Teachers and school staff, what do you love most about the holidays?

[Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting]

This afternoon I had a nice bath with my favourite fancy bath oil, just because I could.

I'm an early bird so like going to gym classes or for a swim at 8am which is impossible in termtime. (Sometimes I go at 6am but it's a bit tight).

DCs and I have been finding deals in local pubs and cafés, eg free breakfast for them. Then going to do nice things together. Ice skating, bowling, cinema. Clubcard vouchers are king.

I'm living in comfy gym clothes and stretchy things

Already have finished reading one novel, 4 left in my pile to get through.

Time for long walks. With or without DCs depending on their mood.

No rushing to scoff a packed lunch and getting indigestion running around. Making a nice salad or cooking something new at home, and having time to enjoy it.

This year has been weird, exhausting and stressful so I think some treats are well deserved 👏

I love so many things about the holidays

Not having to rush about during the week and being able to have a leisurely breakfast!

Time with DH/DS - we are on holiday at the moment and have had lovely trips out,nice lunches/dinners out and time to just chill.

Watching TV during the week - something I don't normally have time for during term.

Reading books that are not teaching books! I've read two so far and just started a third.

Walks - we are fortunate to have lovely walks from the front door and excellent bridle ways.

Being able to do things like take DS to the park/library during the week, instead of squashing it into Saturday morning!

More time for my running.

Being able to wear my comfy clothes and not having to bother too much about my hair/makeup!

Doing a few things in the house - I want to paint the en suite this summer.

Sitting in my garden and not feeling like I have loads to be doing.

So, mostly, time to do more things

I do love the job and my school but I always feel a bit sad when the summer holidays end.

Too true. After 14 years of teaching I still appreciate the summer holidays so much.

Love the feeling of freedom
Love knowing there are jobs to be done but don't have to be done today
Love catching up with friends especially long distant ones as too rushed during term time
Love having time to just dawdle around not doing much
Love my garden and just pottering there.
I love my job but really appreciate the down time in the holidays. Feel l need it just to have the energy to go again.

The best part is the beginning when it's all stretching ahead! Some parts planned, others open to possibility.

Teaching is so intense and draining that it couldn't be sustained for 48 weeks a year. Most teaching staff in my school have already put in 4-5 working days these holidays moving and updating classrooms, preparing for September so in reality it's only 5 weeks. Anyone who went on holiday immediately will be in school at the end of August doing the prep. (Primary school where changing displays and moving furniture isn't allowed whilst children are in school).

I actually hate the summer holidays!! I tend to get increasingly depressed as it goes on and I am always really happy to be back in school in September. I just don't cope well with not being busy and not having a fixed routine. I need the rest but I'd much prefer holidays to be spread more equally across the year without one mammoth one to deal with. (you can imagine how much I hated a whole 9 months maternity leave!!). The main good thing is that I get to spend time with dd and don't have to stress about holiday childcare. I found holidays pre dd even harder.

I'm in Australia, and retiring at the end of the year, so will have my last "holiday" in the two-week break Sept/Oct.

Love the feeling of ordering my own time, and I suppose that's it, my time to do all the gardening, dog walking, me walking. All the stuff that gets squeezed in during term time.

PumpkinPie has reminded me I need to paint the ensuite.

Sleep!

Having been bullied out(along with 2 other teachers) by the arrogant prick of a Head, my life will now be one long holiday. Despite feeling flashes of anger at the way my career ended, I am loving the freedom to do what I want when I want.

@ValancyRedfern I think the way you feel is more common than people think. Some people just find the lack of structure and routine really hard.

@MyCatEatsPrawnCrackers sorry to hear that I hope that you can enjoy the freedom.

Thank you PumpkinPie

Sleep.

Doing things I want to do and not having to follow a timetable.

No Sunday fear of what fresh hell the week will bring.
Not staying up late planning or marking.

No emails from parents.

Hanging out with my DC - they are at that lovely stage where we are past being tantrummy pre-schoolers but not yet teens ,so we're having fun together.
Catching up with my pals from the baby days - a few work part time (I don't) so I can see them during the hols.
Having time to read. I love reading but basically don't allow myself during term time as I must mark and plan.

I bumped into a child from my class at the swimming pool today 🙃 but the family were polite so I didn't really mind.

Reading, doing crochet, spending time with DD and not having to rush in the mornings.

Family time as DH also teaches so we are all off together, no one has to rush anywhere and just the freedom from work & term time pressures.

I love not k owing what day it is....I thought it was Saturday this morning, until I realised that Dh had gone to work. Having a drink 'on a school night' just because the weather is nice, and generally pottering around the house, doing the jobs I never have time for. A bit of clearing out, non day to day cleaning.

Holidays are so much easier now the DCs are older too!

Spending time with my kids with a clear brain!! When am at work I just find the craziness and busybee lifestyle has my brain on overdrive and I'm literally walking around with work in my mind and not really being able to focus on my kids!! Something I need to work on this year!

Hope we are all enjoying our hols still

@Lizay27 I get what you mean about the fuzzy head thing. When I am working, it feels like my brain never switches off!

The absolute best thing about this summer has been the massive overhaul of the school IT systems meaning we’ve had limited access to emails etc. I took the decision to do no setting up of new accounts last term so have had zero access to any school files/systems. Deleted school email account from my devices too… bloody brilliant!!!

Good things:
Not having to get up at 5.30
Deleting school email off my personal devices for the first two weeks (then I needed it again!)
Lie ins with DH
Time for the gym and meeting friends
Going in to school to do admin stuff in my office in the peace and quiet

Downsides:
DH working from home so I kept going out to escape his Teams calls and constant presence
Too hot to do anything outside (in ME)
Not being able to return to the UK to see family