Winter Break with kids

I am not on Winter Break, I am actually oncall since Friday. The kids are on winter break. Kids should not be let out of school or structured enviroment for as long as winter break lasts. Kids tend to get testy with the limits and household rules, well really testy. Even though they have new toys and things to keep them busy along with their older toys and things, they get bored quickly or at least that is what they tell us. Its been a little too cold to go outside for long lengths of time, and well there is no snow to play in. Parents start to get anxious, frustrated and unsure of their parenting skills. And they even have books they got from Santa to read and enjoy, but they want to read mine. Maybe I should let them. But it makes for my not being able to do any reading. If I were on winter break we would be in florida visiting family or at some resort somewhere. But since I am not we are here trying to be parents during winter break.