School Holidays are you ready!

[JsMum]

Just wanted to know if any parents are ready for the summer holidays, and am I right some have already broken up,

Js is in a couple of weeks, were setting up respite and sessional work and we have a specialist holiday with activities in August for a week where he will have daily activities all day with support and I will get some time to myself, cant wait.

 

We plan to do ice skating, swimming, day trips to the seaside, countryside, and maybe fit in a camping trip this time, we where suppose to go camping in the spring bank holiday but Js behaviour deteriated and it wasnt possible, so we may plan it for the summer time.

 

The weather lately has been splendid, I pray we continue with a few similair days in the summer hols.

 

Were going to have a daily routine, all visual and plan to incorperate no daught baking and cooking.

 

As much as I am to be excited, it does also fill me with some worry as its very time consuming and supervising and assiting J all day it zaps your energy.

 

ANyway what you up to in the holidays, are you looking forward to it and do you worry about coping the long 7 weeks!

 

JsMumx

 

Edited June 30, 2010 by JsMum

[justine1]

Hi

My lot break up on 21 July,still a few weeks left. On the 23rd July I am going for my Uni induction day,so its the first time I will be leaving baby Eli for the whole day at least it gives him and the childminder time to get to know one another.

 

Then from the 9-19th August we are going to Bedford,not too much fun,but we have to stay there for Josh's childrens University,to travel each day is a three hour commute that will cost £200,I cant do that with four kids.So decided to use our "Butlins" money for this as its important for Josh.The other three boys and myself are going to the museum's,parks,bowling,cinema and there are two swimming pools,one has huge slides/flumes and waves every 30min.

 

We havent been on holiday since April 2008 when we went to Isle of Wight,which was good,but cold.

Next year we have planned to go to disney with my brother and his family.

 

The rest of the time we will be at home.I plan on getting a tent and camping in the yard.My brother has brought a bigger house and is likely to be moving mid-end August so will help him plus his 2nd baby is coming so will be going up and down to help them,moving home with a 3yr old plus newborn They will need all the help!!!! Almost forgot...its Sams birthday 17 August,so we will have a little party with some kids from the estate when we get back from Bedford.

 

Then I need to get everyone,including myself,ready for back to school new clothes/uniforms etc.My eldest sons school uniform is going to cost nearly £200

Edited June 30, 2010 by justine1

[JsMum]

 

 

Crickey Justine1 seven weeks isnt going to be enough is it, you need more like 3 months summer hols lol.

 

Why is your sons uniform going to cost £200?

 

They did away with the school clothing grant here, Js uniform use to be BROWN trousers so a fortune.

 

Now he is at specialist school he doesnt wear a uniform, only the school polo shirt and the school pay for it!

 

I do however have to keep buying tracky bottoms as he keeps growing, he has long legs but a skinny wasite which doesnt help buying clothes, he is finally in small mens clothes now, he bought a gorgous stripy tshirt only at the counter I nearly died £18! I was like noooo this mens clothing busness is going to bankcrupt me.

 

So buying ordinary clothes is just as expensive.

 

Well you sound like your going to be very very very busy, and then volunterring to look after your brother too, you really must have Hyper Hyperactivty disorder.

 

Enjoy the camping in the garden, I went to a tent wharehouse a while back, there was one monster of contraption costing £300 but it had every room needed, space for an indoor football match and then more, it was massive.

 

Ours is a 4 man tent, that you have to bend down in, so one day were defo upgrading.

 

 

Anyway thanks for sharing the hols, it sounds like you know what your doing in the hols thats for sure.

 

JsMumx

 

[lollypopz]

Just wanted to know if any parents are ready for the summer holidays, and am I right some have already broken up,

Js is in a couple of weeks, were setting up respite and sessional work and we have a specialist holiday with activities in August for a week where he will have daily activities all day with support and I will get some time to myself, cant wait.

 

We plan to do ice skating, swimming, day trips to the seaside, countryside, and maybe fit in a camping trip this time, we where suppose to go camping in the spring bank holiday but Js behaviour deteriated and it wasnt possible, so we may plan it for the summer time.

 

The weather lately has been splendid, I pray we continue with a few similair days in the summer hols.

 

Were going to have a daily routine, all visual and plan to incorperate no daught baking and cooking.

 

As much as I am to be excited, it does also fill me with some worry as its very time consuming and supervising and assiting J all day it zaps your energy.

 

ANyway what you up to in the holidays, are you looking forward to it and do you worry about coping the long 7 weeks!

 

JsMumx

Hi guys!

Im kinda ready..but then im kinda not lol,we are going to spain for a week so that should be fun,at least the boys have got a huge water park to play in..well il be going on the slide too

then I guess its off to a themepark /bowling/maybe cinema

and the odd Bbq..depending on our famous british weather!

the 7 weeks is gonna be fun yet very draining at the same time!

[julie1]

our children break up 10th July and dont go back until 8th september so they are very long. We are going to summerset camping, the children all enjoy a nice quite campsite and a lot of children will be at school so fingers crossed it should be quite.

Then the children are doing DO IT 4 REAL they love it its a summer camp with all the extra support that they need and its very cheap.

I have 2 birthdays in August so have a lot to organize there.

I expect to be at the pool at least 3 times a week due to my sons obsesions about swimming. I will also try to keep up the reading with my little one and revision for my oldest. I was told to day to expect u grades in his GCSEs so not sure if revision is worth while. He should pass science though at least a B grade i was told, so there is a silver lineing, fingers crossed.

I love school holidays being with the children all day with no outside pressure if i dont want it. But im always very tired at the end of it keeping 4 children all with SEN very tireing, and expensive. Need some very cheap things to do this year so any ideas i live on the Norfolk, Suffolk boarder.

 

[KezT]

I'm really looking forward to this summer - cos for the first time ever I am going to be off work for the whole six weeks (still on maternity leave) so there won't be the usual stress and tears when it all goes wrong!!!

 

We've got LOADS planned - 10 days in camping Ireland, with a stop off in NI to see my sister and baby neice; 2 days camping in Brighton to see other sister and other baby niece::; a week in London to see my mother, brother, other sister and bigger neice, and, I suppose my father, along with Westminster Abbey, the London Eye & big Ben & maybe the Tower and a couple of day trips out to farm/zoo places, Bigger neice is also coming down to us for a week, so trips to the beach, Longleat and Wookey Hole are likely.

 

Plus I'll have to fit in two birthday parties, shopping for next years school stuff and teaching DD1 to ride her bike without stabilisers and a couple of re-enactments.......

 

I may have gone slightly OTT in my excitiment of having the time of:lol:

 

but on the plus side - no shouting at DS to get up, dressed and out the house on time each morning we can do everything at our own pace, which will be nice.

[JsMum]

our children break up 10th July and dont go back until 8th september so they are very long. We are going to summerset camping, the children all enjoy a nice quite campsite and a lot of children will be at school so fingers crossed it should be quite.

Then the children are doing DO IT 4 REAL they love it its a summer camp with all the extra support that they need and its very cheap.

I have 2 birthdays in August so have a lot to organize there.

I expect to be at the pool at least 3 times a week due to my sons obsesions about swimming. I will also try to keep up the reading with my little one and revision for my oldest. I was told to day to expect u grades in his GCSEs so not sure if revision is worth while. He should pass science though at least a B grade i was told, so there is a silver lineing, fingers crossed.

I love school holidays being with the children all day with no outside pressure if i dont want it. But im always very tired at the end of it keeping 4 children all with SEN very tireing, and expensive. Need some very cheap things to do this year so any ideas i live on the Norfolk, Suffolk boarder.

 

 

That is a looooooonnnnng holiday, wow, maybe justine1 needs to move near yu, to have the same time scale.;lol.

 

 

I have used youth hostels with J for the last 10 yrs and he certainly enjoys them, especially Black sail in Lake district, I know its mad but I can him up mountains, but I struggle to get him to the supermarket!

 

So I do know about do it for real, they certainly do a good package and cheap, maybe when J is a bit older I will look into the DIFR but there is a dedicated website if families are interested now.

 

http://www.doit4real.co.uk/

 

I know you need to book very early though dont you.

 

Understand the swimming activities, Js the same, the holiday we go to in August they have an outdoor pool and they swim every day three times a day if they want to.

 

Wow four children with SEN, believe me I struggle with one, how do you do it with four!

 

I bet you could sleep on a washing line at the end of the day.

 

I agree too that the summer hols are expensive too, but I do get in many places free as Js carer, hopefully you will know about the carer reductions.

 

As for cheap activities usually its musiems, Adventure playgrounds, landscaped gardens, that actually J loves to walk around, I would contact your local childrens centre and see if there any free/low cost trips for families with special needs also, and if there is any funding for activities, in some areas here there is funding for a child with SEN to go on daily activities, sadly it isnt in my area, but at least the more deprived areas are getting that oportunity.

 

So ensure there isnt any funding you could access, usually lablelled under aiming high for disabled children.

 

My son has got funding for the activitiy holiday where going on in August.

 

I maybe gettting some funding for travel expences too waiting tomorrow for that reply.

 

Anyway hope that gives you some helpful advise for now.

 

JsMumx

 

 

 

[JsMum]

I'm really looking forward to this summer - cos for the first time ever I am going to be off work for the whole six weeks (still on maternity leave) so there won't be the usual stress and tears when it all goes wrong!!!

 

We've got LOADS planned - 10 days in camping Ireland, with a stop off in NI to see my sister and baby neice; 2 days camping in Brighton to see other sister and other baby niece::; a week in London to see my mother, brother, other sister and bigger neice, and, I suppose my father, along with Westminster Abbey, the London Eye & big Ben & maybe the Tower and a couple of day trips out to farm/zoo places, Bigger neice is also coming down to us for a week, so trips to the beach, Longleat and Wookey Hole are likely.

 

Plus I'll have to fit in two birthday parties, shopping for next years school stuff and teaching DD1 to ride her bike without stabilisers and a couple of re-enactments.......

 

I may have gone slightly OTT in my excitiment of having the time of:lol:

 

but on the plus side - no shouting at DS to get up, dressed and out the house on time each morning we can do everything at our own pace, which will be nice.

 

Lol. you made me laugh about the six weeks off work, I know some of parent friends work because its a break from looking after thier kids!

 

10 days camping, wow, that does sound like a challenge I must admit, hopefully though all that fresh air and lots to do they will slump into thier sleeping bags and blow up bed, that by morning will be flat!

 

J doesnt really like London, too sensory but he did take some amazing photos that made me realise he was interested in other things, but you never know we might squeeze in a day trip to London, there is a very fast train that goes straight to london and back, so we could do it in a day.

 

I know I would love to visit longleat, that would my dream day trip, so might be going there.

 

I forgot about the farms and Zoo so we might copy you there too.

 

There isnt any Zoo near us though so that means a couple of days away.

 

The learning to ride a bike without stablizers sounds really exciting, you will have to have your camera ready! oh and a first aid kit just incase of a couple of scraped knees, I know J certainly fell off a few times but he got the hang of it in the end, he has grown up with bikes from day one as he use to be in a trailer, then on a bar seat, then on a tag along then we bought a tandem, he is toooo heavy to pull now, actually this year he can take me on a tandem bike ride.

 

You certainly are packing it all in, and you might just wish for at least a day back at work, lol.

 

I totally agree with the taking things at your own pace, but last year we learnt J still needs a routine and scedule so we ensure he is up earlyish, no later than 9am breakfast, activity, dinner, activity, tea, activity, then supper, pjays and bed we have agreed no later than 10pm otherwise he cant function the next day.

 

Were going to have a few chill out days too, so just pottering around the house/garden and to chill out.

 

Hope you have a good chill out summer.

 

JsMumx

 

 

 

 

 

[justine1]

Lol. you made me laugh about the six weeks off work, I know some of parent friends work because its a break from looking after thier kids!

 

10 days camping, wow, that does sound like a challenge I must admit, hopefully though all that fresh air and lots to do they will slump into thier sleeping bags and blow up bed, that by morning will be flat!

 

J doesnt really like London, too sensory but he did take some amazing photos that made me realise he was interested in other things, but you never know we might squeeze in a day trip to London, there is a very fast train that goes straight to london and back, so we could do it in a day.

 

I know I would love to visit longleat, that would my dream day trip, so might be going there.

 

I forgot about the farms and Zoo so we might copy you there too.

 

There isnt any Zoo near us though so that means a couple of days away.

 

The learning to ride a bike without stablizers sounds really exciting, you will have to have your camera ready! oh and a first aid kit just incase of a couple of scraped knees, I know J certainly fell off a few times but he got the hang of it in the end, he has grown up with bikes from day one as he use to be in a trailer, then on a bar seat, then on a tag along then we bought a tandem, he is toooo heavy to pull now, actually this year he can take me on a tandem bike ride.

 

You certainly are packing it all in, and you might just wish for at least a day back at work, lol.

 

I totally agree with the taking things at your own pace, but last year we learnt J still needs a routine and scedule so we ensure he is up earlyish, no later than 9am breakfast, activity, dinner, activity, tea, activity, then supper, pjays and bed we have agreed no later than 10pm otherwise he cant function the next day.

 

Were going to have a few chill out days too, so just pottering around the house/garden and to chill out.

 

Hope you have a good chill out summer.

 

JsMumx

Everyone sounds like they are very busy!!!! Jsmum,Sam is the same I have to keep a normal routine.Well during term time its a 6.50am wake up call for them(6.30 for me) so on the weekends and summer we make it slighly later at 8am and take our time to get ready,so long as its before 10/10.30.

 

Usually a few days before they go back we do a practise run,getting to bed early and waking up the time we would when going to school.This year its a must as I usually catch up on sleep(40min or so nap) after I have dropped them at school however with Uni I wont be able to do this So its early to bed for me.And we will be getting up almost an hour earlier as I have to take them to the childminder 7.30am.

 

The uniform is expensive cause its brought from a particular school shop rather than a supermarket/high street.He needs shin pads,gum guard,football boots,rugby shirt,PE kit etc.Plus his trousers have to be taloired trousers which the chepeast cost £11 each and he will need at least three.I realised his one pair of trousers cost the same as 4pairs of Dans Its not a private school but it is quite "exclusive" they only pick children that will do well as they have a good reputation(only 3 out of 35 from his school are going there) and have sports after school everyday so huge emphasise on doing sport.Saying that I think some parents decided there is too much pressure there and decided to go for an "in between" school,there are three,the one my son is going to which is very academic,the "in between"one which majority are going to has average grades and then a not so good school which the kids that are going either have a sibling there or go cause its closer(in the same road as where they are now.) Sorry I have so rambled

Edited June 30, 2010 by justine1

[KezT]

he still gets up at 7.00 on the dot, but he can take himself downstairs and play on the computer - I can languish in bed until at least 7.30, or sometimes even 8! it's the getting breakfasted & dressed and cleaned etc by a set time that is such effort in term time. holidays don't have that:)

[KezT]

our children break up 10th July and dont go back until 8th september so they are very long. We are going to summerset camping, the children all enjoy a nice quite campsite and a lot of children will be at school so fingers crossed it should be quite.

Then the children are doing DO IT 4 REAL they love it its a summer camp with all the extra support that they need and its very cheap.

I have 2 birthdays in August so have a lot to organize there.

I expect to be at the pool at least 3 times a week due to my sons obsesions about swimming. I will also try to keep up the reading with my little one and revision for my oldest. I was told to day to expect u grades in his GCSEs so not sure if revision is worth while. He should pass science though at least a B grade i was told, so there is a silver lineing, fingers crossed.

I love school holidays being with the children all day with no outside pressure if i dont want it. But im always very tired at the end of it keeping 4 children all with SEN very tireing, and expensive. Need some very cheap things to do this year so any ideas i live on the Norfolk, Suffolk boarder.

 

never seen Do it 4 real before - are they good with SEN kids? DS will be 10 next year and ~I would LOVE him to do sometrhing like that, but the school residential trip didn't work out too well:( and that was with teachers he knew and staff who were apparently trained & experienced in ASD kids.......

[Sammysnake]

Oh man, Beth and I LOVE the holidays, it's our idea of heaven (no really)! I work in school so I get the same time off and it means we can just exist in our own little world spending loads of time together which means Beth is very happy and relaxed. All the things we're doing and places we're going we've done in previous years so no surprises. One week of Holiday Club is with the same people who know Beth from Girl's Brigade so they understand what to do with her if she gets upset, there are loads of craft type activities she's booked for in the village and they need helpers so I'll be there to smooth things over if necessary. Camping at Haven we've done every year since she was 5 and each year she's coped with it better, had more stamina and has felt able to join in more. She's even started playing on the green outside our house with a small group of children again this year so hopefully that will continue during the summer. Beth's nearly 10 now is has got loads better and recognising when she's had enough and giving herself a little time out before it all gets too much. Holidays give her more scope to do that than school does where she's had a lot of wobbly days this week . She's definitely ready for a break from all that pressure .

[baranigirl]

bring it on!

 

DD1 is already off until mid sept as she has officially left school

 

DD2 finishes July 23rd and returns Sept 1st to a new school, already got all her uniform exceot bag and shoes and trackies

 

DD3 is in day nursery 3 days a week so will leave August 20th just before we go on holiday, she starts primary September 6th and I also have all her uniform except shoes and plimsolls, I even made her PE bag

 

DS is also in day nursery once a week and is extending to twice a week at the end of July

 

I am running playscheme for 4 weeks, meaning nursery and DD1 are dealing with the younger 2, DD2 is booked into a footie camp for one week and I will probably book her into playscheme for the other 2 weeks to help keep some calm at home whilst I am working!

 

We go on holiday for a week at the end of the holidays in our caravan but aside from that it will be the usual bits n bobs and hopefully catching up with friends and family we can't see term time

[julie1]

never seen Do it 4 real before - are they good with SEN kids? DS will be 10 next year and ~I would LOVE him to do sometrhing like that, but the school residential trip didn't work out too well:( and that was with teachers he knew and staff who were apparently trained & experienced in ASD kids.......

The staff at DO IT 4 REAL are really good they listen to your childs needs and take note if your child needs a 1-1 that is then sorted so no one misses out. I to worry and i stay in Hastings while the children are in camp, last year i only had 2 phone calls to help them to understand a difficult moment. But with me staying where they camp it means my children get the oppertunity to take part in mainstream activities. Everyone is so kind the children loved it, but they are not prepared to try a new camp this year as they loved Hastings so much last year, and dont like change.

Fingers crossed i will find other things to do, we just got a letter from school and they are offering a summer camp as well just not sure on the costings.

I hope everyone has a good summer holidays where ever you live.