These past few weeks I’ve been overwhelmed planning the summer holiday.
It is my first time experiencing and having to navigate ‘school holidays’ as until January this year, my Son had been in full-time childcare.
But, after turning 3 and receiving government support for working parents, our Son has been going to pre-school term-time only.
Planning school holidays
Planning activities for half terms have been enjoyable and relatively easy (some suggestions here). But, the thought of filling 6 weeks with fun, active, educational, and affordable activities makes me uneasy.
While I love making plans, and organising fun days out, activities, and holidays, the stresses of doing so for 6 weeks, including travelling with a toddler riddled with allergies, the financial obligations, and experiencing summer holidays, as a whole, are stressful.
As parents and caregivers, we do our best – and with perseverance, careful planning, and many late nights, I have soldiered on to create a summer holiday plan!
Summer holiday ideas
I have booked an all-inclusive (our first) summer holiday abroad, a weekend hanging out and camping with friends, a family get-together and trip to LegoLand, plus a short stay with family in Leeds.
Between these, I am sure there will also be fun days out at local parks, enjoying bike rides and picnics, adventure playgrounds, perhaps the cinema for a toddler screening, and a whole lot more.
Getting organised & stress management tips
If you are feeling particularly overwhelmed like I have been, here are some tips that worked for me to help manage pre-holiday stress:
- Make a to-do list to help you remember the important things.
- Prioritise this list to help you focus on planning and booking the most important/urgent trips and activities first.
- Ask for help and involve the family, as well as friends and relatives, for larger group activities so the burden isn’t on one person.
- Plan ahead and get organised with as much time as possible. If you are juggling work too, organise and prioritise your workload a few weeks in advance so there is plenty of room for manoeuvre.
- Space out activities and trips so you have breathing room. Try alternating bigger trips with smaller day activities, ensuring you have a few ‘quieter’ down/at-home days in between.
- Involve children in planning. Letting them input into the schedule or helping with the shopping and packing will make them feel involved and excited about the experience.
- Get prepared and do your research by checking the climate, weather, visas, and health requirements for your destination.
- Sort out repeat prescriptions for you and the family. For us, this includes EpiPens, asthma inhalers, antihistamines, eczema creams, and toddler paracetamol solution.
- Dot the i’s and cross the t’s by checking your documents, saving booking references, downloading boarding passes, and making sure your passports haven’t expired ahead of time and your tickets and documents are correct for travelling.
