Why I did the unthinkable … cancelled our family holiday

September 19, 2016

So the school holidays are upon us – “thank God” I hear you say as you struggle to make it through the final week of term. We’re all tired from the assignments, homework, excursions, moaning mothers, and not to mention Winter illnesses – playing nursemaid every couple of weeks to sick children is never fun.

“Too right it’s time for the holidays!” you scream from the rooftop. But are you ready for it? Is it really going to be a ‘holiday’ in the true sense of the word?

A Spring escape

If you’re like me, you’ve booked a Spring escape way in advance, knowing that by the end of term three you’ll be ready to laze by the beach with your hairy legs and trashy novel. Let’s face it, who can be bothered shaving their legs after all that term three rigmarole?

Just get me there. But no… wait… your job isn’t done yet, because:

  • There’s the kids clothes to wash – both Winter and Summer because Lord knows what the weather will be like this time of year;
  • Then you’ll have to stuff them all into tiny-childlike novelty suitcases while your husband looks on confused (after all Junior loves his Wiggles’ suitcase and he isn’t going anywhere without it). Meanwhile hubby’s frustration erupts and he suggests Junior uses a big-boy suitcase. This leaves you having to quit packing and tend to Junior’s tears and damaged psyche (a mother’s work is never done). I’m sorry where were we?

Oh yes the packing…

  • Then there are the books and games;
  • Snacks and sunscreen;
  • Beach towels and beach toys;
  • Boogie boards and beach balls;
  • Umbrellas and chairs and spades and buckets; and,
  • An oversized torch (because there’s always a boogie man in a foreign place).

Tired yet? I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.  So exhausted in fact, that I don’t want a holiday anymore.

Forget the holiday

Getting my kids through term is stressful enough and I don’t need the extra stress of managing a holiday as well.

So I did the unthinkable – I cancelled our long-awaited Spring beach break.

“I quit, I give up, I cancel, I’m done”, I muttered under my breath as I hit send on the cancellation email.
And then I fell on the floor in a heap and just lay there a while. Ah, that’s better. Now I can relax.

Now there is nothing: no plans, no stress, no packing, no washing, no arguing with hubby and kids about what to bring, no trying to find a house-sitter at the last-minute, no angst about how we’re ever going to find the money for a peak period holiday. No talk of the boogie man.

There’s nothing but air to breathe. And that’s how I like it. Ah bliss … let the holidays begin!

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