Is anyone else "dreading" the school summer holidays

[katedan]

I feel like such a rubbish mummy to admit this but I am dreading the summer holidays as I have no idea how i will fill the many days and weeks with my 3 DC. I am a SAHM now where last year I worked one day a week and my DT's had two days at nursery but this year DT's (age 2) will be out of playschool and DS (6) will be off school and I have NOTHING planned. All the holiday clubs are aimed at working parents and I don't need/want DS to be out all day as he would hate it. He is not a sporty kids so the football schools, multi sports clubs are no good. I have had a big list of things in this area happening but nothing seems to aimed at thie age group either it is for under 5's and you stay with them and I would not be able to take DS or for over 5's and DS would not want to go on his own. He does not have any friends and the playdates we do in term time are with friends with toddlers my DT's age. I am starting to have sleep problems as I am so worried about coping with the three of them for 6 weeks. Anyone else feel like this or have any ideas on how to cope. I find it very hard being a SAHM and am scared the 6 weeks will send me over the edge.

[umiaisha]

I have 3 and think the key to getting through it is organisation.

I have made a list of free/cheap activities and will stock up on picnic/pack lunch stuff. I also bought a family pass to a local soft play centre that should come in handy on rainy days. I make sure that I am up dressed, showered and face on before they are up as otherwise it takes forever to get out the door.

Dd (9) is not one for sports camps etc but she is going on a tennis one with a couple of friends for a week as I know she will enjoy it once she gets there!

[scarlett252]

If you are near Chester. there is an old Abbey near Talace called Greenfield Abbey with a lake and a lovely walk. Take a picnic and let the children run wild....its great....

[scarlett252]

If you live bear Hawarden, in North Wales go to Geenfields.The children can feed the animals, ride on the tractor and spend the whole day there.

[scarlett252]

If you are near Chester...walk the walls..take a picnic and visit the river and the park. The amphitheater is great to visit too... if you are near Buckley there are a couple of play areas which are free and you can take a picnic to. Newton near Chester has a fabulous play area and also a walk along a converted railway line...it will tire them out.

[scarlett252]

dont despair...see my posts for free and cheap days out in thed summer holidays...

[scarlett252]

there is loads to do with your children...museums...art galleries..they are all free. go to the Liverpool Museum its three floors and is interactive. if you are near the North Wales Coast..park at Colwyn Bay and walk towards Rhos..if you go in the morning the tide is in but by the time you walk to Rhos the tide will be out and walk back on the beach checking out the stones and wildlife there. Or go to Flintshire Aviation..its free you can watch the planes take off and land...there is a cafe there too. or Delamere Forest..plenty of things todo and usually some kind of activity. Loggerheads is a lovely walk and usually some adventure plan to follow. Walton Park is free and has large grounds a play area and crazy golf.

[claricebean]

schilke - we're in Spain. I know. 12 weeks. It's incredible. I have no idea how families where both parents work manage. Well, I do....there is a heavy reliance on grandparents. It works out quite well for us as we can have a long and leisurely trip back to the UK. But if we were here for the whole lot (as some families are) in the 45 degree heat, we would all go slowly insane I think.

[holdingittogether]

Clearing out bedrooms can be a great holidays activity. You will find things they forgot they had which then become the best toy for the following few days.

[pigsinmud]

claricebean - where are you? Twelve weeks off!!

We don't do much. I don't drive and we live in a village so we spend our days driting in and out of the house. I don't dread it - I love it. No more manic lunchbox making befoe the 8am bus - bliss!

This year we have our puppy to walk so that will get us up and out.

[fircone]

I agree Treasure Hunt good idea.

I recently needed some milk, and didn't want ds whining about going, so I made a list of things to spot on te way, one for ds and one for dd. So for an older child you can have things like 'miserable-looking granny' or 'hoodie/teenager with ipod' and younger ones can have 'post box' 'baby' etc or just pictures of things to spot.

[bran]

I had such a horrendous Easter holiday that I booked DS (5 yo) into day camp for 5 weeks for the summer. I think he will really enjoy it as he's very extrovert and active. I'm probably not helping him to learn to amuse himself, something he is very bad at, but at least he won't be beating up his sister which is what he spent the entire 3 weeks of Easter holidays doing.

[Coalman]

Yes, swimming a problem with three. I have to call on a friend with an only, or swimming pool will not let us in.

[bigchris]

Ooh nutty good luck

[Coalman]

I used to like doing a Nature Trail/ Treasure Hunt thing through the town. I would make a list for the older one, and pictures for the younger and we would tick them off when we found them. Stuff like a feather, picture of a lion, a snail, tall spire, etc.

Ice creams when we got home. Winner gets to shake the sprinkles on top.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Oh yes, not having the mad morning dash is fantastic

[LackaDAISYcal]

Does your DS not have any school friends that you could pre-arrange playdates with?l

We tend not to see school friends as they all live a lot further out from the school than we do, but I try and make sure we get out of the house at least once a day, even if it is just to the playing fields over the road with a football for a kick about.

this year we have organised our family holiday for the middle two weeks which should break things up nicely, and there is usually a couple of MN meet ups that we will hopefully go to. We also have family holidaying near us so will have a few days out with them as well and the GPs can be relied on to take my oldest out for the day a few times.

I know how you feel though as a lot of the toddler groups round here are only in term time and the holidays can stretch ahead like an ampty hole. Being organised is the key as others have said.

Also, I'm sure if you were doing something toddler based, I'm sure they won't mind your DS tagging along. similarly, I'm sure you could take the DTs with you to watch whatever activity you had arranged for DS.

swimming is a great suggestion, but not really do-able for a mum of three little ones without help ime; most pools have strict ratios for parent/children which is why I can't take my three unless DH is with me.

[holdingittogether]

I find the first week or 2 are the worst. They get bored easily and want entertaining constantly. Then we all sort of settle into a new routine and they get used to doing things for themselves. Being able to take life at a slower pace is great.

[NervousNutty]

The type of holiday we have depends upon wether I pass my driving test or not, which is the day before the holidays.

No pressure

If I pass we will do alot of visiting parks and other cheapy day out places. If I fail, I will be ordering as much wine as possible.

[YohoAhoy]

Have to say, I'm looking forward to the holidays.

I love not being governed by alarms/the need to a particular bit of PE kit now etc.

Have to say it's easier as we are are a family of inveterate 'potterers' so rarely plan days out unless there's a particular thing at a particular time.

So I think it depends where your natural inclinations lie. Some people need things to be planned, some take a complete que sera approach.

I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. I have a bunch of things in mind that we could do, and then just see how everyone's feeling at the time.

[Coalman]

Yes, National Trust membership is good. There is lots of running around space and often craft activities for your older child.

I decide which places I would like to visit over the summer, then print off directions and opening times and put them in my 'Summer Holiday' folder.

I have learned to approach the school holidays as I would approach a project at work. I would love to be one of those relaxed parents who takes things as they come, but I am an anxious type and we have no garden. A vague plan makes me feel more in control, and I am able to enjoy myself more.

[squilly]

We have one school age child, so no siblings to cause problems, but also no-one else for her to play with. So...holidays for us means lots of friends round to play, lots of days out and lots of activities. And I'm sorry to say I absolutely love it.

We do one day each week as a casual meet up at the park with the other mums/kids in dd's class. Last year we agreed Wednesday would be the day we'd get together if we were free and it was surprising how often you could go down the park, sit and have a coffee whilst you watched all the kids playing together.

One day is grandma day and one day is trip day. We have a few days away with DD's dad, usually on the back of a business trip and a few day trips to boot. I also visit my mum a couple of times and she's 70 miles away, so that becomes like a mini holiday in itself (though who would choose to go to Walsall for a holiday I don't know).

This year I also have a tent so we can take off, last minute, and go stay different places.

I lurve summer holidays, but I do sympathise. When your hands are full and you've got 6 empty weeks stretching ahead of you, it's not an easy prospect.

[HSMM]

Don't forget a lot of museums have free entry. We also often take some old rope and sheets to the woods and make a tent and have a picnic. This is really good if they can take a friend too, so you don't have to be involved in the building.

[fircone]

We have a National Trust and English Heritage membership. You can buy then with Nectar/Tesco/Walkers vouchers. They are worth their weight in gold imo. You take a picnic, they can run/roll around on DOG POO FREE grass and you can relax.

Also investigate church holiday clubs for your ds. Ds went to one at that age, and he is most certainly not sporty nor a joiner nor religious. He enjoyed doing all the crafts, it was just mornings for a week, and it only cost £10 in total.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

I have planned alot of it already (geeky spreadsheet!)
holiday as soon as they break up
3 days at home
4 days with my parents
a week at home
4 days with DH's parents
a few days at home then 2 nights with my sister
in between times we have made a list of people we would like to spend time with and things we would like to do and we are dotting those through the home days.

I have asked DH to book 3 random days off work for us to have bonus family days out.

[Coalman]

We go to the woods a lot. I read a book, boys climb trees and make dens. Baby pootles around and eats dirt.