A condition known as Halftermitis has been sweeping Dubai and parts of the UK I can confirm! This condition that only surfaces during the half term holiday’s can effect both parents and school age children and may even effect younger siblings.

Signs & symptoms for children may be

• Whinging
• Pouting/sulking face

• Feet stamping
• Excessive use of the words Mammy/mummy, NO and phrases such as “It’s not fair” and “I’m bored”, “Can I have”
• An inability to stay at an activity that took 30mins to set up for more than 5 mins
• Sore arse from sitting in time out

In some excessive cases

• Painting your brother
• Said brother rubbing paint into couch
• Visiting friends and stealing food from said friends neighbours
• Ending up in bed with NO dinner

Signs & symptoms for parents

• Constant angry face
• Sarcastic tone
• Feet stamping
• Excessive use of the words …………… insert child’s name, NO, STOP and phrases such as “Because I said so”, “I will say it one more time” “Right into time out”
• Carpal tunnel from pointing to timeout

In some excessive cases

• Crying
• Increased wine/gin consumption at 10am

• Treat cupboard raiding
• Rocking in corner
• Hiding in downstairs toilet

Unfortunately the only known treatment for this condition is to leave the house at 8am returning only at bedtime, packing in a day of activities…………………..and SCHOOL