Look, that headline up there? That’s totally misleading. I don’t have a survival kit. I don’t have any tips. While I am a complete control-freak planner in almost every area of my life, when it comes to school holidays, I’m curled up in a foetal position in the corner, rocking and sobbing. Why can’t I just get organised like every other parent out there?
I think that part of the problem is I have too many choices. There are so many cool things to do during school holidays. All the museums have special kids’ events. The local fancy supermarket has kids’ cooking classes. There are special swimming lessons and tutoring sessions. The library does an awesome themed programme. There’s an amazing variety of activities on offer. Not to mention all of the holiday programmes with their kid-friendly rosters of adventures and fun.
My 10-year-old loves school holidays. For weeks before the actual holidays she brings home screeds of flyers and handouts about the various things to do. Then at work I find out even more cool stuff that’s going on. I listen to my workmates talking about what they’ve got planned for the school hols and I think, “Crap, I better get my act together!” and then the actual holidays roll around and I’ve waited too long to make decisions, all the good stuff is full up, cue me rocking in the corner.
The good news is, there are only a few days left of school holidays. My kids and I have survived again without a plan. But the stress of winging it has left me frazzled and determined that next time, I will get organised. I will book that cool-sounding holiday programme. I will take the kids to that fun event. I will check out that activity. I will develop that survival kit!
How have you survived the school hols? Drop me a line at editor@totstoteens.co.nz and let me know what your tips are – they might come in handy in a few months!
What I’m reading: I’m not, actually – I’m colouring The Cath Kidston Colouring Book (Quadrille $19.99). I love Cath Kidston, so much so that I dragged my mother-in-law to the Cath Kidston store in Shibuya, Tokyo, several years ago – it was totally out of the way and totally worth it. This colouring book lets me choose the colour combinations I want for a whole range of prints – but let’s face it, really what I want to do is recreate the same colour schemes the brand made famous. I’ve never been into the whole adult colouring movement until I saw this colouring book, and now I’m hooked.
By Katherine Granich
