Last Updated on 5 October 2020 by Colette
What a strange summer holiday it has been so far – with no festivals, no holidays and no play dates to speak of, the onus has been very much on my team of three to get along and entertain each other.
Usually our summer holidays are absolutely packed with days out – meeting friends at National Trust properties, beach days and picnics. In fact we are often so busy that I usually have to actively plan a “calm down day” each week – a day at home to just chill out and do nothing. I usually have a day’s childcare booked each week to give me the opportunity to catch up with work too. This summer has been very much the opposite with just one day of childcare booked through the whole summer (and what a blissful day it was) and more days at home than not.
Whilst the kids have coped well with this, I must admit I’ve found it hard – mostly just because I feel sad for the time we are wasting, for a lost summer – particularly as I’m aware that next year things will be different again as Ben might be less inclined to spend all his days with us! (He promises this won’t be the case but we all know it’s coming!)
I’m grateful that, for the most part, the weather has been on our side over the last month – we have been able to get the paddling pool out in our newly renovated garden, enjoy dog walks and picnics, ride our bikes and spend time at the coast. Although the increased restrictions in our area put paid to play dates in gardens and visiting friends and family in their homes, we have made the best of this and tried not to let it affect our plans too much. It has been a tough summer in that sense – feeling that we can’t plan too much or too far ahead for fear of the rug being pulled from under us once more.
By the time I write my next siblings update, all three children will be separated by their school day – with different buildings, different start and finished times – one at the infant site, one the juniors and one taking the bus up into town to high school. There are big changes ahead for my siblings.
