To be depressed we are only halfway through the summer holidays

[blackcurrantsuponus]

I know, I’m going to get a load of YABUs as I love this time with my precious children’ but there are still three weeks left, I’m skint and having to muster the enthusiasm for another day out because the alternative is worse!

Same. Well, kinda... We've had a family holiday abroad, gone camping with friends and done some inexpensive days out. I'm out of money and enthusiasm by now and he's spending all of his time playing out, on playdates, or on Xbox with friends. Everyone is happy so we're just gonna let it roll now!

Oh, here we go again.

There is a rather distinct whiff of troll permeating through this thread.

I had infertility and IVF. I still moan about it as will many of those in similar positions if they have children

Oof right in the kisser

How do you hold down a job?
(or are you a teacher?)

I love being with my kids but there is no earthly way I could take three months off every year (even sharing that with DH)

Oops now that I've read other people being horrible I wish I could change my reply, as this thread needs some more empathy I think!

@blackcurrantsuponus ignore the horrible ones. Ignore my unhelpful comment about my son being happy playing out with friends - I'm sure if that worked for you and your kids you'd have tried it by now! You are not alone and I hope the time passes easily

I'm sure also people who couldn't have kids would love your position.

This doesn't make sense.

If they can't have kids they can only imagine they'd love the position so you cannot possibly be sure.

If they had kids, the reality might be very different, just as it is for many parents.

yours or other peoples?!

@AmethystDeceiver haha don’t worry. Mine are definitely too little to play out with friends - I’m sure it will get easier! But in any case if they played out on our road with friends they’d be flattened very quickly and I’m not THAT desperate yet

I knew I’d get lots of ‘but I simply adore the holidays’ type comments and I wish I could but I … don’t. I’ve come to realise I’m not brilliant at creating outdoor spaces to play imaginatively in or doing arts and crafts. The mess they make stresses me out, they fall out and argue and bicker, so we are out most days for most of the day but after three solid weeks I am getting a bit tired and broke!

I wish we could start all over again. I love summer holidays.

Honestly OP,I wasn’t knocking you in any way. I know it gets really tough and God knows back in the trenches. I was tearing my hair out at times but it’s just now I look back and I would love that time again. It’s like when you first have your baby and everyone says make the most of it because it goes so fast and you think no it doesn’t. And yeah, it does.
Just hang on in there, you’ll be Dandy. And bloody ignore Instagram and all the people that tell you they do XYZ because quite frankly they probably haven’t even done AB&C.

@Thanksforyourlackofthought one thing I can promise you is that I will NOT look on this summer with fond memories!

I do often think I have a slightly different view to most as when my friends exclaim that it’s gone so fast / flown by since we had our babies, I look at DC1 and think entire galaxies have been and gone in the time since I had him. It really does feel very long ago and remote since I had him!

Yes, there are lovely sweet moments but most of my lovely sweet moments are not in school holidays!

But I am old and worn down so it’s all rose tinted glasses for me! 😂 My current situation is that he has a beard and goes out with his mates and drinks, calls me MOTHER so I’m obviously very biased back to that time! (He is still very lovely though)

*"Please ignore quote - I didn't mean to quote anyone!**

It's really really hard when they are at home 24/7. Most adults get stir crazy if they have to stay in, let alone children. I had 2 days a week off with him when mine was 1-5 and it was much easier then (but costly) because he was quite into Longleat/National Trust/going to Costa even but now he's mid primary he really just wants to be with his mates (who are all away).

They are lovely but a lie in wouldn’t go amiss

dc1 can now do up his own seatbelt though

we will get there

Mine are back to school and I’m gutted for them, they only get 4 weeks, it’s not enough time to reset, feels like they’ve only just broken up. Much prefer the longer holidays for them, but they do go stay with family for part of it so easier for me!

I’ve just finished two glasses of cheap Sauvignon Blanc and I’m feeling very mellow so yeah yanbu.

On a serious note - I’m very lucky cos dc goes to a really good holiday club 9.30 to 3.30 and I share lifts with two other working mums so we make the weird hours work. And where the kids basically just have nerf wars and water fights all day, or roll down hills and get muddy. Then I bring him home, he plays Minecraft while I finish work , and then I feed him dinner and we go for a bike ride in the woods behind our house.

It is repetitive but he has an awesome tan, and is happy and muddy and totally content, He told me he wished it could be summer all the time, so he could ride his bike every day and never go to school. 🥰

I'm bloody loving it.

The roads are quieter in the mornings - and so are the shops.

It's fantastic.

Pity they're not off for another month!

There is no need to manage their time so you feel you have to take them out daily.
You really do not.

It’s felt like an eternity. DC also has no school placement for September so god knows how long I’m going to have to keep trying to juggle activities and workload. Hopefully once it’s cooler it’ll be more enjoyable.

Same here. Only one more year of it thank god.

I get it. I am almost delirious with joy that I finally have a child who is the right age and temperament to just knock on for friends and then spend hours playing out 😁 it will no doubt blow up on me when he's a teen though!

I'm also not great at creative play etc. my solution has always been to fill the time with other people. Can you do playdate swaps?