Finding Little Moments of Me Time During the Summer Holidays (Without Feeling Guilty)

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The summer holidays arrive with so much promise.

Long, lazy mornings. Adventures together. Ice creams in the sunshine. Bare feet in the garden. Memories waiting to be made.

And they really can be all of those things.

But if you’re the one organising the picnics, finding the sun cream, making endless snacks, refereeing sibling squabbles, planning activities, washing sticky clothes and somehow keeping the house vaguely functioning… summer can also feel incredibly overwhelming.

As mums, we’re often told to “make the most of every moment.”

What we’re not told is that we’re allowed to have moments for ourselves too.

Not extravagant spa days or weekends away. Just small pockets of breathing space that help us refill our own cup.

Because children don’t just need a happy summer.

They need a mum who feels supported too.

Let Go of the Pressure

The internet has a funny way of convincing us that every summer day should look like a family festival.

Crafts before breakfast.

A day trip by lunchtime.

Homemade ice lollies in the afternoon.

A magical sunset picnic to finish.

Real life isn’t like that.

Some days, surviving until bedtime is enough.

Your children don’t need a summer filled with perfectly planned activities.

They need laughter, connection and a parent who isn’t running on empty.

Wake Up Ten Minutes Earlier… If It Feels Kind

Not because you should.

But because ten quiet minutes before the house wakes can feel like finding a tiny hidden room in a busy world.

Make a cup of tea.

Sit in the garden.

Listen to the birds.

Read a chapter of your book.

Journal.

Simply breathe.

Ten minutes won’t change your whole day, but it might gently change how you begin it.

Create a Quiet Hour

Children don’t need to be entertained every minute.

Introduce a daily “quiet hour.”

For younger children this might mean colouring, audiobooks, puzzles or building with LEGO.

Older children might read, draw, write or play independently.

Meanwhile, you get permission to sit down.

Not to catch up on washing.

Not to answer emails.

To rest.

Even twenty minutes counts.

Let Boredom Do Some of the Work

When children say,

“I’m bored…”

our instinct is often to fix it immediately.

But boredom is where imagination begins.

Instead of rushing to provide entertainment, try saying:

“I wonder what you’ll think of.”

You don’t have to carry the responsibility for every minute of your children’s day.

Build Rest Into Your Adventures

You don’t have to fill every outing.

Take a blanket.

Sit beneath a tree while the children play.

Read a few pages.

Listen to a podcast with one earbud.

Watch the clouds.

Sometimes slowing down is the activity.

Lower the Housework Bar

During the summer holidays, the house will probably be messier.

Accept it.

The washing basket will multiply overnight.

The kitchen will somehow always contain crumbs.

There will be towels everywhere.

Choose the jobs that genuinely matter and let the rest wait.

The dishes don’t remember being left until tomorrow.

Your children will remember if you had the energy to laugh with them.

Share the Load

You don’t have to do everything.

Older children can:

• Fill water bottles.
• Chop fruit (with supervision where needed).
• Lay the table.
• Read to younger siblings.
• Pack picnic bags.
• Help tidy toys.
• Water the garden.

Helping gives children confidence and eases the mental load you’re carrying.

Create Tiny Daily Rituals

Me time doesn’t have to mean leaving the house.

Perhaps it’s:

• Your favourite mug every morning.
• Lighting a candle after bedtime.
• Reading for fifteen minutes.
• Watering the garden at sunset.
• Sitting outside with a blanket once everyone is asleep.
• A gentle stretch before bed.
• Five minutes of journalling.
• Listening to your favourite music while making dinner.

Little rituals become quiet anchors in busy days.

Remember That “Good Enough” Really Is Good Enough

Children don’t need a cruise director.

They don’t need elaborate crafts every afternoon.

They don’t need expensive days out every week.

Some of the most magical childhood memories are made from hosepipe water fights, jam sandwiches eaten on a picnic blanket, stories read in the shade and evenings spent chasing bubbles across the garden.

The pressure to make every day extraordinary can steal the joy from the ordinary.

And it’s often the ordinary that becomes unforgettable.

Fill Your Cup in Tiny Ways

If an hour feels impossible, look for five minutes.

• Drink your tea while it’s still hot.
• Step outside barefoot.
• Read one chapter.
• Sit in the sunshine.
• Close your eyes for a moment.
• Listen to the birds.
• Write down three good things about today.
• Say no to one thing that doesn’t really matter.

These little moments don’t seem like much.

But, collected together, they become a gentle reminder that you matter too.

A Summer to Remember… For Everyone

When your children look back on these holidays years from now, they won’t remember whether every craft was perfectly organised or whether the house was spotless.

They’ll remember how it felt.

The giggles over melted ice creams.

The evenings spent watching the sky turn pink.

The stories you read together.

The spontaneous dance parties in the kitchen.

And they’ll remember you.

Not the endlessly productive version of you.

The one who laughed, rested when she could, said yes to muddy puddles, no to unnecessary pressure, and discovered that looking after herself wasn’t taking something away from her family.

It was one of the greatest gifts she could give them.

So this summer, alongside making memories with your children, make a little space for yourself too.

You deserve to be part of the joy, not just the person creating it.