Come Rain or Come Shine It's Holiday Time for Bideford School Children

This time of year most parents can feel the tension building.  The children are almost as excited as if it were Christmas.  The school holidays are nearly here!

I have always welcomed the school holidays.  The idea of six weeks of lie-ins and no bed time curfew.  No need for routines or clean clothes.  But that's just because I'm a little laid back (some may say lazy).

This year may be a tad different though.  It is the first year, since becoming a mother, that I am working full-time.  This is not such a challenge for me though as it is for most working parents.  My husband and I both work from home.

Being the major breadwinner though, I am the one who calls the shots when it comes to summertime chores ... sorry, I mean fun.  Well, I suppose it depends on whose perspective you take.

Our son is thirteen now, so he's pretty much sorted for the summer.  He will divide his time between lying in bed with his laptop and hanging out with his mates (who he has MSNd on the laptop to make arrangements for hanging out).

Our ten year old daughter requires a little more attention.  This is where it gets tricky.  When I wasn't a worker and Daddy worked away from home I could always get out of playing in order to cook, clean blah blah (Mummy stuff).  However, Daddy is responsible for play in our household and therefore will be expected to provide a full summer's worth of fun and laughs.

He was in charge of Easter holiday and was but a rookie at the time having just ended a few years of touring as a theatre musician.  Although he fulfilled the Holiday Dad role quite adequately it did prove rather expensive as a trip to the Big Sheep included a trip to the Big Sheep brewery.

More mindful of traditional entertainment now I am hoping that this holiday will not prove too expensive.  While I am tapping away at the computer I am expecting Daddy and daughter to be walking the dog, visiting the beach, playing board games (my daughter's favourite ... yawn!) and learning to play the accordion - nice move Dad!

I don't suppose it matters if the weather is wet or dry.  We will still get our lie ins, wear the same clothes for days on end (except the teenage boy of course), and go to bed whenever we please. 

There are lots of activities going on in Bideford and North Devon for the holidays and we always plan to get involved.  It always turns out though that we are so busy doing nothing that we never do!