Wait… could it be? Did I actually make it here… alive?
Have the treacherous claws of the summer holidays scraped and scarred me? Yes. But did they finish me off? No. Here I stand, still alive enough to tell the tale of this never-ending-yet-somehow-nearly-over saga of my summer holiday survival.
Honestly, I’d be a fool not to be proud of myself. Let me pause to give myself a pat on the back (and possibly an award). I might still be haunted by the smell of cheese and onion crisps, and thanks to internet cookies, my ads are permanently stuck on inflatable parks and “mega theme park discount” banners! However, I’m here and that’s what counts.
This week officially kicked off the official countdown to the new school term. The kids carried on at summer camp. I used my precious hours to dash around like a headless chicken, full of caffeine, trying to prepare for the back-to-school madness.
This was the week that I also started making lists. The lists of what the kids need. The lists of where the lists are. And the lists of the shops that have ‘Back to School’ discounts. I even did a ‘spring clean’ in summer. Insert big sigh here!
The highlight? I loved hearing the kids come home, bursting with stories about new friends, epic football scores, and how they got picked as goalkeeper. I was convinced they were basking in the glory of holiday fun… until one of the twins woke up one morning and said,
“Mummy, when are we going back to school?”
I nearly dropped my tea. Could it be… that we are all ready for the summer holiday to end? My heart melted a bit, and I thought—yes, let’s do this together. So we started a family countdown to the new school year, ready to wave “Adios!” to summer in style.
And then… curveball!
Mid-online-order, my brother from England rings to say he’s coming to stay. With his whole family. For a few days. My brother doesn’t do quiet visits—he does full-blown, “let’s make memories and a mess” visits. Which means his three children, my three children, water balloons, a trampoline, more cheese and onion crisps, and bottomless Ribena cordial. However, call me crazy – but I am really looking forward to a last week of full-on fun with my brother and his family.
I suspect that when teachers ask my kids how their summer was, they’ll have a lot to say… And none of it will involve rest.
Till the final week — well done for surviving, fellow parents! We’re nearly there.
x
