The Great School Holiday Challenge Week 1

You might have seen my post on the Great School Holiday Challenge where I wrote a helpful list of things to do this school holiday with the children. There were 42 things on my list, one for every day of the holiday. So seven days in the theory should be that I have crossed seven things off the list, right? Er, [mumbles a bit] well, you see there was a bit of a rethink where I considered the possibility of setting the bar too high in week 1 and leaving myself nowhere to go but downhill for the remaining weeks ahead.

So this was the week that was:

Day 1. Walked dog, did some shopping, weeded garden and hoovered. What? It's just a normal Saturday right?

Forced to watch TV

Day 2. Sulked because the Wee One had wailed so much the night before that I wasn't able to go to my friends anniversary party. Took it out on kids and 'made' them watch TV and tidy rooms. Three year old was not impressed. The Wee One whinged, a lot. Oh and an extra child arrived to spend the week with us :-)

Picasso/Princess

Day 3. Sent the Big One and the Extra One off to football camp. Princess and I painted.







Day 4. Sent the Big One and the Extra One off to football camp. Princess went to nursery. I drank coffee and ate cake. The Wee One hoovered up my crumbs. But on a more productive note we made the "I'm Bored" Jar (well actually a box but the principle is the same. TICK ONE THING OFF THE CHALLENGE LIST!!! We had an amusing half hour where I asked the kids "If you were bored (which I know is highly unlikely), what fun things could you do?" It took a little prompting but they were soon in their stride. "Make a robot" "Paint a picture" "Find out about space on the 'puter" "Make a poo" !!! Duly written onto little pieces of paper these suggestions and many more are in the jar (box) ready for the next day (well not that surprisingly it was put into immediate use).

Day 5. Sent the Big One and the Extra One off to football camp. Princess went to nursery. I drank coffee and ate cake. The Wee One hoovered up my crumbs. Oh and because I am a glutten for punishment, The Big One brought another friend home for tea. 5 kids - no problem (reaches for gin).

Day 6. Bugger. No football camp. Oh well. Chased the Big One and the Extra One around Burghley Park on their bicycles whilst pushing pram and walking dog. Fab time, if knackering, had by all. TICK ONE THING OFF THE CHALLENGE LIST!!! Damn, that wasn't on the list.

Day 7. Picnic at the park where the Big One mostly sulked because none of his friends were there, where the Princess shone like a star with her friends and where the Wee One embarrassed his mother by stealing food from other families.

And so at the close of week 1 of the Great School Holiday Challenge I like to think that the children have had a fun time, that Mummy hasn't screamed at them too much and that the dog will eventually crawl out from under the bed.