It’s been a long five weeks for many, and an even longer seven weeks for some (ME included).
It always starts well.
The excitement of Christmas and then New Year sees the days and weeks race by.
Of course, if you’re lucky enough to go away for holidays, which we were this time round, the days seem to fly past and you long for more time to spend with loved ones.
But then literally from the day you leave (in my case head to the airport), the enjoyment fades and the clock seems to stand still.
After two weeks together, the girls had more than enough of each other and were determined to let the other, and me, know.
So our two-hour flight home seemed like eight, the bus trip home an entire day and the last two weeks before school felt an eternity.
Parents understand how difficult school holidays can be. Especially when the dreaded ‘I’m bored’ protestations begin.
After the fifth complaint, I found the perfect way to combat their terrible tedium.
Housework; and plenty of it.
Vacuuming, mopping, laundry, dishes, weeding, you name it.
But their most hated chore was cleaning the bathroom and toilet.
Because when you live in a house with three females who share one bathroom, it’s terrifying what you might find.
Hair. And lots of it. You would think we’re all going bald going by the amount of hair stuck in the shower drain, not to mention the strands all over the floor.
Then there’s the toothpaste. I still have no idea how so much of it ends up on the mirror and around the sink.
And not just a splatter here and there, actual chunks of toothpaste that seem to have missed the toothbrush altogether.
And don’t even get me started about the water. It’s everywhere. And not where it should be, such as the basin or the bath.
It’s on the floor, on the walls and, yes, even on the ceiling. Seriously, more water ends up outside the bath than in it.
So, it’s only fitting the girls clean the bathroom as 99 per cent of the mess is theirs.
It’s a win-win. The girls aren’t bored and I have a clean house.
And so the sigh of relief coming from my house last week wasn’t from me.
It was from the girls. Who have never been more excited to start back at school.