School Holiday Fun

I write for an online magazine Connect2mums and here is my latest article, a little different to my usual.

Aren’t school holidays fun. Firstly you have to think of something to entertain the kid’s everyday, which usually sends you broke. Then put up with standing in extra long queue’s to get into any child friendly activity or place. Most parents are counting down the days till school goes back. Ok, I’m not a parent yet so what does this all have to do with me? I’m a fulltime Nanny, my job is looking after 3 children, 5 days a week. Yes I may get paid to do this but I also put up with all the same things parents do. And, I find school holidays hectic, chaotic and very exhausting.

So far in my first week of holidays I have experienced a few occasions which warrant writing about. Ill start with the times I wished it was time to go back to school. We decided to take a trip on the train with my sister and her kids to a Disney on Ice show, oh what fun. Miss four year old was very excited as I think she had only experienced the train a few times. We were enjoying the scenery when my nephew sneezed. What is so bad about that you ask? Well Miss four year old has a very weak stomach, and on seeing a tiny bit of snot coming out of his nose started heaving. Having dealt with this before I was ready, by the time she started vomiting I was in front of her catching it in my hands, to the amusement and disgust of all the other passengers. Well what did they want me to do, let her vomit all over the floor and seat? I calmly put the vomit in a plastic bag, cleaned her up with wipes and we were on our way. At least the show we went to see was tolerable!

Sometimes while I’m working hard, on my way to fun indoor playlands full of sugar fuelled screaming kids, I fit in a bit of shopping. Miss 4 year old does encourage me, she is always picking things out for me to try on and I can’t say no. On this particular day the sales were on (how cunning to time with school holidays). I had a few pairs of jeans to try on so we crowded into a change room with pram and all (nearly 2 year old with us too). As I’ve stripped down to my under wear Miss 4 year old says in her loudest voice, “Mel, your legs are so fat and wobbly”. I thanked her for pointing that out and asked her to keep her voice down, but inside I was cringing. But she wasn’t finished, “when you move they wobble”, followed by fits of giggles, and of course the younger one joins in, finding laughing catching. At this point I was over the jeans and whilst dressing, tried to explain how it’s not nice to say things to someone that may hurt their feelings, but knowing she was just being honest as children are. I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked why my boobies are big or why there is a red mark on my face (that damn pimple, only a child could point it out). Oh well, at least something positive came of it. I jumped back on the treadmill!

One of my favourite times this week was when Miss 4 year old decided to throw a tantrum. And I’m not talking about your garden variety tantrum. No it was the tantrum that would win an Oscar, an award winning performance, and I can’t even remember what started it. Usually not much when you’re 4. Anyway at first it was crying and saying no, then she was screaming like a banshee. I was expecting her head to start spinning and vomit to start flying out of her mouth. In the end she was hysterical and got sent to her room to calm down. She fell asleep, obviously tantrum throwing is exhausting stuff, and woke up like nothing had even happened. It’s not the first and certainly won’t be the last. Especially since now Mr 2 year old has hit the prime tantrum throwing age as well.

I’m sure there are more stories to come, one week down, one to go. Don’t get me wrong, there are also lots of enjoyable occasions, but of course the memorable ones are remembered for a reason.

Posted in Family and Relationships, Life on July 18th, 2010 by Blog Admin | | 0 Comments