I’m really looking forward to school holidays this time around. I am!
My children aren’t the only ones who count down the days until school holidays in our house. I count down too. I love love love school holidays. Each day I get to spend time with all my children and a few extras (my niece, nephews and one or two other kids whose parents have to work during school holidays).
It’s not unusually for me to have 8 kids aged from 4-11 for the day . I feel like a Duggar. And I totally rise to the challenge.
It can be stressful wondering what to do about work during that time. Thankfully I am able to work from home a bit more and on the days I go in my children are with my sister, so I can work longer hours and not have to rush home to meet the school bus.
But what I love most about school holidays (after the obviously delight of being able to sleep in for a bit) is all those little people under one roof, being kids, making noise, thinking of games, enjoying the food I make for them, just having fun.
Because I have so many children I can't take them to the movies or any really exciting (expensive) destinations so they really have to make their own fun. They come up with the most amazing things.
Last school holidays they got into the habit of preparing a mini-talent show for me. Every afternoon at 3pm I'd make my coffee, bring out whatever treat I had made for them (cupcakes, fairy bread) and then we'd sit down and they'd all take turns performing for me.
The day goes by so fast. I get up, have breakfast and do a little work and then the mob arrives. Instant chaos. They talk, catch up, decide what they are going to do. Caterina who is 4 usually drags her older cousin to the bathroom and they do each other's hair. The older boys update each other on their various iPod games and the younger boys head outside to jump on the trampoline or dig a hole with sticks.
