Surviving the Summer Holidays (Without Completely Losing Your Mind!)
Every year, we look forward to the summer holidays.
Long evenings in the garden, days out with the children, ice creams, picnics, family memories and that picture perfect vision of everyone laughing while the sun shines.
Then reality arrives.
The summer holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year for parents.
We’re trying to juggle work, home life, endless washing, keeping on top of the house, entertaining the children, walking the dog, filling the fridge, answering emails, meeting deadlines and somehow remembering to look after ourselves too.
Parent guilt in the summer is a very real thing.
Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who gets the whole six weeks off, (and let’s face it that is still a struggle and I’m quietly confident whilst I sit writing this that some of you secretly can’t wait to get back to work!) it’s hard work. It’s exhausting. And if I’m completely honest, there have been moments this summer where I’ve genuinely wanted to sit and cry… while simultaneously hoping I’ll win the Magic FM Friday competition so someone else can take over for a bit!
I’m usually a pretty organised person. I love a list, I thrive on routine and I genuinely believe that an organised home makes life feel calmer.
So naturally, the week before school broke up I had everything under control.
Or so I thought.
I’d bought enough snacks to last until October half-term.
There isn’t even a peanut left.
I’d organised Dennie’s wardrobe into complete outfits to make mornings easier.
By day two, every single outfit seemed to be spread across her bedroom floor.
I deep cleaned the house, including the sofa.
The dog was sick on it the following day.
I even considered cleaning the car ready for lovely family days out.
After everything else, I looked at it and simply thought…
“Nope.”
Some battles just aren’t worth fighting.
This year has been different for us.
In previous summers I’ve been fortunate enough to take time away from work, but this year our diary simply doesn’t allow it. Between looking after our clients, managing our Airbnbs, keeping our business running and trying to make sure Dennie still has a brilliant summer, it’s been a constant balancing act.
It’s rewarding.
It’s also incredibly hard work.
So if you’re reading this on week one (or week four!) feeling tired, overwhelmed and secretly counting down the days until school starts again…
Please know you’re not alone.
And to every parent who’s ever admitted on social media that they couldn’t wait for the summer holidays to be over…
I owe you an apology.
I get it now.
I really do.
So here’s my completely unofficial guide to surviving the summer holidays with your sanity still intact…
* Go with it. Not every day has to be magical.
* Keep on top of the washing before it takes over the house.
* Wipe the kitchen sides every morning and keep the toilets clean. If those are done, you’re already winning.
* Hoover a few times a week.
* Give the sofa cushions a fluff. It somehow makes the whole room feel tidier.
* Don’t feel guilty if dinner occasionally comes in a cardboard box.
* Keep a bottle of gin handy for those warm summer evenings… you’ve earned it!
* And whatever you do… don’t buy six weeks’ worth of snacks. They’ll disappear in three days and you’ll be wondering who ate them all.
Most importantly, remember this…
Your children won’t remember whether the washing basket was empty. You will though, probably at 3am so please try and keep this under control.
They won’t remember whether the kitchen floor needed mopping.
They’ll remember that you laughed with them, watched a film together, built a den, had a water fight or let them stay up a little later because it was still light outside.
The house can wait.
The emails can wait for an hour.
Perfection can definitely wait.
Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough.
And finally…
Book a holiday for October.
Because after surviving six weeks of summer…
We’ve all earned one.
Every year, we look forward to the summer holidays.
Long evenings in the garden, days out with the children, ice creams, picnics, family memories and that picture perfect vision of everyone laughing while the sun shines.
Then reality arrives.
The summer holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year for parents.
We’re trying to juggle work, home life, endless washing, keeping on top of the house, entertaining the children, walking the dog, filling the fridge, answering emails, meeting deadlines and somehow remembering to look after ourselves too.
Parent guilt in the summer is a very real thing.
Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who gets the whole six weeks off, (and let’s face it that is still a struggle and I’m quietly confident whilst I sit writing this that some of you secretly can’t wait to get back to work!) it’s hard work. It’s exhausting. And if I’m completely honest, there have been moments this summer where I’ve genuinely wanted to sit and cry… while simultaneously hoping I’ll win the Magic FM Friday competition so someone else can take over for a bit!
I’m usually a pretty organised person. I love a list, I thrive on routine and I genuinely believe that an organised home makes life feel calmer.
So naturally, the week before school broke up I had everything under control.
Or so I thought.
I’d bought enough snacks to last until October half-term.
There isn’t even a peanut left.
I’d organised Dennie’s wardrobe into complete outfits to make mornings easier.
By day two, every single outfit seemed to be spread across her bedroom floor.
I deep cleaned the house, including the sofa.
The dog was sick on it the following day.
I even considered cleaning the car ready for lovely family days out.
After everything else, I looked at it and simply thought…
“Nope.”
Some battles just aren’t worth fighting.
This year has been different for us.
In previous summers I’ve been fortunate enough to take time away from work, but this year our diary simply doesn’t allow it. Between looking after our clients, managing our Airbnbs, keeping our business running and trying to make sure Dennie still has a brilliant summer, it’s been a constant balancing act.
It’s rewarding.
It’s also incredibly hard work.
So if you’re reading this on week one (or week four!) feeling tired, overwhelmed and secretly counting down the days until school starts again…
Please know you’re not alone.
And to every parent who’s ever admitted on social media that they couldn’t wait for the summer holidays to be over…
I owe you an apology.
I get it now.
I really do.
So here’s my completely unofficial guide to surviving the summer holidays with your sanity still intact…
* Go with it. Not every day has to be magical.
* Keep on top of the washing before it takes over the house.
* Wipe the kitchen sides every morning and keep the toilets clean. If those are done, you’re already winning.
* Hoover a few times a week.
* Give the sofa cushions a fluff. It somehow makes the whole room feel tidier.
* Don’t feel guilty if dinner occasionally comes in a cardboard box.
* Keep a bottle of gin handy for those warm summer evenings… you’ve earned it!
* And whatever you do… don’t buy six weeks’ worth of snacks. They’ll disappear in three days and you’ll be wondering who ate them all.
Most importantly, remember this…
Your children won’t remember whether the washing basket was empty. You will though, probably at 3am so please try and keep this under control.
They won’t remember whether the kitchen floor needed mopping.
They’ll remember that you laughed with them, watched a film together, built a den, had a water fight or let them stay up a little later because it was still light outside.
The house can wait.
The emails can wait for an hour.
Perfection can definitely wait.
Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough.
And finally…
Book a holiday for October.
Because after surviving six weeks of summer…
We’ve all earned one.
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