My Ideal Day (or "is it bedtime yet!)

grumpy relaxing

So you may have noticed it's the school summer holidays here in the UK. Those of you commuting by car are probably getting to work a lot faster without harassed parents and carers trying to drop their little darlings off as close as possible to the school gates.

Those of you who are now stuck with  enjoying the company of those little darlings are probably torn between loving the time and counting the days (38) until they go back to school. Or "Bak to Skool" as I saw it advertised in one shop trying to shift plimsolls, pencil cases and polo shirts already. Argh!

My children broke up a little bit earlier than some so I have completed one week of hols already. And settled into the routine of late starts, more meals than I ever thought possible ( and inevitably more dishwasher loads) and late bedtimes.

In fact the meals all seem to merge into one long graze-fest and as I filled the dishwasher for the third time today it got me to thinking what my ideal holiday day would look like. (insert wavy, blurry lines and tinkly music here....)

wholesome woodland walk

I would stick with the lie in. Lie in of course in parenting terms meaning any time in bed after 6am. And by that I mean parents with over 5s. If you have a younger child in the summer a lie in is any time in bed  after 4am when the child rises with the lark. Literally.

We would eat breakfast together. something wholesome. Muesli and fresh baked bread with homemade jam. Or we could stick to what we do at the moment which is rummage through the dozens of boxes of pseudo-healthy cereal (with added vitamins) and hope there is some milk left.

We would then do something family- oriented. Baking maybe. Or boating. Or building a fort in the woods. There I go again with my 1950s-esque image of good parenting. Where's my pinny?
What is more likely to happen in my house is me sneakily catching up on Holby City still lounging around in bed while the children entertain and educate themselves with something electronic downstairs. Yes I said educate. Humour a guilty mother. I'm sure their fine motor skills and IT capabilities are enhanced by their gaming plus there's the added benefit that if my village is ever taken over by a Zombie invasion our family, with their experience of killing virtual Zombies, will be safe.

Then lunch. Maybe the quiche and Victoria Sponge we baked earlier during our family time. Excuse me why I snort with laughter. So, Super Noodles and bean toasties it is then.

Afternoon. Shall we visit a museum and learn about Elizabethan farm implements? Or maybe study some renaissance art? Nah, lets take orange squash and biscuits up to the park and while I chat to my friends as we lounge on a nice bench in the shade, the kids can try and break limbs up trees or drown small helpless insects (or siblings) in the grubby, algaed trough serving the adjacent allotments.

Teatime. Right. In my Cath Kidstony vintagey world we should be gathered on some gingham eating game pie and rosy apples and washing it all down with lashings of ginger beer.
But I'm quite tired and stressed now after all the demands for snacks and drinks and deciding whose turn it is on the Wii/trampoline/homemade slide of death into the nettles. So let's bung some sausages under the grill for the kids and order an Indian for us and sink into a bottle of chilled white while the kids finally decide that after ignoring it all day, 10pm is a great time to go into the paddling pool.

Is it bedtime yet?