To be really struggling with the summer holidays?

[DingDongDitched]

We’re less than 2 weeks in and Jesus Christ, I’m struggling! I’ve bought passes for the local play farm so we’ve been there a couple of times and we’ve been to a show and the circus, but I can’t afford to be doing big days out all the time other than the park etc.

My eldest never wants to do anything and when we go out he moans he’s bored and wants to go home (he’s 9) but when we’re home he winds his sister (4) up and just makes a mess and causes chaos. My DH works from home so I feel like I have to get out so he can hear his calls.

it’s the constant mummy mummy mummy, if I didn’t have to do normal house things it wouldn’t be too bad but I start to do washing and it’s mummy I need a wee, mummy when can you play, mummy sister/brother has got my toy ARGH!!! Youngest starts school in September so im telling myself to enjoy this time but its hard.

any solidarity? 😅

Are you going away at all? Do you work? Can you book a few days camp or half days? Isn’t your DH taking any time off over the summer?

That’s a hard age gap - mine are only 2 years apart so it was a bit easier to find things for both of them, but we used to do lots of cheap things - we had a national trust membership, our local museum did craft sessions, country parks with a “trail”, the cheap kids club cinema, library summer reading challenge, local garden centres would have activities on etc. If you have a look there’s normally lots of things you can find that don’t cost a fortune

My granddaughter is doing forest school for a week, activity week at local tennis club and parents are taking AL ,grandparents once a week,shared play dates with other parents. Baby is at nursery which helps. One week holiday mid August.

My advice would be (how I’m surviving with 2.5yo and 5mo over the 6 weeks)

1. get a toilet step so she can go by herself - my 2.5 yo just shouts when she needs wiping after
2. sit her on the counter with some colouring while you do the kitchen and chat (I sit both mine in their high chairs with something to distract them while I cook/clean the kitchen, but I can still see them so it works)
3. at nine is he old enough to knock for friends?
4. ‘I wonder what you’ll decide to do’ when she wants to play and you’re busy with important stuff. When I do the essentials like cleaning up the food waste from lunch in this heat, I give her a job to do and when she’s done and is complaining I say ‘I wonder what you’ll decide to do!’ And she usually whines then finds something fun to do.
5. national trust Scotland is £10 a month, unlimited national trust access across the world apparently, and all you need to do is prep some lunch and it’s a free day out. We go 1-3 times a week tbh!

good luck. It’s tough out there!

It’s tough. Mine are 9 and 12. They get on well playing together generally but we’ve been off for a few weeks now (Scotland) and it’s taken them a few weeks to settle into it.

For me, it’s the constant battle to get them off their screens. It’s literally all they would do if I let them.

I do one day at home, one day out. Every day can be tiring.

Wait for the "you shouldn't have children if you don't enjoy being with them in the holidays" brigade to come along, OP.