herfstvakantie

Before children I used to wonder around not knowing or understanding what school holidays were, or when they were.

Now we have school aged children I have the knowledge. 

I have my own internet based company so luckily I do not have to worry about leaving the house each morning to go to the office - the kitchen table is my office. This brings downsides of course as someone who rings my home phone wanting to speak to the Locker Winkel, may even hear a scream as I am in the middle to explaining that our 3 year old cannot have chocolate before lunch time, she disagrees loudly. 

So,  don't need to leave for the office so when the holidays come around I can mostly work around the kids for a few hours each day. They are at the age when they can play by themselves or with each other quite happily - or put a film on. 

The school day is much more complicated here. There is a lunch break, sometimes the kids are home for lunch in the week. Although it seems like a nice thing to do, it is often stressful: having to get back home, make lunch (we like to have something warm most days not sandwiches if I can help it) then eating lunch within the hour and then getting the kids all revved up again for a return to school. I don't think this break can help them concentrate at school. The plus side is that i know they have eaten well.

Before kids I didn't realise how stressful a school day here can be. Too-ing an fro-ing from school, then getting them to swiming lessons or guitar lessons or dance lessons. Plus then the negotiating over where they kids are playing straight after school, so warning - sometimes I might have an additional 3 boys at home with us. I already have 3 kids of my own! And then there are the days on a wednesday when the kids only half a day of school. I make pancakes on wednesdays. I have tried to make them in advance - only then to be surprised my having only the little one at home because the older two have gone somewhere else to play and eat!

This is rare: it normally feels like I am the one having the children to play...

So actually, even though i have three young children, parents or non parents may think that I dread the school holidays. I don't. I look forward to them. No running back and forth to school (we do literally run as we live in the same street as school and we are always late..), no swimming lessons (only swimming fun), no arguments over guitar lessons or guitar homework. No afspreken (play dates) - just enjoying my own children, who can stay in their pyjamas ALL day if we have no plans, come to think of it - so can I - or at least I can stay in my joggers and wooly socks all day. This is when i relax, and the children also do what they want. If they want to watch 3 films back to back, they can. I don't mind. Not every day, we do try and leave the house occassionally..

But life for them is so busy during the school week, and life for mummy is too. So we all have to completely switch off, especially if it is only one week holiday.

So we are on our final day of holiday - an it was an extra day too. The go back to school tomorrow - a Tuesday. I am completely realxed despite having all the kids at home at times. I will reluctantly start the rushing around again tomorrow..making fruit boxes, packed lunches for some days and the rushing back and forth to school and the unexpected play dates....roll on Christmas holidays..!