Holiday?!

Ds1 and dd on a previous caravan holiday

This weekend, we are taking the kids to the seaside for a short break. An unusual time to go, you might think, but thanks to the marvellousness of companies such as Groupon, we picked up a bargain price deal for a 3 bed caravan in a nearby coastal town of Essex! The holiday needed to be taken by the end of June so, after whittling down which weekend we could actually go, it only left this one coming.

So, the plan is to hurl everything in the car, pick the kids up from school and drive straight there, simples.
Only it never is, something that parents everywhere know only too well!


At the beginning of the week, I was encouraging the children to think about what clothes they would be taking, to locate them and then make sure, if they were dirty, give them to me to clean them. In addition, if they couldn't be tumble dried, that I could wash them in time to dry them without the help of nature as the weather this week has been, as always, a bit hit and miss.

This all sounds well organised, but I know from experience that come Friday I will still be scrambling around in their piles of clothing desperately looking for that second pair of clean pants!

Then there is the question of how many clothes do we take for all types of weather? Do we need coats, shorts, flip flops or wellies? Looking at the long range weather forecast is never any good as it is contantly changing so I need to be prepared for all contingencies, so multiply each item by six.

English Caravan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Having a caravan holiday in this country, there is the benefit of not having to carry luggage just throw it in the car, but there is only so much you can pack into a 7 seater, even with one seat folded down so the boot is bigger than a postage stamp. We have to take our own bath towels, beach towels (there is an indoor swimming pool on site if we don't make it to the beach), tea towels, buckets & spades, food, drink (plenty of alcohol for the adults as well!), dd's favourite cereal, dh's preferred sauce, ingredients for a fry up Saturday morning (easier to bring it than to shop when you arrive - takes up valuable holiday time!), snacks for the journey (we're bound to get caught in traffic), a variety of handheld gaming systems and chargers (in case we're stuck in the caravan in the pouring rain), dressing gowns (well, it will be cold in the morning), a cuddly toy or two - the list goes on.
Normally, by the time we've filled the car, dd is in real danger of being buried by the mountain of luggage if dh takes a corner too fast as she sits beside the wall of doom.
In addition, each child insists on having the following where they sit:- a blanket, pillow/neck cushion, cuddly toy (optional), drink, snack/sweets, electrical entertainment device (ipod/ds/leap pad)!

So, with all that in mind, I am allowing myself all day Friday to gather and put everything in the car, hoping that the children have remembered to help by putting their bits ready (ds1 suggested they pack their things Thursday evening which may not be a bad idea!). Then I need to think about what I need to bring, which means an all new ball game of outfit planning and how many shoes can I get away with.....somebody pour me a large G&T!

Disclaimer The views expressed in this blog are solely that of laidbackmumof4's and has not been asked to credit any company's name

Life Changes

walnut cake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since my youngest started full time school, I enjoyed a year of being child-free for the first time in 12 years and wiled away the days (well, 9.30am to 3pm) visiting friends, having coffee mornings in and lunches out, shopping - an ideal life it seemed.

Actually, in the first month or two I really missed the sounds of a toddler pottering about as I got on with chores and found it difficult to motivate myself to do anything without the push of hearing a cry or "Mummy..?". There was no more need to prepare lunch or a bottle, to change a nappy or put a child on a potty, or get baby/toddler ready to fetch an older child from pre-school/school.

On occasion I would literally sit, mind blank, knowing I needed to get on with something but not having any real reason to do so. I had been so used to reacting to a child's needs, all day everyday, I no longer seemed capable of doing anything without them! I knew it would be an adjustment to this new part of my life but I didn't realise how long it would take to adjust.

Fortunately, my lovely fellow Mummy's realised that I was free to go with them wherever they fancied going (and be an extra pair of hands to help them with their baby/toddler!) so after several invitations to random places and realising I would go to the opening of an envelope if it meant coffee or lunch out, we settled into a lovely routine of making last minute arrangements for the day ahead, either with a text received early morning whilst shouting at various children to get ready for school, or even in the playground on the school run.

After many months of thoroughly enjoying my new lifestyle, I begun to feel a little guilty (as we female species are so good at!) - should I be thinking about going back to work?
I knew lots of friends and fellow mums who had done exactly that and managed to juggle work and childcare, but I wasn't sure that was for me. Yes, I was child-free for the middle part of the day, but what about school events, sharing assemblies, sick days, phone calls for forgotten PE kits, after school activities and homework? I wanted to be there for all of things still, so decided it was better to have most of the day for me so that I felt enthusiastic and 100% there for the kids when they needed me. Luckily, DH has a good career and, whilst we are by no means rolling in it, we can get by with just one breadwinner and I am happy to remain a full-time mum.

About 6 months ago I volunteered to help the local village school, where my youngest two still attend, as a dinner lady. Well, that's what I call it, but in the interests of being PC, I'm an MSA, or Midday Supervisory Assistant! I do two days a week, sometimes a third if there aren't any important lunch dates arranged, and, although I don't get paid a fortune, I get to be a fly on the wall and see my children at school, and feel like I'm helping the school whilst being a working member of the community.
So that's where I am at the moment, hope you enjoyed it and continue to read my blog.