Surviving the holidays

[LostInMess]

How do you do it?

Have 4 DC, 9, 7, 5 & 18 months. DC4 is teething and suffering from the loss of his 'routine' (not least the difficulty in napping when the others are around) and so is a clingy whiny mess unless he's distributing the contents of cupboards/my room around the house.

DC1 can make mess like no one I know and will only tidy up when shouted at which is no good for any of us. She is also extremely reluctant to leave the house (although loves it when she does) whilst DC4 is desperate to get out.

DC3 spends his time alternately fighting with DC1/3 although will potter quite nicely when left to himself. But they do wind him
up and he's being really rude to me (as is DC1).

Poor DC2 is reasonably well behaved but gets tarred with the same brush as everyone else.

We have meet-ups with friends and the odd club sorted over the hols but it's only day 2 and I'm already struggling with the mess, the noise, the inability to get out of the house to do simple stuff like buy milk and the fighting.

Help me survive it, please!!!

I can't help I'm afraid but I'll join you

Mine aren't actually off til next week but I have similar ages ,9, 7, 4 and 5 months!

I can already feel myself bracing for impact of half term

I have similar ages to yours OP but DC4 is a little older. So far the best advice that I have ever been given for the summer holidays was to do nothing for the first week so that they learn how to be board and so are forced to learn how to self entertain, that way any planned activities that you do with them (from week 2 onward) is appreciated all the more!

Other than that about a week before I start batch cooking so I don't have to actually cook. I book several Ocardo orders in advance for dates dotted through the holiday. Get outside every time that the weather is nice. Get DH to book days off work in advance. I also book Saturdays or Sundays in advance to go out child free for shopping with friends or to get my hair done, it keeps me sane!

I also have at least one family season ticket for a place where we can spend all day, latest is for a place that will do a family ticket for 3DC's and 1 adult instead of 2 adults and 2 kids.

Generally I learn to live with the mess, the nicer the weather the messier the house and the housework gets done in bits or when the weather turns nasty or on a Saturday morning when DH is around to help.

Fuck knows. I have 5 DC between 3 and 15. I want to scream into a pillow. That or get absolutely hammered.

Thank you all for your replies and OnMyShoulders for giving me the best laugh I've had all day (sorry!). Hats off to you with 5, 4 must seem like a walk in the park to you.

And goat, thank you for the tips, which have at least helped me focus on what some of the problems are. DH unfortunately can't take any time off before Easter - could
do after but that doesn't work due to the mad timing of the holidays this year - and leaves around 5.30am and is rarely back before 8, so it's just me and them in the week. Other issue is that DC1 and DC3 LOVE being at home and have no problem whatsoever entertaining themselves at
home but the little one (and me!) need to be out. Getting DC 1&3 out is half the battle. Batch cooking not a bad idea although there are few things they will all eat (DC1 is seeing an OT about this, it's more than fussiness), so there's a finite amount I can cook.

And the other one is that I've given up booze for Lent so clearly am without that outlet for a few more days. Although that is possibly as well.

So I fear it's probably just a case of grin and bear it - we do at least have stuff planned for the next couple of days - but thank you again for taking the time to reply. Hope your hols go well.

AFreshStart, do please join me next week although I hope it's a little easier for you!

I have 4 dcs - 10, 8, 5 and 8 months. I Love the holidays and having them home not to keen on the mess that comes with them tho I get what you mean about the youngest not napping whilst older ones are around, but I plan dog walks around her nap times in the holidays, my older 2 will moan about going out but we walk via the park which normally stops the moaning then it's moaning that they don't want to leave

I'm a teacher & 37 weeks pregnant with no. 6 so CAN'T WAIT to be finished school myself & off with my own kiddos!! My eldest is 9 & current youngest is 2. I've let them all choose one day trip/activity each outside of the house (e.g beach/soft play/zoo, etc) & the rest of the time it's going to be lots of playing outside, bike rides, walks & trips to the park! I find I get cabin fever if I don't get out & about a lot but the only thing is, it can get expensive... always going out to keep them occupied. But this way, they're being kept busy, away from too much TV / technology & they all feel like they've had a say in their holidays. Behaviour generally isn't a problem when they're busy & out & about. It's when they're stuck in the house & bored when it can be problematic. Anyway, good luck & enjoy!

It's the bitching with each other I dread

I hear you, Freshstart - nothing worse than the distant words, "I'm telling' followed by the rapidly increasing sound of footsteps accompanied by indignant denials.

"Deborah", congrats on your pregnancy - I too was looking forward to the end of my term time job, so hope your hols go a little more smoothly than ours. Good luck with the new arrival!

lostinmess Do you live in my house?

I am back from maternity leave after Easter, going term time only for first time in my life!

Do many of you work term time only?

Ha, freshstart, either that or you're in mine. You could well be, I hate to think what's lurking in the mess (apart from your good self, of course!).

I only started working Term time only a couple of years ago, while expecting DC4. I hadn't worked for 8 years and whilst the timing wasn't ideal, my job is flexible, term time only and largely based from home and jobs like that don't come up every day so I felt I had to go for it. It works quite well, although end of term is always manic from
a work/children point of view which is quite possibly why I ended up starting this thread....not just the children who were tired and cranky.

I previously have always worked 30+ hours per week. Part of me would like to be a sahm but there have been times during this maternity leave when I wanted to go back to work early lol.

We are now on day 1 of the Easter holidays
All DC up for 715

DC2+3 have already have a dispute because they can't share a sofa and 3 has now shouted down 2s ear

Unfortunately my job isn't term time although it would be nice, saying

Posted to earlier

• that I can't grumble about my shifts I drop dcs off at school and I'm back in time to pick them up again, then I do every other weekend. This is when the parties etc always fall on my weekend to work. I'm working this weekend then I have 10 days off.

What everyone got planned for next week? I'm trying to keep things as cheap as possible as my son wants to go to a football easter club for few days and girls wanna go horse riding so trying to make this my only expensive expense.

DC 1+2 have now has an argument over a board game.....and then 1+3 have had one too

All have been sent to get dressed.

Hope your day got better afreshstart

Yes, so do I - you must have been shattered by 9am.

On the plus side, it sounds as if the sunshine is staying for a while (round here at least, apologies if not where you are) so have stocked up on picnic bits and bobs as that is always well received. And I do find that just being outside massively helps with my mood.

Although I still am trying to cajole my lot off the sofa away from Power Rangers. I hate Power Rangers!

My day did improve but I was mentally exhausted! Today is off to a better start thank fully.

Our weather is looking a bit hit and miss after today unfortunately but I am aiming to get out of the house every day!

My dd loves power rangers