SURVIVING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.....a few tips to help you get through the next block of holidays.

Ah, School holidays. The mere thought of it conjures up images of exhausted mothers trying desperately to appease over-indulged kids, whose mantra is chanted the western world over: ‘I’m bored’ …

“Bored”!! - “You’re not bored,” I say to my 8 and 6 year olds. “Go and climb a tree. Jump on the trampoline. Play in the cubby house. Read a book or draw a picture. Unfortunately, they don’t get it. After ‘what seems like hours’ of incessant winging, I concede defeat, waving my white flag and shuffling them into the car to see Shrek 3 for the third time.

“Kids in Africa don’t get bored,” I tell my 8 year old. “They play with sticks and old cans and pieces of wire.” “Yes mummy” she replies in her cynical, ‘I’ve heard it all before voice.’ “Send me to Africa and I won’t get bored” – Hey, now that’s an idea!

My challenge during this past school holidays was to keep the kids from being bored and keep me from going insane. I did this by having a plan.

And it worked. Monday was shopping. Tuesday was stay at home and clean day, Wednesday was exercise class and library, Thursday an outing and so on. Thrown into the mix was the occasional organized school holiday activity like horse riding.

Knowing what the week had an ahead of me was better pill to swallow. Included in our routine was a catch up with friends - those who had kids the same age as mine. That way, I got to drink coffee and talk and the kids got to play.

We also made time for serious educational fun, like visits to the local library – an inexpensive holiday activity that not only encouraged their love of books, but filled in 2 hours on a Wednesday. Other inexpensive and worthwhile activities included: going on bushwalks and to parks.

As the school holidays came to an end, I actually even felt a little sad. The positives this time seemed to outweigh the negatives. I enjoyed my well thought out plan for activities, whilst taking a break from the usual mundane routine of ironing uniforms and making lunches.

Finally, I made a choice and that was to embrace the school holidays optimistically; seizing the diminishing opportunity I have to spend time with my ‘growing up too fast’ kids, who would someday do their own thing. – Sadly, one day the tables will turn and my kids will no longer rely on me for entertainment and I’ll be the one winging … “I’m bored!”

Just a little food for thought.

Nicky