How to make the most out of school holidays

It’s half term here. Sweet Jesus it is.

Every time any form of holiday arrives I’m filled with excitement on the last afternoon of school: we’re going to DO stuff, we’ve got plans… then none of the plans work, the kids are bickering and fighting and it’s all just one big fat stress. I feel like I’m not doing a very good job with my work and an even worse job of being a mother. The only consolation is that I’m really not the only one that feels this way!

I’ve put together a somewhat satirical, somewhat genuine guide to 10 ways to survive the holidays:

1.) Prepare, plan and EXPECT EVERYTHING TO GO WRONG.

I like to plan. Admittedly I’m not very good at sticking to my plans but I DO like to plan. I also like to have everything go my way, so I have to take a touch of mental preparation time and use to do lists just to recall all the things that need to be done and just before the holidays as everything will go wrong.The sibling moments I planned will turn into battles, the days out will be ruined by whinging and I will get a massive project through an hour before we’re due to go somewhere.

2.) If in doubt, throw food at them.

One of the ways in which the boys are VERY MUCH like me is in their love of good grub. We’re not really all that similar when it comes to hobbies but we most assuredly love our food, hopefully one day Edith will be the same. Bad moods can be rectified by a treat, but really, that just causes more trouble as the day goes on with sugary stuff maybe them too hyper. Toby is totally a grazer, nibbling often throughout the day, whereas Roo is like me, shovels it all in. We’ve discovered ChewyMoon – not only are the products delicious and natural, but the kids love them on the go, sprinkled on yoghurt and even as part of their lunch alongside a sandwich. They even come in adorable perfect-for-my-bag packets that make the kids smile with their animal faces and kooky names like “Peachy Smile”. I love that they have been designed by a nutritionist and that you order them as part of a weekly subscription that costs just £4. At the moment the boys don’t take lunch boxes and Edith is still so picky (though she really liked the pack you can see her holding in the picture about and the smoothie bites in another) but when they are a bit older, a pack of healthy snacks like this will be GOLDEN. Or if Theresa May manages to cut the school lunches. Either one. 

3.) You know that hope that they will sleep IN if you let them stay up late? Make like Elsa and let it go.

Yeah, really. Forget that. It never works and it results in the most grouchy kids you ever did see! We let Reuben stay up on a Friday night and I can guarantee that if we go beyond that he is a little SOD for days to come, much the same way I am when I’m overtired.

 

4.) Plan to craft like a pinterest queen with the expectations of a nursery nurse.

I trawl Pinterest on my evenings whilst I’m supposed to be working. Typing in things like “activities for kids”, “summer holiday bored busters”, “rainy day activities” and “EASY crafts for kids”. All of these searches bring up a multitude of amazing things, from frame worthy crafts to dynamic activities that require your children to be vaguely well behaved. I love the idea and run with it but I expect it to turn out totally different and probably 100 times worse. As long as they enjoy it, it doesn’t matter to me how “good” a craft looks. You can see the egg splat craft (which even I couldn’t bugger up) here.

5.) Valium.

Need I say more?

Do you have any tips for surviving the school holidays?