Good theme. I remember the juggle of seeing schoolmates as well as neighbourhood mates during hols. At least I got to see my closest schoolmates (you, Silé, Caroline.B)
As for the M25 when it's really, really busy, I remember hearing a DJ on my car radio wishing everyone safe journeys. He added "And if you're on the M25 - HALLO CAMPERS!!" hahaha. Luckily I was driving in rural N. Essex at the time.
When I was a kid, holidays were pretty low-key. My mom worked, so I was either at the babysitters house or hanging out with neighborhood friends. My babysitter lived 2 blocks from my house, so we were still all close together. Every year, though, my mom used her 1 week vacation time to visit her sister who lived 150 miles north of us. It was always in August and it was always hot. I dreaded it.
Ironically, we now live in the same town my aunt lived in back then. It is still hot and I still dread it.
When my kids were on school breaks, there was pressure to tutor them and try to get them more caught up with the rest of the class. None of my kids were very academic and it was a struggle. We did a lot of fun things, though, play dates at the parks, hitting the parks with water equipment on the warm days. Summers were full of camps: soccer, zoo, basketball, I don't know what else. We didn't have money for travel and rarely took going-somewhere vacations.
I noticed when my kids were young, that a lot of the other families did a good bit of traveling. Disneyland, of course, but other places, too. Visiting family or going to national parks. It seems that there was/is a lot more pressure for middle class families to spend a good chunk of change going places and doing things. My kids always wondered why we couldn't do the same. We just didn't have the money and my then-lawyer husband found it difficult to take time off. Pressure to perform was huge in his big city firm.
I don't regret not doing the Disneyland-every-year life. We made a lot of our own fun. There is a park with a pool across the street from our house and we spent a lot of time there. We would splurge on a family pass to the pool and definitely got our money's worth.
I think my favorite summer vacation was the last we took as a family. The boys, now 25, were young teens. We spent almost a week in the redwoods in Northern California. While hubby and I absorbed the beauty and majesty, the kids explored and climbed and discovered all kinds of things. They had fun together and fighting was at a minimum. The boys even tolerated dealing with their little sister!
I too have very fond memories of our last family holiday with both kids. It was to Disneyland. Sarah loved dolphins so we went to Sea World, Tihujna for the day and then drove up to San Fransico. After that Sarah did her own holiday thing. It was difficult managing holidays with a 9 year age difference between my two, but that holiday had something for everyone 😘😘
I recognise some of these changes, I only have one left at school now and that is coming to an end. The holidays are calmer and less different to term times than when they were all at school, but there still a sense of a holiday vibe, as I don't feel I have to get up quite as early as the teenager is still in bed. Mealtimes are more relaxed too.
Good theme. I remember the juggle of seeing schoolmates as well as neighbourhood mates during hols. At least I got to see my closest schoolmates (you, Silé, Caroline.B)
As for the M25 when it's really, really busy, I remember hearing a DJ on my car radio wishing everyone safe journeys. He added "And if you're on the M25 - HALLO CAMPERS!!" hahaha. Luckily I was driving in rural N. Essex at the time.
We never did anything wrong did we 😉🤣😘
Have a lovely break Jo! 😘😘
When I was a kid, holidays were pretty low-key. My mom worked, so I was either at the babysitters house or hanging out with neighborhood friends. My babysitter lived 2 blocks from my house, so we were still all close together. Every year, though, my mom used her 1 week vacation time to visit her sister who lived 150 miles north of us. It was always in August and it was always hot. I dreaded it.
Ironically, we now live in the same town my aunt lived in back then. It is still hot and I still dread it.
When my kids were on school breaks, there was pressure to tutor them and try to get them more caught up with the rest of the class. None of my kids were very academic and it was a struggle. We did a lot of fun things, though, play dates at the parks, hitting the parks with water equipment on the warm days. Summers were full of camps: soccer, zoo, basketball, I don't know what else. We didn't have money for travel and rarely took going-somewhere vacations.
I noticed when my kids were young, that a lot of the other families did a good bit of traveling. Disneyland, of course, but other places, too. Visiting family or going to national parks. It seems that there was/is a lot more pressure for middle class families to spend a good chunk of change going places and doing things. My kids always wondered why we couldn't do the same. We just didn't have the money and my then-lawyer husband found it difficult to take time off. Pressure to perform was huge in his big city firm.
I don't regret not doing the Disneyland-every-year life. We made a lot of our own fun. There is a park with a pool across the street from our house and we spent a lot of time there. We would splurge on a family pass to the pool and definitely got our money's worth.
I think my favorite summer vacation was the last we took as a family. The boys, now 25, were young teens. We spent almost a week in the redwoods in Northern California. While hubby and I absorbed the beauty and majesty, the kids explored and climbed and discovered all kinds of things. They had fun together and fighting was at a minimum. The boys even tolerated dealing with their little sister!
I too have very fond memories of our last family holiday with both kids. It was to Disneyland. Sarah loved dolphins so we went to Sea World, Tihujna for the day and then drove up to San Fransico. After that Sarah did her own holiday thing. It was difficult managing holidays with a 9 year age difference between my two, but that holiday had something for everyone 😘😘
Enjoy your break!
Enjoy your break, Jo! I found my break from Substack to be rejuvenating and hope you do too! Xxx
I recognise some of these changes, I only have one left at school now and that is coming to an end. The holidays are calmer and less different to term times than when they were all at school, but there still a sense of a holiday vibe, as I don't feel I have to get up quite as early as the teenager is still in bed. Mealtimes are more relaxed too.
It is a good feeling when your time becomes more of your own. I remember it so well, there is a of freedom. 😘😘
Hahahaha....No, not a thing ;-) Angelic.....hahahahahahaha
A lovely post, Jo. Hope you're enjoying your break. xxx
A very uplifting text with a joyful image. Keep up the good work!