The problem with School Holidays

When parents have moaned about long school holidays in the past, I've always been a bit sneer-y (is that a word?!)

For a start, I'm a teacher, and I make no apologies for the fact that I live for my holidays, and trust me, we all work so bleedin' hard during term time that we actually need them, for our sanity and health. As well as this, it gives me a block of time with DD who I see precious little of during term, and she gets her 'real' mum back, someone who's not rushing round like the proverbial blue arsed fly.

So in the past when people have moaned that they have to have their own kids for a whole six weeks, I've rolled my eyes and thought, you know what, you chose to have them. Some people would give their right arm to have kids to moan about!

That was until this year. I'm not one to sit around every school holiday and I'm usually fortunate enough to have a couple of holidays or short breaks lined up. This year however, we had a four day break right at the beginning of the holidays and the rest of the time it's been me and DD, as Mr Anon works nights and needs to sleep for the majority of the day. In practise, this has meant trying to keep an almost 4 year old quiet during the day (not going to happen), or taking her out to inevitably expensive, overcrowded places.

And for some reason, DD has chosen this particular point in the year to develop a tweenager attitude...the tantrumometer has been cranked up a few notches and I've literally felt like tearing my hair out a number of times. Nothing I do seems to entertain her, or make her satisfied. I'm running out of money...and ideas. The weather has been rubbish (British summertime...need I say more?), so even trips to the park have been off the cards. My with-child friends are all at work so we can't even meet for coffee while the kids tear strips out of each other. I always feel a bit guilty about dragging DD out with my childless friends, as they don't really want to hear 'Mum...mum...MUUUUUM!' while they try to have a conversation with me.

For the first time ever I am beginning to see the dilemma of the average parent. 

What's your opinion on the long summer holidays?