[Phoenix Blue]

I have a 6yo, 5yo and 7mo and a long month of school holidays stretching before us with DH not taking any time off. Big boys have written a list of things they'd love to do in the holidays like Museum, Ten Pin Bowling, The Zoo, play centre etc.

But it all seems like a lot of hard work to me at the moment! The baby doesn't sleep too well and we've been working on that, which means quite a structured routine lately. So a long day out missing lots of sleeps for her, really isn't an option. But I want to do some good activities with the boys. I just find the logistics of a day out with the 3 of them really draining and not at all enjoyable, especially on broken night sleep...

What do you do? Any tips to keep all 3 happy, and me sane? Are some excursion better than others with boisterous boys and a baby?

TIA

Kate

[polka dotty]

I'm at the same point, with the difference being my DH works FIFO and is only home 1 week out of the entire school holidays (starting today). For me, the logistics of getting 3 kids out is only the tip of the iceberg...I am exhausted already!
I used to take my kids out on all kinds of big excursions when the baby was still little and in the pram, because he was a relatively easy baby, but also because I wanted to prove ( to myself?) I was capable of doing it.
Now my kids are 9.5, 7 and 3.5 and the reality is vastly different...my older two fight and bicker constantly, and the youngest is still clingy and often whingy...my feet hurt, I'm hungry, pick me up mum,etc. I really dont enjoy taking them all out at once!
Now i stick to smaller excursions - this morning we will go to the library for a few hours, come home for lunch, then down to the airport this afternoon to pick up dad.I'll take them to different playgrounds and try to meet others there, take them for a morning bushwalk to try & wear them out, walk along the beach in the afternoon, etc, but very rarely big outings on my own. I would really love to take them down to southbank for the day, so I've been waiting for Dh to be home for that one.
Next week the littlest returns to kindy for 2 days a week so I will use those days to take the big kids to the movies, ten pin bowling etc. Do you have someone who could watch the baby for a few hours for you? ( I dont, only since DS started kindy I have that option).
To keep them occupied at home i do try to 'plan' lots of activities...board game or puzzle afternoons, wii dance competitions, craft, cooking, lego, backyard picnics, obstacle courses, etc, and they play outside a fair bit too.
I love the relaxed pace of school holidays and no lunch boxes every morning, but it is still exhausting!

[Bam1]

Are your older 2 at school and is vacation care available? Through vacation care, my kindy daughter will be visiting the movies, the zoo, the aquarium and a whole lot of other activities. With CCB and CCR it certainly works out cheaper for her to go with them then if I took her with my younger 2.

This post has been edited by Bam1: 02/01/2013, 08:43 AM