OK - school holidays nearly over - so what score (out of 10) do you give yourself?

[Countingthegreyhairs]

positive:

• cooked good food (most of the time)
  
• read dd 4 books a day without fail
  
• hosted a play date once a week
  
• did loads of craft activities/baking etc
  
• threw a great birthday party for dd
  
• had a load of family to stay which made dd v. happy
  
  negative:
  
• didn't go on holiday (too poor/busy)
  
• didn't go out enough(raining)
  
• dd watched too much telly/DVDs
  
• got very slack with afternoon nap/bedtimes
  
• I got despondent and shouty &
  had terrible rows with dd about getting dressed which I failed to handle well
  
• lost my temper & slapped dd twice (ashamed emoticon) and I don't believe in slapping
  
  all in all I don't feel my relationship with dd improved over the summer and - because of that plus last point in partic. - I give myself a 4.5
  
  Definitely going to try and do it differently next year.
  How about you?

[mylastrolo]

you need to change your name to givingyourselfahardtime. Just walk away instead of slapping count to ten in kitchen and take control again. lol anywonder you've grey hairs. You sound like a fab mum. 4 books a day hangs head in shame.

[unknownrebelbang]

positive:

• DH did most of the cooking, and the boys helped with several meals.
  
• All three lads did a bit of reading, DS1 read loads, all to themselves.
  
• Had lovely days out for two of the lads' birthdays, and my own. DH had to do with a walk around a local park, as he was in bed half the day.
  
• Managed a weekend away with family, and one by myself.
  
• Only had to rely on Grandad 3/4 times to help out.
  
  negative:
  
  
• no play dates
  
• few craft activities, boys preferred to be out on their bikes, etc.
  
• didn't go out enough - but tbh, that was planned.
  
• boys watched too much telly/DVDs.
  
• got very slack with bedtimes .
  
• I got shouty
  
  I'm giving myself 10 out of 10, because I had to work for most of the holidays, DH had the boys most of the time (and still managed to work some days) and I tried my best not to interfere too much.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

thanks but dunno Mylastrolo - was looking forward to improving my relationship with dd over the summer - seems to have got worse

p.s. they were short books!

good for you Unknownrebelbang - why didn't I think of weekend away by myself? Your dh sounds nice - I can't stop myself interfering when mine has dd ...

[unknownrebelbang]

DH is lovely, and very good with the boys.

The boys are older thuogh too - 13, 10 and 9 - so are quite self-sufficient a lot of the time.

It's been tough in some respects, especially swapping the boys when I've finished work and DH has to shoot off, or him having the boys all week, and then working all weekend. But we got through.

How old is DD?

[Hurlyburly]

positive:

• read two books a week with the DCs
  
• took them to tennis lessons every week
  
• bought and labelled all their uniform and shoes (that might not be an achievement for normal people)
  
• designed and got quotes for and commissioned new bathrooms
  
• found a new au pair
  
• went on a lovely holiday
  
• did my tax return (again that might not be an achievement for most normal people)
  
• did lots of preparation work for my hobby
  
• found a new job
  
• settled DS into his new school
  
  negative:
  
• gained three pounds instead of losing a stone
  
• spent too much money (on bathrooms)
  
• had car broken into three times and am now almost uninsurable
  
• hair now needs dying every 6 weeks to cover up grey bits
  
• not sure DS likes his new school

[Tortington]

i worked

packed the twins off to hastings for a week whilst i painted my dead mothers house.


so all day they either went to beach, went to town, played on computer or watched tv.

i cooked the same evening meals - which require no culinary skills beyong frying chicken or mince in olive oil.

i did nothing craftlike i read no books.


but shit - thats life - working pays bills.

[Tortington]

before i get slagged i shall qualify that statement

i worked outside the home.

[Hurlyburly]

Oh Custy I worked too. I like to think that's why my achievements are so slender. The reality is that my achievements are slender because I am lazy. But working does pay the bills. Though not all of them in my case.

[MamaMaiasaura]

I am sad holidays are over already. Even more sao that the weather is meant ot be improving when they go back.

[Smithagain]

Positives:

• saw both sets of grandparents and was not rude to my mother despite staying there for a week
  
• had enough playdates to keep DD1 going, but spent lots time at home as well
  
• finally convinced both girls that playing upstairs in their bedroom was fun and they might even (shock) play together from time to time
  
• possibly as a result of the above, two yo DD2's speech has finally started developing fast so we all know what she's on about
  
• enjoyed lots of new cute toddler words, which gave us all something to laugh about
  
• did crafts and cooking without shouting much, including a rather impressive beach collage using found materials from an actual beach, in true alpha-mum style
  
  Negatives:
  
  
• some VERY long days in the first couple of weeks
  
• have gained several pounds due to comfort eating designed to prevent loss of temper during the witching hour of 4-5pm
  
• didn't get round to buying new plimsols and now everywhere has sold out and she's going back in ones that are a size too small
  
• only did about half the paid work I was meant to, so am having to use up shedloads of leave entitlement
  
  
  Overall, I'm awarding myself a 10. Because I worked bl**dy hard and I'm worth it. And so are all of you!

[charmkin]

Positive
potty trained ds 2.2
lots of homecooked meals
loads of park visits
lots of friends over
got a bit of work done for school
swimming
library scheme
went on hols and to coast for bank hol
lots of camp building and train track building

Negative
spent too much money on crap
dcs watched too much telly ( blame weather)
loooooooooong days meant the whole i am a domestic slave rant a few times to poor dh

[charmkin]

er 8 out of ten

[haychee]

probobly 4/10! Been miserable time, been short of cash and patience. Feel like ive let them down (dc)

[samanthar]

SMITHAGAIN thanks for plimsoll thing comment gald its not just me and several 1000 others..my two are atarting reception in ones that are 1 if not 2 sizes too small, plus all clothes will be unlablled except for biro scribble as labels eta is about three days after they start

[nutcracker]

I did ok for the first couple of weeks, so would give myself a 3/10 for that, but then went rapidly downhill to 1/10

[pirategirl]

positives

passed my driving test and bought a car
took dd5 to lotsof places, something we have never done just us 2, as her dad is now off the scene and used to be the driver
joined the Big read at library, so did 3-4 books a day
Encouraged dd to express her feelings about absent dad
went to the beach
bought her a body board so she now thinks she can surf
met up with playdates as often as poss

negatives
got v fed up of her yesterday, and admit to slapping her leg, sheer frustration, i am ashamed too.
Got too upset about wanker ex dh
scratched the car!!
allowed dd to sleep in with me all summer
bedtimes went to pot
dd has eaten too many treats

[elasticbandstand]

i worked two days a week every week

positives -

i took thm out every day, yes every day, park cinema, beach..
spent very little money

negatives

of course they watched too much tv, went on computer too long
youngest did no reading (shame)
no one did any school work

i was going to give myself a high mark until i thought of the negatives
but, hey back at school very soon.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

crikey - I'm impressed by the library visits, trips out, organised sports, handling of local urchins and reports of sheer hard graft listed here - award yourselves FULL points ...


"have gained several pounds due to comfort eating designed to prevent loss of temper during the witching hour of 4-5pm"
Sadly can identify with this totally Smithagain - my diet starts today

I feel the same way Haychee

What's your new hobby HurlyBurly if you don't mind me asking?? Wish I'd done the same ...

Now, back to those name tapes ...

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Learning from everyone's posts. Perhaps should re-name this thread, "what will you do differently next summer?"

Will definitely go AWAY even if I have to scrub lavs to save up for it

Have even more play dates (much easier with two or more children)

Have my own "holiday project" or at least prepare for new hobby

Weekend off by myself

Start dd on a new "holiday" project - learning to ride/play an instrument/a different skill etc

on the bright side... she's only four so plenty of summers to improve ...

[hellish]

positives

3 weeks of swiming lessons every day in outdoor pools
lots and lots of swimming
went to two museum type activities
dd1 read too many books to count
lots of playdates
dds played and I coached socccer
dds built on new friends they made last year
spent lots of time with my new friend too
nobody got sunburnt (yet)

negatives

lots of fighting
quite a few shouting mummy moments
nobody will now sleep in their own bed at night
v late bedtimes
too much TV / MN every morning for hours
dh thinks I am lazy so and so.
didn't do as much reading and writing as I planned with dd2

[hellish]

not giving myself a mark but just a constructive comment - well, I did try my best.

[Kaz33]

Positives

Pretty much taught DS1 to be unafraid of getting his head submerged and doggy paddling about 5 meters
Huge amount of swimming
Successful trip to Legoland
Took DS1 to the Imperial war musuem on his own.
Split boys up so they got to spend time with both DH and I on their own.
Lots of exercise


Negatives

Very few playdates
A little shouty
Didn't stop DS1 and DS2 fighting

Have enjoyed the holidays - DS2 off to school, very sad

[Kaz33]

7/10 I think - extra marks because of DS1 huge improvement in swimming.

[thegirlwithnoname]

positive:

• went on holiday (seems like a lifetime ago though)
  
• dp who works nights and I made sure that one of us took the kids out each day (except the week ds was v. ill), even if it was to go throw pebbles in the sea.
  
• I always cook all my own food from scratch, I don't understand why you put that CTGH.
  
• dd went on a diving course and dived from the top board. Also yesterday she swam 3 miles in 2.5hrs
  
  negative:
  
• ds was very ill, after his op and was put back on 02
  
• poor ds couldn't swim with dd, so I felt as if he dipped out.
  
• I wish I had brought dd uniform at the beginning of the month.
  
• My house is a utter tip.
  
• My garden funiture/fence all need painting.