Comments on: Juggling: summer holidays and a single parent http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/ Business Women of Opinion! Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:40:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BabsSaul http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4467 BabsSaul Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:43:16 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4467 The friends over thing can work well, indeed - much happier all round so long as they are fed and watered. It's going to be fun, I've decided - I need more of that and who better to have fun with than my kids.<br><br>50% custody - oh the things I could get done... :-)<br><br>Happy with my lot and making the most of it - best way (remind me of this when I'm tearing my hair out in a few weeks!) The friends over thing can work well, indeed – much happier all round so long as they are fed and watered. It's going to be fun, I've decided – I need more of that and who better to have fun with than my kids.

50% custody – oh the things I could get done… :-)

Happy with my lot and making the most of it – best way (remind me of this when I'm tearing my hair out in a few weeks!)
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]]> By: BabsSaul http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4466 BabsSaul Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:40:58 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4466 Bet he loved it, Carolyn, and learned plenty along the way! Bet he loved it, Carolyn, and learned plenty along the way!
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]]> By: BabsSaul http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4465 BabsSaul Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:39:02 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4465 *cracks whip* ;-) *cracks whip* ;-)
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]]> By: BabsSaul http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4464 BabsSaul Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:38:43 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4464 Apart from a long-promised Legoland trip, it's going to be as free as possible, Ida - there is plenty to do, and we have many beaches within an hour's drive, so... But then the petrol. Luckily we have neighbours with kids and they get on famously, so likely lots of walks and playing (in my dreams, if nowhere else!). I'm determined for it to be fun and relaxing and a thoroughly happy summer for us all. Apart from a long-promised Legoland trip, it's going to be as free as possible, Ida – there is plenty to do, and we have many beaches within an hour's drive, so… But then the petrol. Luckily we have neighbours with kids and they get on famously, so likely lots of walks and playing (in my dreams, if nowhere else!). I'm determined for it to be fun and relaxing and a thoroughly happy summer for us all.
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]]> By: idahorner http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4461 idahorner Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:23:52 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4461 I do feel fro you Babs, it can't be easy! Every things is also so expensive and as such limiting your options in what to offer the children by way of entertainment. I do feel fro you Babs, it can't be easy! Every things is also so expensive and as such limiting your options in what to offer the children by way of entertainment.

]]> By: Sarah Arrow http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4455 Sarah Arrow Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:27:59 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4455 I hate the school holidays in the summer. I hated them before kids, and I hate them with kids. Now my little darlings have a huge garden to create havoc in, apple trees to climb and adventures to have. I still have to write 6 weeks worth of work in advance across several blogs though, and I have a mere 7 days left to do it in :( I hate the school holidays in the summer. I hated them before kids, and I hate them with kids. Now my little darlings have a huge garden to create havoc in, apple trees to climb and adventures to have. I still have to write 6 weeks worth of work in advance across several blogs though, and I have a mere 7 days left to do it in :(

]]> By: Marydw757 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4451 Marydw757 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:02:43 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4451 Hi Babs, little sis here! lol.<br>All of the school holidays are difficult for working single parents, whether self-employed or employed. I count my blessings that my employer allowed me the flexibility of working school hours, term time. However, with the very real threat of redundancy at the end of this year, you can imagine the thoughts going through my head about how my life, and my childrens, will have to change as I'm unlikely to find such a flexible new employer.<br>So, yes, we juggle.<br><br>There is no point in comparing our situation to those of our predecessors - in our case, it was a lack of being bothered I think more than anything else. The world was different then (or was it? Or is it just that the media has forced us to fear certain things and potential situations?) I digress.<br><br>As for ex-partners - take a step back, look at the situation from a non-emotional viewpoint. What is best for the children? Some time with each of their parents during the holidays surely? I understand your reluctance to formalise things, truly, but once the situation is made clear and decided upon, all of you can adjust and eventually accept the situation. It isn't about the ex being upset or disgruntled - it's a matter of practicalities given the change in your situation. Flexible? Yes. But with (ooh feel like a politician almost) guidelines and boundaries. Hi Babs, little sis here! lol.
All of the school holidays are difficult for working single parents, whether self-employed or employed. I count my blessings that my employer allowed me the flexibility of working school hours, term time. However, with the very real threat of redundancy at the end of this year, you can imagine the thoughts going through my head about how my life, and my childrens, will have to change as I'm unlikely to find such a flexible new employer.
So, yes, we juggle.

There is no point in comparing our situation to those of our predecessors – in our case, it was a lack of being bothered I think more than anything else. The world was different then (or was it? Or is it just that the media has forced us to fear certain things and potential situations?) I digress.

As for ex-partners – take a step back, look at the situation from a non-emotional viewpoint. What is best for the children? Some time with each of their parents during the holidays surely? I understand your reluctance to formalise things, truly, but once the situation is made clear and decided upon, all of you can adjust and eventually accept the situation. It isn't about the ex being upset or disgruntled – it's a matter of practicalities given the change in your situation. Flexible? Yes. But with (ooh feel like a politician almost) guidelines and boundaries.

]]> By: grahunt http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-8693 grahunt Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:00:00 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-8693 The kids have already been off school for two weeks here. I wrote about it last week here http://www.entrepreneursolo.com/entrepreneurs-in-spain/how-the-summer-holidays-change-things-with-kids This is a very difficult time for the WAHM (Mum or Man for the last letter there) Luckily today i have the whole family going down to Alicante so I will be left in peace to do some writing. The kids have already been off school for two weeks here. I wrote about it last week here
http://www.entrepreneursolo.com/entrepreneurs-in-spain/how-the-summer-holidays-change-things-with-kids
This is a very difficult time for the WAHM (Mum or Man for the last letter there)
Luckily today i have the whole family going down to Alicante so I will be left in peace to do some writing.
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]]> By: Carolyn http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/juggling-summer-holidays-and-the-single-parent/comment-page-1/#comment-4452 Carolyn Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:39:01 +0000 http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/?p=4761#comment-4452 Oh goodness that takes me back. A perennial nightmare, which I never solved satisfactorily. My solution was a number of part time jobs which I tried to dovetail around zero assistance from my son's father, various disastrous live-in students and the occasional bit of help from my parents when they were well enough. I have just spent half an hour or so discussing emergency arrangements with the same son (now 21) for him to cope with running the house when I hit the road driving long-haul. Such bliss. It may be an unfashionable thing to say but I don't think we are wired to be capable of putting our own needs first until they are grown and independent. By which time we have forgotten how. <g><br>My most vivid memory of summer holiday child care is of taking him with me, aged about 6, with colouring books and crayons etc on half-day courses I was teaching...First aid and CPR for nightclub bouncers. Quite often he'd demonstrate the recovery position for me, "go on Ben, pick the biggest and show them how easy it is..." Oh goodness that takes me back. A perennial nightmare, which I never solved satisfactorily. My solution was a number of part time jobs which I tried to dovetail around zero assistance from my son's father, various disastrous live-in students and the occasional bit of help from my parents when they were well enough. I have just spent half an hour or so discussing emergency arrangements with the same son (now 21) for him to cope with running the house when I hit the road driving long-haul. Such bliss. It may be an unfashionable thing to say but I don't think we are wired to be capable of putting our own needs first until they are grown and independent. By which time we have forgotten how. <g>
My most vivid memory of summer holiday child care is of taking him with me, aged about 6, with colouring books and crayons etc on half-day courses I was teaching…First aid and CPR for nightclub bouncers. Quite often he'd demonstrate the recovery position for me, “go on Ben, pick the biggest and show them how easy it is…”

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