The gremlin has gone back to school this week after half term. I had the her for three days, two of which were with her sister too. Her Dad had her for the final two days. It felt like quite a long week. I’m not sure if this is because it’s been harder work or just a break in the usual routine.
Over the school holidays I often see memes, blog posts and even friends and people being pretty desperate for their kids to go back to school after the holidays. Some are half jokey. Some are deadly serious. There is talk of alcohol, chocolate, caffeine and any other fuel for parents to get through this time. The end of the holidays comes and it’s a massive sigh of relief to have succeeded. You have survived a week or so with your kids!!
I’ll be honest, these often make me feel a bit sad and irritated. Especially when the same people then start moaning about getting up for the school run!!
I never wanted to be one of those Mums who hate the school holidays and want them back at school. I do like the routine of school and I enjoy the one on one time with my youngest but I also enjoy having my eldest around.
I guess I also feel like this time is so short. How long will it be before my eldest is wanting to spend all of her time off with her mates? It won’t be long before she will be old enough to not need a baby sitter. I suppose what I’m trying to say is I don’t want to waste that time, however tricky it is!
But the sad thing IT IS is hard!!
In one respect I’m lucky, as I have the luxury to work part time. The baby can be put in nursery in her usual three days and whoever is looking after the gremlin, can have some one to one time with her. And that is fine! She’s 4 and at a lovely age. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a pain and daft as a brush a lot of the time but we can do fun things together. Chat, nails, cinema, hit the park and a cafe, go shopping. She’s fab and on our one day alone together, we had a great day.
But this changes the minute her baby sister is on the scene. We are talking a 30 second window of me putting them both in the car at pick up time. She becomes giddy, annoying, jealous? I just don’t know! All I know is the gremlin’s behaviour changes and not in a good way.
With a 4 year old and a 1 year old, finding things for them to both do becomes hard. Like scream into a cushion hard somedays!! One wants to climb all over me and be involved in everything I do and the other wants to do the same, as doesn’t like the other getting attention!! Nap time is a saviour, as I can either get a few jobs done or spend some time with the eldest. The attention span of the baby is minimal, they fight with each other and the only solution is to get out of the house!! This isn’t always possible when it’s wet, windy and freezing!! And soft play in the school holidays?? Hell on earth.
I know the school holidays with the kids is never going to be an easy picnic. It is hard work. Working I feel, will be a blessing on those long weeks but I know, despite how difficult it is, I will be trying to enjoy the moments. That time is precious and I know I’ll be thinking I want them back in the future years.
But for now it’s back to normality, back to routine and back to me wishing that eldest of mine was home again….until the next school holiday.
