Can't help feeling Christmas is already ruined by late break up

[ChristmasTidyings]

Anyone else feel the same? DC break up tomorrow lunch time. They generally need a couple of days to recover at the end of time so that's Christmas with exhausted, grouchy and over-excited children. Meaning everyone will be in a bad mood including DH who will be annoyed with their behaviour. Plus we have no time to do nice Christmas stuff like baking or making gifts for the GP's or pottering around town for the day. DD even had 1.5 hours of homework set yesterday to hand in today. The DC are exhausted and only 13 of DD's class were in yesterday, the rest are "ill".

Don't mean to rub it in but my lot broke up last Friday and it has made such a nice change of pace to the run up before Christmas. Not least because everyone was heading down with a cold which they will be better for by the big day. They go back nice and early too, on Jan 3rd. Wish we had it like this each year.

We’re in Wales and DS(4) breaks up tomorrow too. I completely get what you mean. This year is way too late for students and teachers (MIL and SIL both work in schools). We couldn’t book any of the ‘breakfast with Santa’ events locally as they were all on weekday mornings when DS was in school. We haven’t been able to see the Christmas market and lights as he’ll be too tired and grumpy after school and we couldn’t go on the weekend unfortunately.

I’ve looked at next year’s term times and it’s going to be another late finish.

I’ve saved some Christmas fun activities for January and am looking at cheap last minute panto tickets after Christmas for something fun to do.

It’s not the end of the world, but definitely makes things more difficult.

Ours finished last Thursday, does seem very late!

It's even worse for the teachers. Imagine having to sort Christmas when you're exhausted and have only 36 hours in hand.

You think teachers are the only ones that are exhausted and only have 36 hours in hand? I'm on A/L this week ( had holiday hours to use up before 31st December), but had I not been I would have finished at 6pm on Friday and back to work at 6am on the 28th...no 2 weeks holiday to get over the exhaustion here.

Schools in Ireland typically break up quite late, often on the 23rd depending on which day of the week Christmas falls. I found it a bit odd when I moved here from the UK but actually found that I preferred it as my DC used to get very bored when they were little and they are both very active types. It's easier to run the legs off them in the summer than in the winter so a short winter holiday suited me better.

Agree with pp who said that around 21st is probably the sweet spot. DD broke up last Friday lunchtime but I was still working til Tuesday so had to beg and borrow 2 days childcare as our wraparound/holiday club doesn't run at Christmas. DD is that combination of knackered and excited and I've been ill so this has felt like a long week!

Yes this is UK as my dd also finishes up 2moro lunch time.

Op, it is shit. Its so late this year and i considered keeping her off tomorrow but they are having a panto in school tomorrow. They don't go back until Jan 9th so plenty of time for some fun. My plan is to have all presents wrapped (done) all food shopping done (nearly there) and all housework done (currently doing) by lunchtime tomorrow and the rest of the day/night & Xmas eve is just for having fun and chilling. If possible, let them have a bit of a lie in on Xmas eve and try to have some chill time tomorrow.

I had the worst of all worlds one year, when ds3 was still at primary school, and the older two were at senior school. Ds3’s school decided to use up all their inset days to break up on about December 14th, while his brothers still had over a week until they broke up. So I was trying to do all the last minute stuff with ds3 under foot and bored, while his brothers were sulking mightily about having to go to school.

I really understood why some animals eat their young.

And now ds2 is a teacher, and he doesn’t break up until tomorrow - I thought I was past having to remember term times.

My primary child has been off 2 days and is bored already, the secondary two break up today. If they had all broken up yesterday that would have been about perfect! Looking forward to a relaxed first week of January once all our guests go, I hate going back to work too early in the New Year.

I wish mine broke up later…I work and she’s had to go to a holiday camp Monday and Tuesday and then yesterday trying to work from home with her there…she’s playing up as very tired and out of routine…and I felt guilty putting her into holiday camp and then having to plonk her in front of the tv while I work. At least at school she has a routine and sees her friends. This week has been weird and exhausting! Booked annual leave today and we are all doing a Christmas activity, in just lying on the sofa exhausted trying to work up the energy to go 😂🤷‍♀️

We also break up tomorrow and my kids are shattered. They have had big tests this week, so it’s been a massive push to study most evenings instead of the usual fun like baking and ice skating. It’s too much, they are only in primary school!

This. Try and calm down and don’t assume the worst about the children’s moods or tiredness.

Nobodies Christmas is perfect , get over it

Half term was 10 weeks ago. My Dc are tired but having spoken to other parents, most are. I don't think it's anything medical. They are absolutely not doing fun stuff this week, they have had tests, projects due in, posters to make. They're still primary children fgs. They will be doing something fun tomorrow morning.

Yes, I much prefer the anticipation and build up but we haven't been able to meet with friends. Yes we can try after Christmas, but it's not the same!

We're in Wales and my two break up tomorrow. They are both utterly exhausted. The eldest from her mock exams which only finished yesterday and the youngest has been in several Christmas concerts (price of being a musician and chorister - she needs to decide if this is what she wants each Christmas frankly).

I do think they should have broken up from school maybe yesterday just to give a little bit of breathing space before Christmas. Most families do something for Christmas even if it's only visiting grandparents for a few hours. My girls just need to completely chill out for a few days at home...and honestly so do I.

I always think an earlier break up is better for Christmas. The Autumn term is very long and everyone is tired. Who wants extra holiday in January when there's nothing going on. The Spring term is always the shortest too so better to start it earlier.

I suspect you're projecting a bit tbh.

I think you're catastrophising a little bit. Christmas isn't ruined. Obviously.

That said, I would keep them off tomorrow. I'd probably also have kept them off today if they're only primary age.

This way is better. If they broke up a week ago you would be demented. They have 2 weeks off from tomorrow. Plenty time to do stuff. Tell your bloke to wind his neck in, was he not a kid once?

Your hypothetical 23rd-28th isn't really happening. You have taken annual leave, so can choose the time before/around/after Christmas.

I don't think the original comparison was to other working adults, but most still have more choice than a teacher who is told to work until whatever day and is bound by term dates.

I think the comparison was between kids needing chillout time before the 'big day' and the teachers who are usually parents too, needing time to prepare beforehand.

Also, some parents of those breaking up early have acknowledged struggling with their own overexcited children for a full week. Teachers are the ones struggling with a 30 overtired kids at a time, which is of course not necessarily more of a challenge than any other job, but trying to teach 30 is more of a challenge than entertaining a couple for a few days.

I'm happy with tomorrow's end of term date.

He can get all excited in school with Christmas parties, and games and I don't need to be involved 😳😂

I'm working all Christmas except bank holidays. We will have a nice long Christmas weekend and then he can play with his gifts till January, he will be occupied whilst I work.

Win win for me.

This site could be rebranded ‘Misery Loves Company’.

@midsomermurderess 😀PS love the name!

obviously ruined is being slightly melodramatic and there are far worse things. But right now I'd love to be chilling with my DC watching a Christmas film rather than dreading the squabbling at pick up, grumbling at home and cajoling to finish homework.

Not that long since half term?
It's been 8 very long weeks!

If you're on the English timetable, you'll have a 15 week term this term if you don't break up until the 22nd/23rd, meaning the other two will average out at 12.

Cold weather is more tiring, there are illnesses all over the place, and routine often goes to pot towards the end of Christmas term, so there may be all sorts of reasons kids are more tired and grumpy than usual that isn't 'a medical condition' 🙄.

But regardless, it's objectively a longer term than the others.