Originally Posted By irishfan I remember always feeling that English school kids had it tough in terms of holdays. In Ireland Primary school kids get approx 9 weeks, and in secondary we got 12 weeks for summer. The summer seemed to go on forever...happy days.
Originally Posted By bloona I really wish they would alter it to spread the holidays out more personally. Its too hot to go on vacaation in most European places in August. May is perfect weather, but they only get a week then in senior school. By the end of the five weeks, the kids cant wait to get back to school to see their friends more.
Originally Posted By velo a bit off topic, Bloona - but are you all staying dry? My kids can't wait to get back to see all their friends either. I wish they felt that way about school itself, lol. My oldest son has honors courses though, so he has had reading and papers to do during the break.
Originally Posted By bloona we have not a scrap of homework for either of them....odd. It is dry today!! YAY!! Its the first totally dry day here for about 4 weeks. My lawn looks like a field, its too wet to cut though still, Ive managed weeding today, and even hung my washing out to dry!!!! ...I enjoyed doing it even...lol...its such a rarety this summer.Thanks for asking. They had to cancel sports day at school because the field is water logged.
Originally Posted By gardenrooms From a school standpoint, a month in the summer would be much better vacation - less time to regress, less time wasted on review at the beginning of the next year. I know most of our children problably continue to read etc. during the summer so it's less of an issue, but where I am teaching many of my students don't - the majoity will drop a reading level by fall - and in addition, English being their second language, they often lose some of their English as well. I think a month in the summer and a month in the fall would be lovely (keeping those wonderful 2 weeks at Christmas and 1 or 2 weeks in the spring also). bloona, it's never too late to learn to drive - I didn't get my license till I was over 30 (I was being promoted to Manager and knew I would be expected to drive to meet clients - no one asked if I could, they just assumed everyone my age drove, so I made sure I did, though I paid for lessons after a couple of sessions with DH - he was too nervous!).
Originally Posted By bloona My mum learnt to drive in 1991, on her 8th test, she was 59. She uses her car daily now. She started having lessons because my Dad works shifts, so often she was taking a bus when the car was parked on the drive, and my dad was in bed after working nights. I think because I live only about 25 minutes walk from my local shopping/town centre, so most of the time I dont need a car ,Ive never done anything about it. But in the school holidays, I would LOVE to be able to take the boys out when Mr Bloona is at work. He does have 3 days a week off tho. Oh and we couldnt afford to run two cars really. I wonder how parents manage in America with such huge holidays? What about child care arrangements? It must cost you a fortune! Thats one of the reasons I stopped working in the first place, by the time I had paid the child minder, I was bringing home about £10 for the three days work. (oooh yes, I had a wonderfully high paid job....not)
Originally Posted By gardenrooms I used to have to sign my son up for day camps throughout the summer - well in advance before all the good ones were taken. Couldn't use any of the short day camps, had to run 6am to 6pm, so that limited the options. He'd usually do one or two sport camps, an outdoor camp or two (and when he got older overnight scout camp for a week or so), a couple of weeks at YMCA day camp (they always took one or 2 fun field trips a week at least) and whatever family vacation we could manage (I had 2 weeks off a year plus 10 holidays). And camps at Christmas vacation and Easter vacation too. I hated having to do it but we had just bought a new house when we found out he was coming and I couldn't afford to leave my job. The worst was the Christmas vacation the YMCA had the kids hiking through poison oak (it's pointed sticks at that time of year but still potent) so my son spent Christmas with his eyes practically swollen shut - but still with a huge grin. Talk about working mother's guilt! It's wonderful that you are home with your boys. Does Mr Bloona use the car for his work or could you take him (or he commute - I assume you have wonderful trains) at least while the boys are home. That's what so many families did when I was growing up before we all thought every family needed at least 2 cars. My mom would drop my dad off at the train and later the bus, my best friend's mom would drive her dad to work as it was close.
Originally Posted By bloona thanks for explaining gardenrooms, I wish we had more camps like the cricket one he is going to this week. I dont know of any others. Mr bloona (Patrick) needs the car to get to work, it isnt that close to any stations. The trains and buses are quite good around here, but the prices are terrible, they really dont encourage people to use them! I sometimes get the bus to the nearest city to go shopping, it costs me £2.80 each way for just me!! and thats if I go in the cheap rate times (between 9.30- 2.30) if we all drive there in the car, it costs less than that to park the car for four hours.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well bloona, I think the British kids get a really poor time of it. There is so little time for kids to play in the UK and be kids. I do not agree with too much homework in the holidays (other than keeping journals and reporting) and the whole working world revolves around the school calendar (don't do any business in Christmas, Easter, Summer, Half Terms etc.) The longer summer means that the world is more consistant and there are more camps and other extracurricular activities to supplement child development. The whole school holidays issue is one of the reasons we are considering home schooling or private tuition for ours.
