Kawm tej sob lus Askiv pab kom tswj tau koj tej me nyuam thiab muaj ntau yam rau lawv ua fab fo rau lub caij lawv so tsis kawm ntawv (School holidays). Xyaum tham lus Askiv txhua hnub txog tej me nyuam yaus tej cwj pwm, lawv cov kev dhuav meem txom tsis paub ua dab tsi thiab ntau yam teeb meem nyuaj ntawm tsev.
SBS Learn English yuav pab kom koj muaj peev xwm tham, totaub thiab sib cuag tau nrog lwm tus ntawm teb chaws Australia - txheeb tau txhua toom sob kawm ntawm no.
Toom sob kawm no haum rau cov neeg kawm ntawv Askiv tshaj lij theem nrab. Tom qab mloog tas lawm, sim teb peb tej lus nug hauv qab no tam li yog ib co kev tshau txuj seb koj totaub zoo npaum li cas.
Learning notes:
Examples of phrases you can use when talking about keeping kids busy:
- I’m trying to keep them busy all day. (Kuv tab tom npaj ntau yam rau lawv ua kom lawv tsis khoom ib hnub kiag).
- I’m already running out of ideas. (Kuv kawg tswv yim lawm).
- I’m running short on ideas. (Kuv tsis pom qab ua li cas lawm).
- They’re starting to climb the walls. (Lawv pib dhuav, meem txom tsis paub nyob tsis paub ua dab tsi).
- It’s hard to keep them entertained without just handing them a screen. (Nyuaj kawg li uas yuav pab kom lawv lom zem yog tsis pub lawv saib xov tooj).
- We brought colouring books to occupy the kids. (Peb yuav ntawv rau lawv pleev/kos xim kom lawv tau ua ib yam dab tsi fab fo).
- Looking after the kids all day, every day, can get a bit much. (Cov kev saib xyuas tej me nyuam tas hnub, txhua hnub mas nyuaj heev rau yus).
- Keeping kids busy all day can really test your patience. (Kev xyuas kom me nyuam tau ua ub ua no thawm hnub mas yog ib co kev sim seb yus puas siab ntev npaum li cas ntag).
Examples of phrases you can use when talking about costs and activities:
- I don’t want to spend a fortune. (Kuv tsis xav siv nyiaj ntau).
- That would break the bank. (Kim heev).
- Going to the park is my go-to. (Mus ua si ntawm park yog tej yam kuv nyiam ua).
- Crafts in the garden are my usual choice to keep them busy. (Cov kev cog zaub los yog kos duab yog tej kuv siv pab kom lawv tau ua dab tsi fab fo).
- A trip to the beach is my favourite option for school holidays. (Cov kev mus xyuas ib thaj ntug hiav txwv twg yog yam kuv nyiam ua lub caij me nyuam yaus so tsis kawm ntawv).
Examples of phrases you can use when talking about kid’s behaviour:
- Do your kids get on each other’s nerves? (Koj tej me nyuam puas ua rau lwm tus me nyuam meem txom xeeb txob?)
- They’re always at each other’s throats over the smallest things. (Lawv mas sib cav, sib ntaus ua nruj ua tsiv rau ib tug twg tas mus li rau tej yam me me tsis muaj qab ntxhiab dab tsi li).
- My kids pick on each other when they get bored. (Kuv tej me nyuam mas pheej sib thab sib zes nrog ib tug twg thaum lawv dhuav tsis paub ua dab tsi).
- I feel like I’m constantly playing referee. (Kuv mloog tau tias kuv yuav tau ua tus tswj lawv tas mus li kom lawv thiaj sib haum xeeb xwb).
- I have to play referee when they fight over which game to play. (Kuv yuav tau ua tus tswj thaum lawv sib cav tias yuav play cov gam twg).
- After a few hours, the arguing can get a bit much. (Tom qab ob peb teev ces zoo li kuv rub tsis tshua tau siab ntev rau lawv cov kev sib cav li lawm).
Colloquial expressions:
Keeping kids busy means finding things for them to do so they don’t get bored or restless. (Lo lus keeping kids busy txhais tias nrhiav ntau yam rau lawv ua kom lawv tsis txhob dhuav/laj nyob los yog nyob tsis tswm).
To run out of something/ run short on something, means you don’t have much left.
(Lo lus to run out of something/ run short on something txhais tias tsis tshua muaj ntau lawm/tshuav tsawg lawm).
To climb the walls is to be very bored or restless. (To climb the walls ces yog dhuav heev tsis paub ua dab tsi thiab nyob tsis tswm).
To keep someone entertained means to give them things to do so that they have fun.
(To keep someone entertainted txhais tias nrhiav ntau yam rau lawv ua kom lawv lom zem).
To cost a fortune/break the bank is so expensive that it is hard to afford.
( To cost a fortune/break the bank ces yog kim heev uas yus tsis muaj peev xwm them).
To get on your nerves is to annoy or irritate you.
(To get on your nerves ces yog meem txom los yog xeeb txob yus).
To be at each other’s throats means to argue or fight a lot.
(To be at each other's throats txhais tias sib cav thiab sib tawm tsam tas mus li).
To play referee means to stop arguments and make sure that things are fair.
(To play referee txhais tias cheem tej sib cav thiab ua zoo xyuas kom ncaj rau ob tog).
To get a bit much is to become too difficult or annoying.
(To get a bit much ces yog nyuaj heev rau yus los yog meem txom heev).
To test your patience is to make you feel frustrated and challenge your ability to stay calm.
(To test your patience ces yog ua rau yus mloog tau tias meem txom thiab nyuaj heev rau yus tsis muaj peev xwm tswj tau tus tus kheej tus lawm).
Vocabulary:
A go-to is something you use or choose often because it works well.
(A go-to ces yog tej yam yus siv los yog yus xaiv ua tas li vim siv tau zoo heev).
To pick on someone is to be mean, teasing, or annoy them again and again
(To pick on someone txhais tias thab, tso dag rau los yog ua kom ib tug twg meem txos tas mus li).
A referee is the person in sports like football or basketball, who makes sure that players obey the rules and decides who is right.
(A referee ces yog tus neeg ntawm cov kev sib tw ncaws pob los yog ntaus pob basketball uas ua tib zoo xyuas kom tej neeg sib tw ua raws cai tswj cov kev sib tw thiab txiav txim tias tus twg yog thiab tus twg txhaum).
Learning notes:
When we want to stress that something is happening now, we often use the present continuous tense (I+am+verb+ing), but if we want to stress that something is usually true, we usually use the present simple (I+verb).
- Here Allan is stressing that he is finding this difficult right at this moment.
Allan: I’m trying to keep them busy all day, but I’m already running out of ideas. They’re starting to climb the walls.
- Here Claire is making the point that it is always true – it is hard in general to keep them entertained in the holidays.
Claire: … It’s so hard to keep them entertained…...
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia.
Your kids are at home...all day. They’re bored. They’re noisy. And they keep saying...
Kid: I’m bored!!!!
...every five minutes.
School holidays can be fun, but they can also be stressful.
I’m Kate, and in this episode, we’re practising everyday English you can use when talking about keeping kids busy during the school holidays.
Keeping kids busy means finding things for them to do so they don’t get bored or restless.
Let’s join Allan, who has brought his kids over to Claire’s house so they can play with hers. The children run straight into the garden, laughing and kicking a ball. Allan and Claire sit nearby, watching them from a short distance.
Allan: I’m trying to keep them busy all day, but I’m already running out of ideas. They’re starting to climb the walls.
Claire: Tell me about it. It’s so hard to keep them entertained without just handing them a screen. Or spending a fortune and breaking the bank.
Allan: Exactly, I was thinking of taking them to the park tomorrow. It’s my go-to...Hmm...Do your kids get on each other’s nerves during the holidays?
Claire: All the time. They’re always at each other’s throats over the smallest things. I feel like I’m constantly playing referee. It’s exhausting.
Do you find school holidays challenging? Allan and Claire’s kids have so much energy, and it’s not always easy to keep them busy.
Honestly, I think it’s much easier to learn how to talk about keeping kids busy than to actually do it! So, let’s start. First, Allan said,
I’m trying to keep them busy all day, but I’m already running out of ideas.
If you’re running out of something, it means you don’t have much left. For example, I don’t have much milk left in my fridge so I could say that I’m running out of milk.
In this case, Allan doesn’t have many ideas for activities to keep the kids busy.
You could also say,
I’m running short on ideas.
And that would mean the same thing as running out of ideas. Allan also said,
They’re starting to climb the walls.
Here, Allan is not saying that his kids are actually climbing the walls- although some kids may do that! ‘Climbing the walls’ is an expression we can use to describe someone who is restless or bored.
For example, when I went to Japan, I was stuck on the plane for hours and was climbing the walls. Claire then said,
It’s so hard to keep them entertained without just handing them a screen.
To keep someone entertained is to give them things to do so they have fun. And, if you’re handing them a screen, you’re giving them a digital device, like a phone or a tablet to play games on, watch videos on or use to do similar activities.
For example, if you were well-prepared and brought books with you on a road trip, you could tell Claire,
We brought colouring books to occupy the kids instead of handing them phones.
Claire also said that it’s hard to keep her children entertained without...
... spending a fortune and breaking the bank.
If you’re spending a fortune, or if something breaks the bank, it costs so much money that it’s you can hardly afford it. With all the after-school activities and entertainment for kids during the school holidays, do you ever feel like you’re breaking the bank?
With fuel prices going up, my flight overseas this year will probably break the bank. I’ve checked the flights, and they already cost a fortune.
But let’s return to our dialogue. Allan has found a way to keep his kids busy without spending a fortune - he takes them to play in the park. He said,
It’s my go-to.
A go-to is something you choose often because it works well and is easy. You could also say,
- Crafts in the garden are my usual choice to keep them busy.
- A trip to the beach is my favourite option for school holidays.
So, whether something is your go-to, usual choice or favourite option, it is something you use or do often because it works well for you. For example, when I’m busy, pizza is my go-to dinner.
Allan also said,
Do your kids get on each other’s nerves during the holidays?
If someone gets on your nerves, they annoy or irritate you. I can relate to this. When I was a kid, my brother/sister used to get on my nerves all the time.
Claire replied,
They’re always at each other’s throats over the smallest things.
When people are at each other’s throats, they argue or fight a lot. Claire told me that when her kids have too much energy, they start annoying each other.
Yeah, my kids pick on each other when they get bored.
If someone picks on someone, it means they’re being a bit mean, teasing, or annoying them again and again. Just like my brother/sister did to me. It’s not always fighting, but it can still cause arguments.
Claire also said,
I feel like I’m constantly playing referee. It’s exhausting.
A referee is the person in sports like football or basketball, who makes the rules and decides who is right. During the World Cup - which you can follow on SBS On Demand - you’ll hear this word in every match. Every time you hear a (SFX) whistle, that’s the referee.
At home, if you’re a parent who stops arguments and makes sure everyone is fair, you can say,
I have to play referee when they fight over which game to play.
And if listening to your kids fighting annoys you, you can say,
After a few hours, the arguing can get a bit much.
You can use ‘get a bit much’ to say that something is starting to feel too much for you to bear, even if it was okay at the beginning.
For example, at the start of school holidays Allan loved spending all day with his kids, but after the first week, he said,
Looking after the kids all day, every day, can get a bit much.
This means that looking after kids and finding things for them to do all day can be difficult and sometimes stressful.
You could also say,
Keeping kids busy all day can really test your patience.
If something tests your patience, it makes you feel frustrated so that you find it difficult to stay. For me, waiting in traffic tests my patience. Oh, and a slow internet connection also tests my patience.
For Allan and Claire, it’s their kids - when they won’t stop arguing or when they scream how bored they are.
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Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant.
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