Sad about kids starting school again

[MonsterBoo]

Does anyone else feel really depressed at their kids starting school again? It's making me so miserable 😞 do other parents feel this way? I see so many saying they are glad they are back which I do understand but I just feel so sad and depressed about it and on the count down to the next time off

Thank you! It's nice to know it's not just me, my most happy memories were when they were babies/ toddlers before they started school. I hate how everything revolves around school and it takes up so much of our lives.

I feel the same OP, after school is always rushing about to after school activities and they're tired. Weekends just whizz by and there's uniform to sort, bags to pack, homework to do. I love the long holidays and being out of the routine. I feel like they're much happier too. I still have one at home and dreading her starting school next year, don't know how i'll cope 😢

Yep same-we had a lot of happy days out during my day off from work when they were pre school.

I sympathise OP, to the point where I'm planning on reducing my hours so I can be home with them as soon as they've finished school. I've really missed just spending time together as a family and choosing what we do and pottering around like we did when they were little and didn't have school yet; the summer has felt very special.

I actually didn't feel like this last year but I had some other stuff going on and also I still had one pre school age who was home all the time with us! This summer was the first 6 week hols where they were all off school and despite all the stress of young DC, I have, as I said, sorely missed it.

It is nice to have the break of course and if they were home 24/7 I would need respite no doubt, but the summer was such a nice change from everyone being up and out the door for school and then various clubs.

Sorry my post was meant in a lighthearted way I didn’t want to offend or annoy! I’ve been a SAHM for years and do things on a small budget too . My eldest has possible ADHD which makes things hard but I do feel sad for my youngest who doesn’t want to go back and just wants to play all day and I feel like the school routine is so rigid with timings etc and they are tired after school. If my eldest was a lot easier then I think I would think very differently about the holidays ending! I also cry every bday and I’m sad about them getting older!!

Thanks yeah the weekends go by so fast before I know it it's Sunday night and they don't always want to go out on the weekend as they have been at school all week so sometimes just want to chill which means stuck in the house

I feel the same OP, I’m self employed and although it has been very stressful at times trying to get work done has been one of the best summers of my life with them and I have really missed them we then started back on Tuesday.

I feel the same and feel sad each year when my kids go back to school, I thought I was one of the only ones who felt this way too but it’s nice to know there are others too. Just the sadness another year has passed too and they’re getting older and I agree so much time is spent at school and I just miss the time together after having the summer holidays with them

I think it’s lovely that you feel this way. I wish I didn’t get so bogged down with the stress of work, and juggling the kids in the holidays, worrying about clubs, awkward drop off and pick up times, just to enable me to work, instead of enjoying the time with them. I had two days off with one DC this week as they had an INSET day, and it was so nice to give them quality 1-1 time. It’s so rare we get that.

Is homeschooling or flexi schooling an option for you?

I used to love school holidays when I was SAHP as no routine & we had lots of fun. Now I'm working I loathe school holidays. The stress of having to be lightning quick to book vacation care & not being able to do things with them any more.

It's made worse by DS ageing out of vacation care this year & we have to juggle him between grandparents & beg for WFH to reduce his days home alone as he's only 12!

We're already discussing how to manage our summer break (Dec/Jan) & dreading it. DS has almost nine weeks off over Christmas, DD has 6.

Do you not work?

Yes I do not sure why that means I can't miss my kids 🤔

No sadly not something I would be able to consider but in an ideal world it's something I would have loved to be able to do

Do you work op?

Yes and I've already answered this

Sounds like a dependency relationship- the wrong way round . Learn to find yourself and your own hobbies and interests , it’ll enrich your parenting in the process

They really aren’t. It’s literally 6 hours in every 24.

I’m with you OP. I hate it when they go back. Term time is such a treadmill. I know they need more than just holiday time and my younger ones were beginning to get a bit restless at home. But I’d love a three days on, four days off scenario!!

I meant how many days rather than the amount of hours as 12 hours of that is asleep so not really relevant

Thank you yes I always think the same. I would love it if they cut the days down when it was lock down they got to finish at lunch time and it was so nice to get that extra time! The weekend goes too quick

I feel like this too, although I feel smug saying it out loud - we've had the best summer holidays so I'm sad it's ended. It's like post holiday blues. I'm on mat leave so have been able to spend it with the DC without the added pressures of work. Yes it's been hard sometimes but mostly just lovely.
What did you like most about yours?

I think a lot of the stuff online from people claiming to be desperate for their kids to go back is pretend- it’s supposed to be funny because it exaggerates the ordinary difficulties of looking after small children all day. IRL I think most people love spending time with their children and have mixed feelings about the start of school- sad to miss them but happy and proud to see their progress.

They’re not going to school to get away from you or punish you. They’re going to school to be educated. That is a good thing, something you should participate in. It’ll keep them close to you. Ask them about their teachers and their learning, their friends and routines. It shouldn’t feel this way.

Yes because both of mine (teens with ASD) find school difficult and I spend a lot of time managing their anxiety and making sure they attend. In the holidays we find our own routine and I can enjoy being with them without stressing. I work for myself and actually get more done when they’re off as I’m not constantly driving them to appointments or being called into school. Let the countdown to October half-term begin!

Yes ! I feel like this and I’m already counting the days till next half term ! I have been known to have a cry in the shower too over it !