Last year, I wrote about the five things I’d learned from working from home over half term. I’ve compared this year to that, to see whether I’ve actually remembered any of my lessons and acted on them.

(Thinking about it, I probably should have done that before the holidays started.)

Anyway…

1 – Planning a great outing on the first day is too high a standard to maintain for a full week.

Half marks for this one. On the Monday this year, we had a party to attend at a soft play, which certainly scores highly on the boys’ Great Day Out scale – but the afternoon was spent quietly at home with the arguments kept down to a dull roar, so nothing too ambitious to live up to for the rest of the week.

 

2 – Don’t try and fit food shopping in as well.

Yes – achieved! Supermarket home deliveries at the bargain price of £1. Priceless.

Full marks here.

 

3 – Sending them for “Rest Time” is a good idea in principle.

Yes! They still go for “Rest Time”. An hour after lunch in their rooms with a DVD or downloaded movie – basically it’s an hour they don’t have to spend in each other’s company. It’s like a mini reset in the middle of the day, and everyone loves it.

Not sure how long I can keep this one going, but top marks for now.

 

4 – Don’t listen to the little voice that says it’s a great opportunity to get back into Davina McCall’s fitness DVD.

Hm. I did listen to that voice again, but fortunately I have been a little more active this year than last. It still aches a bit, but it’s more of a smug ache, and less of a self-berating ache for how I could have let myself get into a state of fitness that won’t stand up to 15 minutes of aerobics.

Half marks here.

 

5 – I’m going to need to do a lot more planning and work in advance of the next holidays!

Two words – FOREST SCHOOL. My greatest triumph of this half term was sending the boys to their first ever Holiday Club. Based on a recommendation from another fabulous mum I know, they had a blast with some of their school friends at a Forest School session, and I got a chance to rattle through loads of stuff that I would never have got done otherwise. I felt a weird mixture of guilt for sending them away in the holidays, relief that they went so happily, and tiny but sad that they didn’t even look back, but it was such a roaring success that I can’t be anything other than positive about it. This we will certainly be repeating next holidays.

I’m giving myself two points for this one.

So, I make that 5 out of 5. Sort of.

I’m calling this an improvement. It’s my second year in business, and the boys are growing up and enjoying new things – it all means I’m adjusting to being a self-employed mum – it’s hard sometimes, but I wouldn’t be doing anything else.