1 in 3 parents anticipate a summer without any anxiety-free days, according to Talker Research. With family routines disrupted and little downtime for parents, the school break can often brings more stress than relaxation.
Trying to entertain children for 13 hours a day, attempting to create long-lasting summer memories, keeping their extra-curricular activities going, arranging playdates, organising a family get away, park visits, managing to keep that 8pm bedtime as precisely as possible, barbecues to organise, all whilst keeping up with your 9-5 – sound familiar? This is the reality for so many parents across the UK, and for some, this pressure feels like a weight that can’t be lifted.
Leading mental health charity – Living Well UK have put together some practical, easy-to-implement tips to combat that sense of anxiousness that you may be feeling over the summer. Holly Beedon, Clinical Lead at Living Well UK, has put together some top tips for combating any anxiousness that parents may be experiencing through the summer season.
Routine is key!
Summer often disrupts our day-to-day, and with a newfound lack of routine there can be a complete disruption to both parents and children. What tends to go out of the window is any sense of normality, and the day to day can begin to slip into spontaneity or complacency.
Beedon opens up the conversation on how we can better manage a Summer routine, that will benefit both you and your children: “At the start of each week, sit down and write a loose plan which that maps out what both you and your child or children need. This can be work commitments, appointments you have to make time for, shopping trips you can’t avoid, activities for the kids, anything and everything – this will mean that the whole family can visualise each day.
Make sure you block in a couple of hours for you to refresh every day, get stuck into a good book, go and meet your friend for a drink or have a self-care evening – these small allocated slots of time will make the rush around the clock feel like there’s a little part for you at the start, end or in the middle of each day.”
To make sure your children are getting their daily dose of parental attention: organise a fun activity to do each day!
Keep it moving!
According to the Mental Health Foundation, 45% of UK adults feel that their mental health can be improved through physical activity. Therefore, pencilling in a walk, a 15-minute video with a quick workout, or a garden obstacle course with the kids are easy options that will not only benefit your mental health but will help your kids out too.
Holly explains how keeping things moving can be beneficial to our mental health, and help alleviate the summer stress: “The summer holidays can be full-on, but building in small moments of movement – for you and the kids, can make a real difference. Whether it’s a walk to the park, a quick dance break, or turning chores into a game, physical activity helps burn off energy, boost everyone’s mood, and ease some of that holiday stress. Try to make the mundane meaningful and it might help to alleviate some stress.”
It Takes a Village
Parenting can feel isolating, especially in the long summer break, but it doesn’t have to be a solo task. Over the summer, make sure you reach out to trusted friends, family or even local community groups that can give you someone to lean on during the stress of summer. Sometimes, just knowing that someone else can be there to lean on is reassuring.
Community is the safety net that catches us when we don’t even know we need it, Holly explains how important it is to not forget this: “Feeling like you have to do it all alone can take a real toll on your mental health, especially over the long summer break. Reaching out, even just for a quick catch-up or to share the ups and downs, can ease feelings of isolation, lighten the emotional load, and remind you that support is out there. Connection to our network – our community, filled with family, friends, colleagues and more – really does protect our wellbeing.”
Flip the Script
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have to create a ‘perfect’ summer – but shifting your mindset can work wonders. Instead of aiming for big-ticket days out or jam-packed schedules, focus on simple wins: slow mornings, spontaneous moments, or just saying yes to a bit of silliness. Let go of the pressure to perform, and instead give yourself permission to do summer your way.
Beedon shares how reframing expectations can help protect your mental health: “Sometimes, the biggest source of stress is the pressure we put on ourselves to make everything magical. But often, what children remember most are the ordinary moments filled with connection, not the perfectly planned ones. By taking the pressure off and embracing what works for your family, you create a summer that’s sustainable, joyful, and far kinder to your mental health.”
