School's out

From the moment your first child exits your body, you embark a process of 'firsts' which look like they will last for many years. Today was the first day the lad has ever had a school holiday. Even though his old kindy (where the twins are now) used to close over Christmas and Easter, it didn't follow a term time schedule. Unlike the kindy he now attends which kicked off two weeks of holiday today. It has left me feeling rather unsettled. I will be able to jig things around, and organise extra childcare so that I can keep up with my work over this holiday but I can't help but feel slightly clammy when I look ahead to a year away with the three of them snapping at my ankles for each school holiday. Millions deal with this quandary round the world and I feel fortunate that I work from home so can be flexible.

Rather excitingly though, it means I get to spend some time on my own with the lad. This morning we sped all over town doing little jobs and buying food. He asked if we could go to the library and read a story. We sat on the cushions in the boat set adrift in the corner of the children's section and revelled in the sound of the rain on the roof and pictures of volcanoes and dinosaurs. Over the last few weeks I have been taking one twin out of kindy early on the odd morning. We either go swimming in the natural outdoor hot pools down the road, eat cake and hot chocolates in a cafe or go and watch the waves on the beach. The amount of time twins get on their own with either parent is minimal and I want to make sure I can get as much in as possible over the next two years before the little cherubs start school.