We had a moderate-sized child care snafu -- on Friday msniq & I realized we both have to go into work today but didn't have anything lined up for the kids -- but managed to recover!
I bought everything that needed to be bought online early enough to avoid paying for rush shipping! None of it is wrapped, but this is an improvement over the past two years.
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
People are off already? 4 more days for us, kids are off starting Friday and back on 1/3. I have to work a few days and I’m bummed but daycare and afterschool are open next week. Big kid was home sick last week so I can’t wait for tomorrow when I will finally be alone in my house (WFH) for the first time in almost 2 weeks!
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
I'm here, even though my kids are still pretty young (4.5 and 7) and our break is shorter. Me and DH both have next week off with minimal plans. Now that they're mostly self-sufficient it should be pretty great to laze our days away!
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
How old are yours?
V is 10 (5th grade) and O is almost 7 (1st grade). If we have an unstructured day, V spends most of it pacing around the house waiting for screen time to start. The only other things that will hold his attention are books and lego sets. I don't really want to go bankrupt buying lego sets lol.
O will do things like fuse beads, draw, or play board games (and sometimes V will play along).
In like a year or two I think he'll be scheduling his own playtime with friends, but we're just not quite there yet.
Post by minniemouse on Dec 18, 2023 14:40:45 GMT -5
I’m with abs. With older kids, we are all looking forward to break! The teen is getting burnt out with school work. They have school this whole week, are off next week, and go back on 1/2. It’s not enough, i’d rather get a slightly longer break now than 10 weeks in the summer. My biggest win will be wrapping gifts without them knocking on the door or texting me.
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
How old are yours?
V is 10 (5th grade) and O is almost 7 (1st grade). If we have an unstructured day, V spends most of it pacing around the house waiting for screen time to start. The only other things that will hold his attention are books and lego sets. I don't really want to go bankrupt buying lego sets lol.
O will do things like fuse beads, draw, or play board games (and sometimes V will play along).
In like a year or two I think he'll be scheduling his own playtime with friends, but we're just not quite there yet.
13. It makes a difference. DD is very self sufficient, makes all her own plans, and most importantly gets to catch up on sleep! The junior high schedule is no joke with finals, holiday concerts, and everything else.
Echoing that with older kids breaks are glorious. Mine are 17, 14 and 12. My 17 year old is already on break and graduating tomorrow, but the other two don’t start break until Friday. They will spend break sleeping in, hanging out with friends and finding whatever to entertain themselves. They make their own food and take care of themselves, but I don’t have to wake up as early to get them to school so it’s only a win for me.
DS(7.5) had a good attitude this morning about doing reading tutoring with his school para and about running two quick errands after. This afternoon he's feeling good about going to his grandparents' house to hang out with his cousins. All wins that keep him off the tv for a bit.
I agree that with a 7 year old that the long breaks are so much easier now. Still struggle since he is an only child with keeping him off screens all day. If he's off screens, he's bugging me and waiting for the time he can be on them. I mean, if that's all H and I want to do is lay around and watch TV, its hard to tell him he can't, so we can get pretty lax about it. We'll have plenty to do over the break though with visiting friends and family etc. so we'll be getting out of the house a lot and it should balance out.
Our break doesn’t start until Friday but DS is home sick. So I guess our win would be that fingers crossed he feels well enough for school tomorrow.
Our kids are older too but they still fight off and on, so it’s not as glorious as it could be.
DD has a sleepover party to attend. I’m taking the week after New Years off so we’ll have a couple of lazy days and then maybe some touristy type days.
I’m mostly just looking forward to no homework or sports practices.
Post by countthestars on Dec 18, 2023 17:03:11 GMT -5
We’re still in school through Friday as well! My win is that despite it being spirit week, we are at least kind of prepared for it this year? Why is it spirit week though???
We are off until 1/3 and I’m in between dreading it and looking forward to it. Mine are 11 and 8. The older one went to an arcade with a friend today and the younger one begged for lots of video game stuff but generally was fine to do his own thing for the most part. I feel like I’m coming down with a cold so mostly rested and listened to an audiobook. That’s a win!
Post by redheadbaker on Dec 18, 2023 18:35:37 GMT -5
DS has school all week -- half day on Friday.
I'm thankful his school doesn't do any spirit days the week before Christmas. If anything, it's PJ day on the half-day before Christmas, and that's a class-by-class decision.
My K age kid is off 12/22-1/9! I wish they were off more before Christmas I feel like I have so much pre-Christmas stuff id like to do with them but don't really have the time.
We have school all week and just next week/New Year’s Day off. I have kids in elementary, middle, and high school. All 3 have spirit weeks, some have class parties, one of my kids has a big Girl Scout meeting, one has a choir concert, and ski club starts. It’s a crazy, crazy week.
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Post by fancynewbeesly on Dec 18, 2023 21:02:09 GMT -5
My neighbors down the street are some of the nicest people. DD1 is good friends with their sixth grader (DD1 is in 7th). DD2 is best friends with their DD2 (both in kindergarten)
The mom texted me that during winter break she was thinking of setting up the heater outside so the girls can have a paint party outside.
This family knows that DD1 is still super immune compromised and can't leave the house and can't go indoors anywhere (and thus DD2 can't have friends over). We usually play outside with them--like board games and things, but with the weather getting colder no one actually wants to be outside so she was trying to think of away around that restriction.
We’re still in school through Friday as well! My win is that despite it being spirit week, we are at least kind of prepared for it this year? Why is it spirit week though???
We have had spirit MONTH. Our school also does the last 26 days of school as spirit days starting with that level of the alphabet. Fortunately, since it’s not very special when every day is a spirit day, the kids don’t care at all if they don’t participate, so we just pick and choose.
We’re still in school through Friday as well! My win is that despite it being spirit week, we are at least kind of prepared for it this year? Why is it spirit week though???
We have had spirit MONTH. Our school also does the last 26 days of school as spirit days starting with that level of the alphabet. Fortunately, since it’s not very special when every day is a spirit day, the kids don’t care at all if they don’t participate, so we just pick and choose.
Post by wanderingback on Dec 18, 2023 22:22:57 GMT -5
Our daycare is closed for 2 weeks starting on Wednesday. I’m working all this week, so it’s all on my partner. But next week my mom is coming and I took a few days off so I’m so excited that we’ll have in house child care and my partner and I can just go off and do whatever whenever!
C goes through this week. There’s a half day on Friday and she goes back the 8th. We are all excited for break! Lazy, do nothing days with yummy leftovers and no responsibilities? Sign us up!
I should add at 10, she can entertain herself for the most part. I’m sure we’ll play new board games and watch a bunch of movies too. Maybe go see Wonka.
DS and I are off Dec 23-Jan 7. H is off Dec 23-Jan 1. DS is 9 and breaks are amazing. He's learned real fast that if he complains there will be chores and other unfun things on his to do list.
We have a few family activities planned, but mostly just hanging at home. I cannot wait.
Two weeks into 6 weeks of summer holidays here (southern hemisphere!). So far, we've had a two week visit from my parents (love them, but my house is small!) and two of three Christmas celebrations in the bag. The biggest win so far has been having a pool and having the kids finally both be really, really into swimming so it's worth all the time, money and effort in terms of entertainment payoff (also, swimming makes them so chill and relaxed later). Oh, also the actual biggest win is working in the school system and having identical holidays to the kids so childcare is sorted. I might be going crazy from the togetherness, but I'm not complaining.
DS and I are off Dec 23-Jan 7. H is off Dec 23-Jan 1. DS is 9 and breaks are amazing. He's learned real fast that if he complains there will be chores and other unfun things on his to do list.
We have a few family activities planned, but mostly just hanging at home. I cannot wait.
My girls know (5 and 12) that December 26th is mom’s day. My favorite day of the year. There is leftovers so I don’t have to cook. And they have new things so I don’t have to entertain them. I literally just relax that entire day.
C is off this week. I guess our win is that enough of his neighborhood friends are in town that he can keep himself busy playing with friends all week. The HOA booked a gaming truck to come to the neighborhood later this week, so he and a friend are signed up for that.
The difference between younger kids and older ones: a 17 day break from school IS the win. Summer is always a bit long but this two week break is so needed for everyone in my house!
How old are yours?
V is 10 (5th grade) and O is almost 7 (1st grade). If we have an unstructured day, V spends most of it pacing around the house waiting for screen time to start. The only other things that will hold his attention are books and lego sets. I don't really want to go bankrupt buying lego sets lol.
O will do things like fuse beads, draw, or play board games (and sometimes V will play along).
In like a year or two I think he'll be scheduling his own playtime with friends, but we're just not quite there yet.
I think some kids just don't do as well being at home all day. Breaks with our 9 year old go pretty much exactly like with your 10 year old and it's not particularly fun for any of us. He wants constant attention too, so it's just an all day stream of asking for screens, asking to play with me, whining about nothing to do. I'm an introvert, I'm also at home taking care of a toddler all day, and I find it so draining.
One big win so far is that he is getting over a nasty cold that he caught right before the break, and nobody else has gotten sick yet so hopefully we can still have our Christmas plans with family as scheduled.
Post by midwestmama on Dec 19, 2023 9:45:07 GMT -5
My kids (ages 12 and 14) have two weeks off, but they are later this year due to when the holidays fall - the week of Christmas and the week of NY's. My upcoming Ws will be not having to do the normal school routine things. I will also be assigning them each a few chores to do each week. (I'm sure they will be thrilled!)