It's a Big Day for Small Reasons

Today is the last day of Term 3 and the kids now have a well earned 2 week break.

Regardless of the difficulty of managing school holidays (the ol' 12 weeks off school vs 4 weeks off work chestnut), there's more to school  holidays than simply getting more time with your kids (I may or may not be smirking as I write that).

Here is a short list of the benefits of school holidays for me and my family:

1. Not stressing about having fresh enough bread to make lunches.
2. Not stressing about having something nut free to go on the just fresh enough bread.
3. Not chopping up fruit and vegetables at 7:30am for lunch boxes, knowing there's a solid chance you'll be throwing them out that evening because "I forgot to eat it".
4. No homework to follow up on.
5. Not having to locate, read, sign and return notes (knowing that the process can fall down at any one of these steps).
6. Not having to remember which uniform they need to wear. And then realising the one you need is wet. Or simply missing.
7. Not having to locate and pack books, coins, drink bottles, hats, jumpers and "special projects".
8. No "special projects".

And these are just some of the choice phrases I won't be throwing around as often over the next two weeks:

• Get dressed.
• Eat your breakfast. Now. 
• Why aren't you dressed?
• Tuck your shirt in.
• Put your tie on.
• Where's your lunch box? 
• Where's your hat?
• Brush your teeth (I'll still say that (maybe) but with a little less urgency).
• Pack your bag.
• Why aren't you dressed?
• Move your bag.
• GET DRESSED.
• Do you have your hat?
• MOVE your bag.
• Put your pyjamas away.
• When was the last time you saw your hat?
• It's the rule, deal with it.
• If you'd put your shoes away in your shoe box, you would be able to find them now.
• No you can't have a lunch order. Because I actually have fresh bread!

I'm exhausted.

When the kids return for Term 4, they do so in summer uniform. This is considerably easier to manage. No ties, for starters. Damn those things. (Mr 8's is the ready knotted version on elastic. Of course, Mr 8 decided to undo that knot and believe me, trying to re-tie them is like trying to refold a 3m x 3m map in a wind storm. It ain't happening.) 

So I'm rejoicing in the holidays for now, but experience tells me that I'm not sure the joy will last for the full two weeks. I dare say in a few days time I'll be pointing out all the benefits of kids going back to school. You know what I'm talking about.

What do you love about school holidays?