Thread