I love school holidays. I love the kids sleeping in and not having to rush in the morning. I love the relaxed evenings and time for our family to relax and be together. I love the weekdays feeling like the weekend. I love the lack of structure and the lack of appointments.
We've had holidays which have been filled with medical appointments and therapies, we've also spent holidays in hospital. We've often had holidays where someone gets sick. Rarely have we had a holiday which was completely ours to enjoy so imagine my joy when I realized we have two whole weeks free this time.
This week I stopped and pondered why I love school holidays and why I am so delighted that these holidays are not full of bookings. Why do other people fill their holidays from beginning to end and I try very hard not to.
Why do I feel stressed when people looked puzzled that I don't want to send my child on camp or book him into activities. I'm not opposed to having fun, we have gone to some great activities over the years and we are going to the zoo this holiday.
It finally occured to me that our lives are always busy and full. I love the school holidays because it is our time to stop and relax. We have endured fifteen years of endless appointments and doing what other people tell us to do, running from one thing to another. Rarely is, or was, there a day with nothing. The thought of scheduling more scares me and exhausts me.
The school holidays are a wonderful time to catch up with our friends, to relax and let the children play. A few planned outings is fine as long as there is time left for doing very little.
I'm ignoring the fact that today one has a cough and the other a sniffle.
We've had holidays which have been filled with medical appointments and therapies, we've also spent holidays in hospital. We've often had holidays where someone gets sick. Rarely have we had a holiday which was completely ours to enjoy so imagine my joy when I realized we have two whole weeks free this time.
This week I stopped and pondered why I love school holidays and why I am so delighted that these holidays are not full of bookings. Why do other people fill their holidays from beginning to end and I try very hard not to.
Why do I feel stressed when people looked puzzled that I don't want to send my child on camp or book him into activities. I'm not opposed to having fun, we have gone to some great activities over the years and we are going to the zoo this holiday.
It finally occured to me that our lives are always busy and full. I love the school holidays because it is our time to stop and relax. We have endured fifteen years of endless appointments and doing what other people tell us to do, running from one thing to another. Rarely is, or was, there a day with nothing. The thought of scheduling more scares me and exhausts me.
The school holidays are a wonderful time to catch up with our friends, to relax and let the children play. A few planned outings is fine as long as there is time left for doing very little.
I'm ignoring the fact that today one has a cough and the other a sniffle.
I'll have to come and bask in the peace and quiet... :-)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, peace and quiet - Cam has the CD player cranked up to full at the moment and is singing. But we did sleep in and are doing what we want to do - we're about to join some special friends at the park for a play.
ReplyDeleteThat was so lovely to read, Jane. I've always wondered why people even bothered having children when they complain about them having to be home during school holidays. Like you, I used to love having that family relaxation time. We'd go fishing or for long walks in the woods, to the lido or the park and just generally enjoy being together. We'd throw the tent in the car and find a pitch for a few days and I loved seeing the kids just living a carefree life, playing out from morning to evening, coming in only for a drink or something to eat. Everything was done as and when we felt like it and I was always sad rather than relieved when it was time for them to go back to school.
ReplyDeleteI'm always disappointed when school starts again.
ReplyDelete