Apparently Friday was the last day of school here in Queensland, for 2017.
I had no idea! Clearly my kids are well past school age if it doesn’t even cause a blip on my radar π .
When I was at primary school in the 1970s, I used to LOVE breaking up day!
And it had nothing to do with being dumped by your boy/girl friend π .
It’s not a term I hear much these days: “breaking up day”. That’s what we used to call the last day of school for the year. It was a wonderful celebration – a party to end all parties!
Everybody brought a plate and we gorged ourselves silly on watermelon and stone fruit, cupcakes and chips. As a special treat there were even iceblocks and soft drink!
We didn’t have to wear school uniform, and spent the day doing fun things, like:
- Christmas craft,
- playing games (board games and also outside games like “duck duck goose”, “What’s the time Mr Wolf”, and “Red Rover”),
- listening to pop music,
- having water fights (with our teachers!),
- or going for a “free swim” in the school pool.
It was one of my favourite occasions of the whole year!
Has anybody else noticed that breaking up day just doesn’t seem to be special anymore?
School winds down over a couple of weeks and by the last day there’s hardly anybody left. And if the kids DO attend, they are put to work scrubbing desks and cleaning classrooms!
Yes, it is quite a few years since I experienced the excitement and fun of breaking up day. If I mention it to my own kids now, they just look at me blankly!
Does anybody else think it’s a shame that this Aussie school tradition of breaking up day has gone by the wayside?
NB I first published this post exactly 5 years ago today, but decided to update and republish it as I was thinking about it over the weekend …
Kelly says
Love the new blog Janet. Looks fabulous. The last day of school for my kids is clean up day now…and not so fun…many children don’t go.
Janet says
Hi Kelly, thanks for popping over.
Yes, that’s why I normally kept my kids home on the last day.
Aroha @ Colours of Sunset says
Really?! That is terrible!! You can’t make the kids clean up on break up day! I went and visited a school today and they were all doing whatever they wanted, basically. Arts, crafts, computer stuff, reading. It all seemed a bit chaotic actually.
Janet says
I know! Thatβs why I stopped sending my kids on the last day. Yes it does sound a bit chaotic which is why Iβm not a teacher (anymore!) β¦ but Iβm sure the kids love it π
Chantelle Dalgarno says
I loved breaking up day! That was when we got to push all the desks and chairs to one end and play games like statues, have talent contests, read or draw, have a picnic in the middle of the classroom, and just HAVE FUN.
Disappointing that they don’t really do it any more π
Stopping by via #ibot
Janet says
My thoughts exactly!
Eleise says
That is so true! I loved break up day! Our kids don’t even do lessons the last week, they do something called skills week – just fun and games all week. Cleaning the school does not sound like a fun last day at all!
Janet says
Maybe our kids are luckier than us – they get a whole WEEK of breaking up day fun!
Lyndal says
i graduated over ten years ago now… and i don’t think we ever had a ‘break up day’ as you have described – it was definitely clean up day… this makes me sad!
#teamIBOT
Janet says
It makes me feel OLD!!!!
Becc says
Oh yes. What a big shame, we had so much fun, so much joy. Great memories π
Becc via #ibot
Janet says
Kind of a shame our kids won’t have the same great memories.
Rachel @ The Kids Are All Right says
You know, I’d forgotten about how much fun last day of school was! I get quite annoyed about how now there doesn’t seem to be any school work from about three weeks before the end of term. What do they do all day?
Janet says
I know, and because of that it’s a struggle to get the kids to actually GO to school during the last couple of weeks because they know it’s just killing time.
Rachel @ The Kids Are All Right says
For the first time ever I’ve given my daughter the last 3 days off school. She has a lot of work to do for me (to work off some money owed) and I figure she will be more productive starting on that than watching DVDs all day at school.
Kelly HTandT says
You know, it’s only now that you mention it that I realise I don’t really remember the last day of school? And although my kids aren’t in school yet, I do know from my younger siblings that you’re right, hardly anyone is left on the last day and they really don’t do anything at all!
Janet says
I guess it’s because report cards need to be ready before school breaks up so all the assessment is done and dusted for the year.
Mums Take Five says
yeah it all pretty ordinary for about the last two weeks too. Lots of dvd watching.
EssentiallyJess says
I have never heard of breaking up day! The last day of school was always about cleaning and tidying up, but it was always fun.
Kazzie says
Wow, I cannot believe the kids nowadays don’t have the usual break-up day tradition … In my day (60/70’s), we went swimming at local pool for what it seems hours, and wore what we liked instead of uniforms; took plate of food. It’s sad that tradition went by the wayside.
Anne @ Domesblissity says
Hi Janet. I agree 100%. School break up and the Sunday school nativity scene breakup was all we celebrated plus maybe Dad’s work Christmas party. With my 2 kids it’s a different break up party every day of the week for about 6 weeks in the lead up to Christmas. Its just got way out of hand. As much as I can’t live my kid’s lives like I lived mine and am happy to go with the flow, I really think going back to the simple way of life would be a lot less stressful. I’m saying no to all the break up parties next year. We actually took the kids out of school a week early because all they’d be doing is cleaning (which is just awful) and the price of accommodation would be totally unaffordable for us. Am now following you from Domesblissity.
Anne xx
jeanie says
We always cleaned on the day before break up day – break up day was incentive to do a good job, because the parents would examine how well we did!
Our break up day included games like apple bobbing and three-legged races, parents cooking damper and steaks and sausages, and everyone in the whole district (including non-relatives) turned up – the kicker is, it still goes on at my old school, and if ever I were over there at the time, I could go also!!
Denise Vermillion says
I live in California, and it’s so strange for me to think about the last day of school at Christmas! Of course, it’s weird for me to think about snow at Christmas too, as it’s about 28 degrees here today ha ha. Our kids typically have 2 – 3 weeks off for winter break. We don’t have a fun term like “breaking up day”, just . . . the last day of school. But typically it’s in the middle of the week and the few days before are for field trips, picnics, etc.
Janet Camilleri says
Hi Denise, I dream of one day having a white Christmas – so it sounds like California is not the place to go π . I’m looking forward to having 3 weeks off myself over Christmas, I have my own business and this is the slowest time of year so it makes sense π .