Abu to be sick of hearing parents whine about school holidays

[Bekstar]

Our kids are about to break up for a weeks school holidays. Me personally I can't wait to spend some proper time with my child. I'm lost when he is at school. Regardless of how well he is behaving I never wish he was back at school.
But what annoys me is the amount of posts on social media lately about how parents are dreading the school holidays, that they can't wait for them to go back etc.
These are your kids, not the teachers, yours, they spend 6 hours a day at school, as it is. But then you begrudge them having a little time to let off steam at home. Personally I had my child because I love kids and although I know school is important for him, I love the holidays and love to spend time with him. Because during school term time I only see him for two hours each night before he is asleep, we don't get much time to do anything and when we do it's normally homework related. Weekends are super busy as it is because it's the only time DS gets to see his grandparents so again we are limited to the time we get to spend together just as a small family. So when school holidays come I'm over the moon, I get to spend quality time with my child. But then I hear parents whine about how there should be less school holidays or that they wish they were back at school, it makes me pity their kids. These are children who have spent every day for weeks on end away from their families, and so what if they are exited and a bit playful because its the holidays. Make the most of it
My mum had 7 of us and still made room for more through the holidays. We always had friends round, cousins stopping etc. Not once did my mum ever complain, she always made sure to spend time with us during school holidays even if it was just over a bit of gardening or playing board games.
Instead of whining about looking after their own children, some parents need to rwalise they brought that child into the world maybe they need to spend some time with them. Don't just leave your child to entertain themselves and then wonder why they fight and squabble or scream and whine. Plan something to do with the that's fun. Enjoy the time with them. They will be back at school before you know it.

[IndieTara]

They spend 6 hrs a day at school. I wish it was only 6 hrs a day.
DD is at school 9.5 hrs a day so I can work

[SoLongAndThanksForAllTheChips]

They are off for 13 weeks a year.
13/52= 25%
That is a lot of time.
I get 5 weeks holiday per year.

I love my children a lot - but lord above, it's a nightmare starting to cover all the school holidays.

I do enjoy spending time with them when I am off work, but that still leave a shit load of weeks off that I can't take with them.

Not sure why that's not obvious to you OP!

[Flicketyflack]

I enjoy spending time with my kids over the holidays.

Guess I should feel guilty for this

[OhHolyFuck]

I'm a lone working parent with a disabled child who struggles with change in routine and literally no friends or family support - it'll be less #makingmemories and more #survivingthrougheachfuckingday

[Fundays12]

Softblocks I agree with you that one child is not necessarily easier I actually find it easier having 2. DS1 was an old child for 4.5 years and it’s much harder entertaining 1 child than 2 as siblings play together.

[freezerfoodyum]

and it’s much harder entertaining 1 child than 2 as siblings play together.

Waaaayyy easier having one IME as siblings just fight!!!

[frogsoup]

Also, quite frankly - and I'd never normally say this - you have only one, school-like child. I'd be feeling fairly relaxed about school holidays if I had just the one. When you have two, three or more, and they are all trying to murder each other while each seeking 109% of your attention, it's considerably more difficult to retain your sanity. I chose three kids because I love a busy house and their amazing sibling bonds, but bugger me, how atrociously out of tune I'd need to be with ordinary human emotions not to occasionally wish that they would all bugger off and leave me in peace.

[hazeyjane]

as siblings play together.

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[hazeyjane]

[weebarra]

I love spending time with my kids when we're off over the summer.
However, because I work, it means that I have to try to work out childcare and that can be frustrating. Also, they would probably prefer to be attached to a screen rather than doing something stimulating. And they do spend a fair amount of time bickering.

[mustbemad17]

I dread the holidays. Doesn't mean i love mu daughter any less than you love your kids. In reality it means that i'm dreading having to fill the next 10 days with enough activities that she isn't going to have a meltdown or trash the place out of boredom. They get used to the routine of school & having their friends around them; i can't compete with that. Money doesn't grow on trees, days out are expensive, the weather plays a massive part too.

[hazeyjane]

I enjoy spending time with my kids over the holidays. Guess I should feel guilty for this

Why would you feel guilty, how are you getting that from this thread?

I enjoy spending time with my kids over the holidays too. But I am not Julie Fucking Andrews, I also have days where we all irritate the fuck out of each other and then it can be tricky.

[FrangipaniBlue]

@FrangipaniBlue so you never moan?

Not about the aspects of my life that I can control and not publicly on social media about DS, no!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it's not incredibly hard or that circumstances don't change, I just don't like seeing people posting negatively about their DC on social media.

How do you think your DC would feel if they saw the post?

[TitZillas]

OP - you have one child.
School holidays are a very different kettle of fish when you have several children of differing ages who all want to do different things, like different games, different tv programmes etc
I spend 80% of the time refereeing and bribing them to stay away from each other - occasionally they play together, but it doesn’t last long before a fall-out!

[Fundays12]

My kids do play really well together they adore each other hazeyjane so for me it is easier having 2 kids. Obviously I am no Mary Poppins so they do fights at times but they are best friends. I do know this is not true in all families though.

[freezerfoodyum]

Good thing you underlined your judgments frangi else I'd never have seen them.

[Steeley113]

@hazeyjane I agree when I only have one, or heck, even just one and the baby, life is so easy. Put the older ones together and it’s like world war 3! They’re currently ‘playing’ nicely together. Which means in about 30seconds one will be screaming at the other or crying and I’ll have to go intervene.

[KappaKappa]

I love the school holidays and but that’s because I’m off work. I also have the money and time to do various fun things with them.

Your OP is goady, judgemental and totally inconsiderate of the complexity and diversity of peoples’ situations.
So, even though I’m also looking forward to the holidays you can have this

[RainbowBriteRules]

Still laughing over siblings playing nicely together and it being easier than having one child

[KappaKappa]

Ignore my random ‘and’ in my post above!

[Jackiebrambles]

Oh please Op. if you are lost when your kid is at school I suggest you get yourself a life. Your life is usual, the weekends are the ‘only’ time your child can see grandparents??? You are on another planet from the rest of us.

Im assuming you don’t work so don’t have to figure out what the hell to do with your kids for 13 weeks of school holiday a year.

It’s stressful!

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

I'd love to know how old OP's DC is. I always loved the school holidays when mine were younger and were happy to go along with whatever fun I had planned for each day.

Now I have to beg and plead DS12 to do anything that requires leaving his bedroom.

Meanwhile DD is moaning because she still wants to go on days out but we can't because I'm physically unable to drag a 12 year old boy who is 6 inches taller than me out of the house.

If by some miracle I can get him to agree to come out he will go out of his way to ruin the day for us!

So I have to plan ways to minimise the struggle over the 6 weeks.

So we go on a 2 week camping holiday - luckily DS still enjoys this. Then we endure two weeks at home before I take the kids away for another week of camping.

Luckily we can afford this - others aren't as fortunate and are allowed to have a moan as it can be a nightmare entertaining kids on rainy August days when you don't want to spend another £30 at the local trampolining park or similar hell hole.

[hapagirl]

I like school holidays now the kids are older but I’ll be honest and say I dreaded them when they were 7,5 and 2. Nothing suited everyone, baby was still in nappies and napping. Older ones were too young to do anything on their own. Now 12,10 and 7, we can have nice days out all together or the older ones can pop over to friends house on their own or their friends pop over here. I think OP is judgy and it sounds like she has only one DC which is easier to juggle.

[64BooLane]

I have one socially confident butterfly child who would like a play date every.single.day, and one child with multiple learning differences who really just wants to roam the house and garden in his pants and constantly, relentlessly negotiate with me about screen time.

I work from home and am self-employed, so I have no paid time off and can’t afford not to work during holidays.

Holidays are lovely for the dc thanks to Herculean parenting efforts by me and ex-DP, but for me personally they are a draining combination: days full of compromise, and evenings working late.

OP you sound pretty clueless - or maybe it’s wilful ignorance? Ah well. Takes all sorts of knobs to make a world.

[CD890]

my DS is having 2 weeks off from nursery for half term and I'm already dreading it! It's hard enough to keep him happy/entertained just in the afternoons never mind 14 full days of it. We are having issues atm with him not listening/wanting me so being essentially forced to spend time with a child who doesn't want me near him is not appealing to me and I won't have DP to help as he will have to keep working (self employed). I have already inquired to his nursery about holiday club a few days and luckily my mum doesn't work Thursdays & Fridays so have already arranged a sleepover there. The only saving grace for me is that we live round the corner from a pub with a play area so when I feel like pulling my hair out, that's where we'll be heading!