14/08/2026
As parents, the summer holidays can bring up a lot of emotions - joy, excitement, dread, anxiety. It can leave us overstimulated and exhausted. Here are a few ways to cope with the summer holidays without losing your cool.
A peaceful evening ritual: Your mornings might not be quiet or slow, but your evenings can be. Take some time for yourself after the kids have gone to bed. Enjoy the lighter evenings in your garden, watch a film or cuddle up with your favourite book.
Respect your limits: It is okay to say no. You don’t have to go to every outing, you don’t have to spend time with people you don’t like, you don’t have to do every activity. Saying no is the best form of inner kindness.
Move your body: A light stretch in your living room (even while the kids are running riot) or a slow walk to the park (with or without your little ones) can work wonders to reset your mind and get the blood flowing.
Disconnect to reconnect: While it can be tempting to doom scroll when you have a minute to yourself, it can also be damaging for our mental health. Try taking time off screens and social media for a while to come back to the present moment.
Find joy in the little things: Self care doesn’t always have to mean a full day at the spa or a night out with friends. Small moments like drinking a cool beverage, the smell of fresh flowers or a full belly laugh can be enough to regulate the nervous system.
Remember, you are not alone and you are not a bad parent for feeling overwhelmed with the summer holidays. It may not be possible to do all of these every single day but if you can choose a single moment for yourself, often that is enough.
Are there any other ways you look after yourself in the summer holidays? Let us know in the comments.
