As parents, there are some things you are completely unprepared for. The price of cheese sticks. The way your kids will make friends with your enemy’s kids and you have to make polite small talk with people you dislike. And most puzzlingly of all, the way work finishes at five, school gets out at three-fifteen, and gymnastics starts at four.

Some of us deal with this by enrolling kids in school holiday activities. This helps alleviate guilt, occupy those long two weeks, and delay the impending breakdown from the pressure to “do it all”.

We put Miss 11 in swimming intensives each holidays for these reasons and, like every time I do it, I regret it deeply by Tuesday. It’s just that the school terms are long, and by the time we make it through those 10 weeks, the last thing I want to do is put a bra on and go out in public each morning. Also getting Miss 11 out the door in the morning for swimming is not any easier than doing it for school.

I have also embarked on two big projects these holidays: Miss 11’s bedroom and Miss 16’s driving hours. I started on the bedroom first, by pretending to do work and paying Miss 16 to help her sister. It’s always a challenge, but a necessary one (see attached photo). It doesn’t help that she’s grown so much this year that none of her clothes or shoes fit her, so her wardrobe needed a complete overhaul. I paid my guilt money to the big one and left them to it. Some things overheard during the process:

“Oh no! My beetle died”

“My candy cane! I’ve been looking for that!”

“I might just sleep on the couch”

I’m happy to report that as of today (Friday, October 3), next to nothing has been done.

Spirits frayed, I commenced part two: help Miss 16 get her Ps. This coincided with a work trip to Dubbo for me, so we got to spend the day in the car together. (Hubby got to work from home, take Miss 11 swimming and watch her clean nothing over the course of seven hours).

And I had THE BEST TIME with her. It’s something else nobody tells you about -- the change when your 16-year-old is almost 17, and your relationship begins to feel more like a friendship. Sure, you might gently steer them towards good decisions, and set some boundaries relating to health and safety but, for the most part, your work is done. And then you get to sit back and enjoy the company of this amazing young adult who bears a striking resemblance to the baby you held all those years ago. The first thing I noticed is her taste in music has improved lastly from her early teenage years. She asked me if I’d ever heard of the Hilltop Hoods, and I hid my giggle as she “introduced” me to some banging tunes. The other thing is that she’s a fantastic driver. I swear 10 months ago I was petrified at the thought of her getting behind the wheel without guidance, but she’s almost ready. We spent over four hours in the car together and it was beautiful.

The last thing I need to say about our holidays is that I wouldn’t get through any of them without help. I’m still tired and unwell and not only is Hubby home a few days a week to give me a hand, but I have the best friends in the world, and Miss 11 has been on a series of playdates. She has been spoiled, had a great time with my mates’ kids, and I get to rest.

I’m looking forward to the routine of school going back, but I am soaking up the time with my kids these days. Bliss. Now, to get Miss 11 back to her room…