When the school summer holidays roll near, many parents start to freak out about how to handle all that free time their kids will have for the duration.
Childcare can be a big issue for some who have to leave the house for work, and a general murmer of ‘What the hell am I going to do with them until September?’ reverberates through every household and neighbourhood.
But for some, the summer holidays can be a welcome relief from the usual stresses of routine that the school year brings.
Days and weeks off until September means taking a break from manic mornings and endless school runs for busy parents.
We asked our favourite Irish parenting bloggers what they were most looking forward to about the summer holidays, and here’s what they told us:
1. Deborah from The Clothesline:
“Not having to find matching socks. Yesssss”
2. Yasmine from Glitter Mama Wishes:
“No stress over homework having to be done and finally being able to organise more playdates with our kids because between school time, homework and activities it’s hard to get the time otherwise”
3. Nicola from Simply Homemade
“‘Not having to make school lunches that are scrutinised before being put into school bags every morning!”
4. Elizabeth from Life On Hushaby Farm
“No more Sunday night blues…for the children or the grown ups!”
5. Laura from Confessions Of An Irish Mammy
“The hour between the two kids school runs can bite me. Also won’t miss the lunch boxes and wails of despair getting them dressed & out the door every morning!”
6. Jennie from Mummy Vs The World
“We’re not doing school runs yet but my three year old and I will definitely appreciate the lighter traffic in the morning and afternoon! Unfortunately the playgrounds and playcentres will now be taken over by the big kids again though! Swings and roundabouts for us (or should I say not being able to get on the swings and roundabouts!)”
7. Candy from Looking For Blue Sky
“Therapists going on holiday so very few appointments, no morning battles over school, fewer places we have to be, but obviously stresses of a different kind!”
8. Gwen from Wonderful Wagon
“No more lunches. No more leaky bottles in school bags. No more bits of sandwiches and rotten pieces of fruit in the bottom of the school bags. No more school runs – one at midday another at 1.30 and one at 2.30 Uniforms. Homework. The rage inducing bickering as soon as they see each other after school. The demands for playdates. No more cheese strings, poxy processed ham, rice cakes and small yogurts for two months. Pour me all the wine! We’ve three and a half days to go. So over it now and they are too”
9. Andrea from Office Mum
“Staying in PJs till lunchtime – except on the sunny, beach-worthy days of course. So yes, mostly staying in PJs till lunchtime… “
10. Muuka from Another Drop Of Ink
“This will be the first time since she was ten months old, that I’ll get to spend time alone, day in day out, with my daughter. She finishes school next week and I’ve just started maternity leave. We’ll have a whole month of time together before our new arrival and I’m really looking forward to chatting and getting to know her more without any pressures of work or school”
Are you looking forward to the break or dreading it? Let us know in the comments on Facebook.
