School is almost out for the Summer!

Somehow, it is July already and our thoughts tend to lend themselves to holidays and, if we have younger children, to what we might do to entertain them as school closes for almost seven weeks! If we have teenagers, we might be wondering how we encourage them to get off screen time and get some fresh air or we might be wondering where they are all the time!

I fall into the teenager camp and with my youngest teen, the issue of screen time, but I have friends with who have the opposite issue and worry about what they are up to outside of the home.

Then there are some of you who need to work and worry that you are not there enough for your children and of course, there are some of you who will find it hard to feed your children in the holidays, let alone entertain them.

Times are becoming tougher here in the UK as the cost of living goes up and school holidays can be a real challenge.

When my children were smaller, I used to worry about how I would entertain them in the holidays. I usually made sure there were plenty of playdates and the odd trip to a zoo, farm, indoor play area thrown into the mix. It used to be exhausting, especially when it was my turn to host the play date or take a few of their friends with us to one of the days out we did.

If I am honest, I almost counted down the days to when they would be back in school.

However, there was also a noticeably big part of me who just loved having them around.

The best days were when they were with their friends, and we would go to a park (it kept the mess in the house to a minimum!) They were able just to enjoy themselves and have fun, while I handed out snacks and drinks and kept an eye on them.

I used to love seeing how they all interacted, and I loved the laughter.

It was usually those simpler trips out which were the most successful and the cheapest too.

As they have grown older, they need me less in that way. I can’t imagine my 15 year old wanting me to take him to the park now!

It’s when I look back that I realise that the days when I could just be with them were the best. I realise, I am only remembering the good bits but that is also when all they really needed was my time.

I realise that all along, the key is to be present.

Whatever amount of time you have with them in the holidays, just try to be present.

I know this can be hard when there’s always so much else to do and when we often have so much else going on, but we can try our best can’t we?

In fact, I want you to promise yourself that you will not worry about whether you are doing “enough” for them. Just being there is enough.

You see, when we worry, we are not being present, and we are less likely to relax and enjoy each moment.

Why, am I sharing all this with you?

We are always teaching our children by the way we act, so by being present you are teaching that to them too.

I am also sharing it because their childhood is but a fleeting moment.

One day you will turn round and wish you hadn’t worried and wish you had savoured more of those little wins – like hearing them having fun.

Do not forget to have fun yourself. Perhaps you can climb a tree with them, have a picnic, go on a swing, have a tea party. Or if you are doing something more adventurous, you can have a go too.

Or maybe like me, finding the joy, is allowing them to have fun whilst having a coffee and handing out snacks!

If you are lucky enough to have holiday away from home, I hope you have the best time and manage to relax too.

Wishing you a wonderful Summer, whatever it looks like. Remember to look after yourself too.

If you are struggling and need some support with this or any other issue, then maybe I can help.

Why not book a free discovery call to find out ?