When my kids go back to school I have a whole list of things I'd like to do. It's not that I don't love my children. It's not like I won't miss having them home with me, but after the summer holidays you start to crave a few things. I bet I'm not alone in saying that while I'm not that keen to get back into the daily lunchbox, school uniform, crazy school run rush, I am quite excited for them to get back to school.
Here are 7 reasons I won't miss my kids when they go back to school:
1. I just don't think I can afford to have them home all day, every day, because they eat so much food. They eat all of the time. I don't understand where all the food goes. I wouldn't be able to move if I ate as much as they did. Constantly being asked for "something to eat" is really starting to drive me insane.
2. I'd really like to go to the toilet all by myself. Ever since my first child was born I've always had someone in the same space as me while I wee. As they grow older they are more likely in the bathroom with me because they are asking me for "something to eat" (see the previous point). I just want to go to the loo alone.
3. I will definitely not miss the fighting. Far out kids fight over the most ridiculous things. Just recently my girls were fighting over who was going to have their hair brushed first in the morning – and they don't even like getting their hair brushed. If there's something to fight over, they'll fight over it.
4. If I see any more craft in the next month I will cry. My girls love doing craft and so do I, yet over the holidays they've done every craft activity possible. And I've cleaned up every craft possible. I know I'm parenting poorly, they should clean up, but that never happens without a fight and it's just easier if I do it. I'm hiding the craft box until the next rainy day.
5. I won't miss the constant sound. Televisions, radio, iPads, movies and loud talking. There's always so much noise when our family of five is home. Sometimes it'd be nice to get a bit of quiet time. I am really looking forward to hearing nothing, except maybe the birds chirping outside.
6. I think I heard "I'm bored", "I've got nothing to do" and "I want to do something fun" about one million times over the past six weeks. And that's even when we were out doing something fun. It seems that children have quite a short attention span and like to be entertained all of the time. Not that my girls don't know how to play, they're great at it, but for only so long and then they seek out more activities. I blame school for having short classes.
7. I won't miss them getting grumpy with me when I ask them to clean up their messy rooms. Something happens in school holidays – it's like a hurricane blows through our house tipping every single one of their possessions onto their bedroom floor. You start not even bothering to clean up because as soon as you put something away they get something else out to replace the mess.
Having said all of that, I know that once I get a day to myself to sit quietly in a clean house, going to toilet by myself, eating leisurely, working without distractions and maybe even having a nap on the couch, I will start to look at the clock. I will count down the minutes until my babies are home. I will hang onto them tight and give them big sloppy kisses because in all honesty I'll miss them like crazy.
What won't you miss when your kids go to school? Leave a comment below.