Thriving in The School Holidays
School holidays are a unique time, offering both wonderful opportunities and of course a few challenges as we navigate outside the usual school timetable.
Here are a couple of ways to make the most of them:
Embrace the Power of Nature: Get outside whenever you can! Miranda recently took her kids to Westpark Lake as part of a work trip. It was a long journey, but as soon they were near the water, nature worked its magic – everyone became calm and collected. There are so many local canals to visit. We have family wellbeing sessions (aimed at families with primary school kids) at both Foxton Locks, Leicester and Manchester City Centre over the holidays.
Master Holiday Meltdowns: Check out our Parent Meltdown Masterclass, currently available with a massive summer sale! It's packed with practical tools to help you navigate those challenging moments. Use code summersale for 50% off.
Build a "Yes" Day Jar: Let your kids contribute ideas for fun, easy activities they'd love to do (think simple crafts, a special snack, or a quick game). Write them on slips of paper and put them in a jar. On days when you need a little spark, let them pick one! It gives them a sense of control and sparks joy.
Create a Holiday Activity Calendar: Help ease anxieties and build excitement by mapping out key activities for the weeks ahead. A visual calendar helps kids know what's coming, providing comfort and something fun to look forward to. Even simple notes like "Park Day" or "Movie Night" can make a big difference!
Encourage Connection & Conversation: Holiday time is perfect for deeper chats. Try asking open-ended questions at dinner or during a walk. Instead of "How was your day?", try "What was the funniest thing that happened today?" or "What's one thing you're looking forward to this week?" These small moments build big connections.
Shine a Light On Glimmers: It's easy to compare your summer to others, especially with so many amazing adventures shared online. Instead, encourage yourself and your kids to focus on finding and celebrating the tiny moments of joy – those "glimmers" that make everyday life special, no matter where you are. They're often the most precious memories!
Take 5 for you: The school holidays can turn into a time when we become focused on the kids and our days can become all about on how to keep them entertained and happy whilst juggling the other things on the to do list. Whenever you can give yourself some well needed time. Even if you can only manage a few minutes to take some mindful deep breaths…it becomes so much easier to care for others when we are in a better space ourselves. Taking just 5 mins everyday to do something for yourself can be game changing for good mental health and to get you into a great space to navigate the school holidays.
Highlight so far for us yesterday was I grabbed a few bowls and took my kids blackberry picking at the back of out house, at first my youngest needed a bit (actually a lot) of encouragement to go outside but when she started picking those big juicy blackberries she soon forgot to be grumpy about coming outside.
The blackberries were turned into the most beautiful crumble I’ve ever tasted. It was so nice to sit around the dinner table, just enjoying being together and eating something that we had created. These for me are the best moments, the tiny glimmers to cherish and best of all… it was free.
Searching for glimmers and shining a light on them can help us have a more positive mindset - give it a go. What glimmer have you had today?