I Can Just About Smell The End Of The Holidays

Published August 29, 2012 | By Confessions of a single mum

Don’t get me wrong I have loved having the kids at home but 6 weeks ago I had a rose tinted dream of what the summer holidays would be like.

My dream consisted of me and the children having long lazy summery days filled with giggling and lazing on the lawn eating strawberries picked from the garden. The flowers I planted earlier in spring would all be in bloom giving lots of summery colour and scent. The evenings would be full of summary walks and BBQ’s sitting out late into the night watching the stairs.

In reality the strawberries got eaten by the birds and a squirrel. I swear the squirrel actually waved thank you as he pinched the last strawberry and ran up the garden path. The flowers didn’t flower instead they just sort of sat there and did nothing. The sun didn’t shine, well no surprise there, apart from the odd day in-between days and days of rain.

But the end is near; I can smell the end of school holidays. This time next week they will both be back to school and I can get back into a routine. I thought, until a few weeks ago, I was rather laid back and took things as they come. I don’t do a weekly shop with all my meals planned out as to me that is boring. I rather get what I need when I need it and eat what I want on whatever day I want. But the school holidays reaffirms every year that I actually like routine. I like the fact that the kids go out the door at 8 and I sit at my desk to work at the same time. I like the fact they come home at 3 and this signals the end of my working day. The kids have been brilliant and know I have to work whilst they are home and do try to be quiet. Well as quiet as 2 teenagers can be. But I am out of my routine. We’re all going to bed later, which means we are all getting up later and I am now craving my routine back.

Of course the first week they are back I will be moaning and wishing the holidays back again.