Winter vacation- staying home

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 7:50 pm

Seems like I'm one of the only ones in my town not going away. About 80 percent go to Florida and ten percent go elsewhere.

The only thing I'm grappling with is how to keep my sanity with an entire week home with the kids. A week of constant fighting, messes, boredom, eating. Even despite planning trips (which all have to be free because I am on a tight budget) there are so many empty hours and I'm going to lose it. Literally.

Someone help me please.

amother

PlumPink

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:03 pm

For my family, it's early trips before anyone can get cranky even if its just the park and library. And meticulously planned meals. Have a meal plan and do it in advance and freeze, so food is served on time before kids get hangry. Make sure u have ingredients for baking, and art supplies for projects. Put your cheeriest voice on, and overplan activities so that the day doesn't stretch out so endlessly. Do laundry and other chores at night. Pump up the fun things you'll do so kids can look forward to it. Make regular things fun by playing board games in pajamas at night on top of all their blankets, planning a menu for shabbos that's different and special, having an ice cream dessert bar on motzai shabbos...

Ema of 5

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

I can’t help you, but I just wanted to let you know we are home too. Me, four kids from 16-7, and a baby.

gootlfriends

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:15 pm

We don't ever go away. Arts and crafts, some videos and an outing a day. One child has 10 days off and we will be doing lots of arts and crafts. And baking. Maybe a few playdates with classmates. But this particular child does better being in her normal environment than going away.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:27 pm

amother PlumPink wrote:

I can't do early trips because I have one who doesn't get up until 10.

I don't have the headspace to plan meals like that. And when I prepping those meals with 4 kids underfoot?

Who has energy to do chores at night when taking care of 4 fighting kids all day?

Art projects turn into huge messes and fights as does baking. Our family just doesn't work well without structure.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:28 pm

amother Beige wrote:

Can you find the other families that are part of the 10% staying home and try to pair up for some of the days?

None of the ages match up. Kids friends are all going away.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:29 pm

amother Junglegreen wrote:

Wow! Where do you live that they are home for so long?? My kids are only off Friday and Sunday bh!! I think my 2 year old may have an extra day or 2 but he’s easy.

I don't want to say, but one of the large out of town communities. And I am really upset about it.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:30 pm

amother Saddlebrown wrote:

Day trips, projects, movies, baking, scavenger hunt in the mall... the ideas are endless

That's great but what about the in between time. What about the toddler who messed everything up. The fights in the car, the need to pack food everywhere we go. The chaos is endless...

amother

Ruby

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

So can you create a structure? Plan out each day?

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:31 pm

amother Ruby wrote:

So can you create a structure? Plan out each day?

Technically yes. But firstly that's a huge thing that I don't have headspace for. But even if I did. It's the fighting and the wanting snacks and the messes that derail any plans almost immediately.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:33 pm

amother Ruby wrote:

So can you create a structure? Plan out each day?

And also, I'm angry that the pressure to have to do this falls on me. A week is a long time. At the end of day 1, my patience and energy is shot even with the best planned day.

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

That's great but what about the in between time. What about the toddler who messed everything up. The fights in the car, the need to pack food everywhere we go. The chaos is endless...

That's life with kids even for those who go away. I think you need to have more realistic expectations.

amother

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:51 pm

amother Saddlebrown wrote:

That's life with kids even for those who go away. I think you need to have more realistic expectations.

Ya. I'm just angry that it's a whole week off and I have zero money to do anything with my kids. Honestly that's what it boils down to.

At least if we went away it's new and exciting and the car or plane trip is something different (even though tons of fighting then too). But to be stuck in the same 4 walls in the freezing weather with nowhere to go and nothing to do just makes me really annoyed. I don't understand why they need an entire week off.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Jan 14 2024, 8:57 pm

amother Saddlebrown wrote:

That's life with kids even for those who go away. I think you need to have more realistic expectations.

I agree I find going away to be even more stressful, the packing, flying, diff environment a nightmare. Any activity is going to be tiring. We r staying home for midwinter vaca as well. Maybe go to a museum or indoor fun place. Anything to break up the day