School Holidays

 If you work in a school then you will have, bizarrely, been desperate for this holiday. The reason I use the word bizarrely is because it’s only been 6 weeks since the last one. What’s wrong with us that we need a holiday every six weeks? I didn’t need a week off every six weeks when I worked in a bank and I hated that. Having meditated on this question I would like to tell you about the February half term holiday, which I have affectionately called the smear test holiday (unless you are a weirdo who likes to throw yourself off snowy mountains with long planks of metal strapped to your feet)

What do I need a holiday for? Mainly catching up. To teach is to always feel behind. That is my experience anyway. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t wait for half term, then I’ll have time to catch up on…’

It is weird to need a holiday to catch up on bits of work you don’t have time for when you are working but I’m sure I’m not the only teacher to need it for that. 

 It it’s not just work.

It could be sleep. The classic anxiety sleep of a teacher who wakes up at 3am with ideas of how to stop 30 small people killing each other the next day is real. For many, sleep is so much better in the holidays.

It could be reading or doing anything that requires brain power. Weirdly, teaching seems to use up all the brain cells and then there’s nothing left at the end of the day. I’m actually ok with reading, it’s anything that requires a password. So, I will be deleting emails, renewing insurances and other delights. I will also read because my TBR pile is huge.

It might be cleaning or decorating. Although I believe Easter is the official ‘grouting break’.

It could be friends and family that you’ve neglected over the last few weeks. However, as the last holiday was the ‘social break’, you might still be craving more alone time. 

The main thing you will probably need to catch up on in this holiday is personal care. There wasn’t time in the last holiday because you and the people giving personal care were prioritising parties. You might go to the dentist, get your hair cut, soak the callouses off your feet, paint your nails, get your car serviced, or at least ring up to book all these things. This is what makes this the ‘smear test holiday.’ Now that GPs have a ring back service it is impossible to book a smear test when you are teaching. 

‘Thank you for ringing back….yes….hold on a moment….just carry on with your work children…yes…sorry….I just need to book a smear test….don’t worry what a smear test is Petunia……oh no…sorry…it has to be in half term….’

Also, there’s a greater chance that the nurse won’t be the parent of a child in your class, as when you are a parent school holidays and child care are a bit of a pain. 

I’ll be honest, there are better holidays to have but the ‘smear test break’ is necessary. 

Enjoy.