Yes, I know, late to the party because the school holidays are over like dungarees are in fashion. But, here’s five things I learnt this school holidays (which meant I did not end up like her, below):
1. Plan playdates. Don’t make one for every day, but try for every second day. Oh, and rotate the hell out of each other’s houses. That way, you’ll only end up having to clean up a mess/overcome lunch chaos probably once or twice. Oh, and when your kids go to other people’s houses, make sure they take something with them. You wouldn’t visit a friend empty-handed, and neither should your kid.
2. Plan downtime. Yes, this means television, your kid sleeping in, colouring in, playing on the computer, reading up a storm. This is what the holidays are for. Try and alternate a “busy day” and a “downtime day”. But, please – schedule the heck out of the holidays – this gets boredom kicked firmly in the whatsits.
3. Also, I am NOT a craft-mom. I cannot glue-stick-sew-create my way out of a discarded eggbox, but I do have a healthy stack of stuff that can be repurposed. Save it up and use it over the holidays. And yes, eggboxes can make nice flowers. Just be prepared to have them decorate your home for a while.
4. If you’re begged into going shopping, go to the bookstore. Those will be worthwhile purchases, and – almost every bookstore is clearing stock out before the year-end rush, so books are cheaper right now!
5. The scariest part of holidays, for me, is extending bedtime. Because there is no school the next day, I get the “but mom, it’s holidays” talk. So I do extend bedtime. By two hours, maximum. No more. By then, we’re all played out, snoozing and I need to start work. Oh but that beautiful silence lets me concentrate and create!
Great tips. Also, cut that extended bedtime short a day or so before the final school holiday night to get routine back. We also do “camp out” in the lounge over holidays