Word of The Week - Holidays

Posted by Rosie

Holidays

ˈhäliˌdā/

noun

plural noun: holidays

a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done

Both boys are finally on holiday.  Tom broke up earlier than Ben but now they have both now bid farewell to lessons and homework for what is an 8 week break here in France.  But before you think it is unfair that they have longer holidays than back in the UK do bear this in mind:

For secondary schools the hours are 7.50am to 4.35pm 
and for primary 8.45am to 4.15pm.  

Those are very long days and both boys are now enjoying a well earned rest.

We do not have anything particular planned for the holidays - it is nigh on impossible to get away as a family when you have a gite and animals on a smallholding.  Simon will however probably take the boys camping for a while (yay - I get the WHOLE bed to myself!) and we will fit in various day trips as and when.  We are only about an hour from the beach so I am sure we'll be up having some beach days and there are a few WWII museums I would like to visit up along the coast.

For the boys though, living here at Eco-Gites of Lenault has some huge advantages:  

• There is a steady stream of children coming to stay in the gite with whom friendships are usually quickly forged.
• We have space - lots of space.  The boys have oodles of space to do all the things that boys should be doing - running, cycling, den building, playing etc.
• We have the play area - swings, towers, slide, climbing wall - all perfect for creating the sort of adventures 11 and 12 year old boys love to act out. 
• Friends - the boys are old enough now to head off by bike to meet with nearby friends - we might be out in the sticks but they have plenty of friends locally.
• With just a little imagination there is plenty to occupy their time - they may be a little old for a few of the ideas here but I am sure they will be doing some of these things over the next few weeks.

8 weeks holidays may seem like a very long time but I know it will pass all too quickly. Now though I am sure it feels like an eternity to the boys, a time of everlasting play and just the odd nagging from Mum and Dad to practice the saxophone, do a bit of catching up on French grammar or TIDY UP YOUR BEDROOM NOW please!!

Are your children on holiday yet or does holidays mean something different to you?  Please do let us know in a comment.