C’est les vacances!

Like clockwork, for every six weeks of French school, there’s a two week holiday. Planning for these long breaks takes some clever organization that we don’t yet have down. Ideally, you plan your holidays around those of the kids far, far in advance. Realistically, I’m wishing a Facebook sidebar ad had taken care of my lazy ass planning.

Today, the children were sent home with a scrapbook to show the family what they have been singing, reading, drawing, cutting. They brought home their napping blankets and pillows and water bottles for thorough washing. Time to rid them of head lice, c’est les vacances! It’s time for All-Saints holidays to begin.

The kids were just getting the hang of the rhythms but still, most everyone is quite happy for a little break. (Moms be all, shucks for three pairs of eyes watching me go to the bathroom) A cough, goopey eyes, a runny nose – the kids all have something and seem to have had something or other since September. Time for a bit of R&R. Either that or time for a chickenpox party. “One case of varicella!” the sign on my daughter’s classroom window proclaimed.

This year, there is a national vacay crisis because the two weeks start mid-week, making it a pain for holiday rentals or say, for divorced parents to sort out custody and time off. I’m not quite sure how your average working family does it either. Asking around, one friend is putting her son in an eight day soccer camp. A neighbor invited her in-laws to come to town. Other folks in a bind turn to the local centre aéré – a local theme based holiday childcare option. Kids learn to ski, or do crafts or performing arts.

The hubs left town almost exactly as school let out, so, as you can see, we are pretty much rockstar holiday planners. It might all work out in the end: after a few chill days with little on the agenda other than a couple playdates and getting back to health, our friends arrive in town. Maybe we’ll use it as an excuse to discover our vast backyard a bit more.

Featured image from Ecole Saint-Jacques de Compostelle

This post was part of the #Write31Days challenge, on the topic: Our family in global transition.
You can read the other posts written this month, by clicking on the links below!

1 – French Preschool
2 – Making friends in a new land
3 – ‘Yes’ people in a ‘No’ culture
4 – How language affects transition
5 – Not all French people are foodies
6 – The apple juice party
7 – I’m the third-born
8 – French-Mex ridiculous
9 – Busted by the Swiss police
10 – Educational field trip
11 – Visitors: the good and the bad
12 – Christmas in October
13 – A good place to get sick
14 – C’est les vacances!
15 – Playdate anguish
16 – The five year plan
17 – The Q&A edition!
18 – Holidays are for world-schooling
19 – The Granny I want to be.

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