A Child Free Summer Holiday
The house is empty. No longer do the elephantine crashes of little feet pound up and down my stairs. No more does my fridge empty at a hair-raisingly alarming rate. Gone are the constant messes, puddles of urine beneath the toilet and sticky finger prints over every glass surface in the house.
The children have gone to Finland for the summer.
And I don’t really know what to do with myself. Six weeks to myself and not a clue on how to spend it. Do I garden and DIY? Sleep? Travel? What does one do with ones time without the constant need to pick up after, cook for and entertain small people? The only things that keep springing to mind are all child related. Days out with kids and child friendly activities. Even supermarket shopping I have to keep reminding myself that I don’t need Moshi Monster yoghurts and lunch-box sized snacks.
Being a lover of lists (I do love a good list, me), I’ve decided to write myself a bucket list of things to do over the next six weeks so I don’t simply fritter my time away doing nothing.
Summer Holidays Bucket List
- Sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.
- Eat, drink and be merry.
- Go camping.
- Spend a day at Alton Towers
- Go to a comedy night
- Eat at a proper restaurant. In the evening.
- umm… that’s about it.
Clearly I need some help. What did I used to do with my time before children? What would you do with six weeks of no children?
I'm Heather, an ex expat, now back in blighty and living in Lancashire. Which is just like Lapland... only less snowy and stuff.
Oh you poor thing – I’ve only ever had to give mine up for three weeks at a time, and that was a long time for me.
I have to have a project of some sort that I am unable to do easily whilst they are at home. Either something big in the garden, some painting and decorating or try to learn something new.
Hope you fill your bucket list with nice things
Frankly, I’d be happy to settle for “sleep”.
Sleep, drink. Sleep some more. Finish your novel. Have lots of noisy sex in the middle of the living room.
Six weeks? That’s a loooong time… I have no idea what I’d do, the longest the girls have been away from me is 2 weeks and that seemed like an eternity, but we’d just adopted our dog the week before so that kept me busy while they were away.
Good luck, hope you enjoy it x
A trip to Anne Summers or similar with a very large bag, copies of Fifty Shades of Grey x all 3 books. Book a shopping advisor in department store and get a whole wardrobe for the next season lined up – open an account to budget for it. Invite lots of friends round for a good knees up….
I would seriously struggle with this, with one exception, my kids have not even stayed overnight with my ex – by consensus. I would have to get out of the house. Actually I think I would visit all my friends in Ireland. By bike. That just might take me 6 weeks. And I’d get slim and fit at the same time. Best of luck Heather, it sounds tough to me xx
I’ve only had one weekend child free this weekend and I’ve struggled to know what to do with myself. I’ve read, blogged a bit and then resorted to the old favourite of baking – not so good for the figure. Hope you find something to occupy yourself and you don’t miss them too much. What’s that thing about going to a restaurant in the evening – are they open evenings?!
Wow, 6 weeks is a long time to be away from mummy. It can’t be easy for you. I’d declutter my house undisturbed (but you’ve not been there long so you’re probably still Ok). I’d find a film festival and see four films in one day. Go to a spa and have a day of relaxation, massage and any other treatments you fancy. visit, go away with or invite to stay, your single friends and have a grwon up summer camp. Read a lot. Relax. Go shopping.
Blimey 6 weeks is a long time. I have just sent mine to the in-laws for a week but most of the time I will be working as reason they go is to allow us to work without sending them to endless holiday clubs. I feel a bit lost tonight too. I would shop ( I hate shopping with my kids), tidy and sort the house, sleep and go out for a meal/ to the pub just beacuse I could! Have fun! x
You jammy cow!! I guess I would do tons of manicures, pedicures, massages, plus mini breaks to Amsterdam, Rome and Napoli with a handsome Sean Connery lookalike without a licence to kill. Have fun!!
You haven’t posted for a while Heather, do come back, we miss you.