For lots of working parents there is this guilty feeling as the school summer holidays loom. We are torn between perfect social media posts reminding us to be present; we only have a finite amount of special summer holidays in which we absolutely must make the most amazing family memories. Yet for a lot of us we still need to manage jobs and busy workloads in amongst the spiralling cost of childcare.

‘Being present’ can be, well, just pretty damn difficult

Whilst staying on top of your own nutrition and physical activity might just seem like the straw that breaks the camel’s back, I’ve put together 7 tips as to how to make sure you can protect your own health and wellbeing this summer without the overwhelm that often comes with well-meaning health advice.

I’m a working parent. Don’t tell me more stuff I should be doing

I promise I’m not giving you extra work, or expecting picture perfect meals…this is about getting through the summer and maybe even enjoying it. I am a realist and I’m also a working mum. Here’s 7 ideas from one working parent to another.

1. Have that conversation

Childcare responsibilities still often fall predominantly on one caregiver. Whilst this balance might work for you during term time, it can be a lot to put on one person over summer holidays. It is essential to your own health and the health of your relationships that you and anyone you share caregiving responsibilities with such as a partner, have sat down and discussed the plan for the next few weeks, how responsibilities can best be shared and how you can support each other. Without this conversation we can often jump to conclusions or have unrealistic expectations so that when they don’t happen it leads to increased stress for you.

2. Have a shared calendar

This doesn’t mean the next 6 weeks need to be planned with military precision but if all caregivers can see things you do have planned or the childcare you do have organised, along with the post code for that kid’s birthday party it helps everyone plan work and deadlines around these events. Apple calendars or Google calendars can be set to allow multiple people access and often will sync with other time management applications.

• Here is the Apple guide to setting up a shared calendar.
• Here is the Google guide to setting up a shared calendar.

3. Think about ‘holiday food’

Did I mention my two year old ate 4 packets of crisps in a row last week? I promise no one is perfect. And no, I didn’t realise until packet 4!

We all need a break from the monotony of cooking family meals sometimes. Often over holidays this means the introduction of ultra processed foods and snacks that don’t make it in the weekly shopping basket during term time. What we don’t perhaps realise the negative impact that processed foods, sometimes high in sugar, sweeteners, artificial colours or flavour enhancers can have on our children’s mood. You can read more about it here.

Why is holiday food different?

Why do we often change the foods we buy over school holidays? Is it to make holidays seem special? For easy options? Is it to stop being asked for a snack for the thirtieth time in a day? Whilst I am not suggesting only home cooked food should pass your children’s’ lips, what I am asking is you reflect on why your eating habits might differ over school holidays and if this is serving you? Does it really help you balance everything? Does it create special memories for the kids? I’m guessing the answers are probably a bit of a ‘yes’ and then a bit of a ‘no’. In which case it’s being mindful of how often these foods are offered and if there is a way to offer something more nutrient dense at meal times between holiday snack food, or trying not to associate ultra processed snack with reward.

So what can you do? Get the kids involved in planning a holiday food menu that they might be able to help you prepare is a great place to start. We have found these kids’ knives brilliant for helping them get involved in food preparation in a safe way.

Homemade pizzas, french toast (we have to use dinosaur cutters to make french toast dinosaurs), pancakes, fruit salads, vegetable kebabs and omelettes are just a few ideas of food the kids can get involved in.

4. Meal/food plan

You might already do this during term time, but with a few more to feed at lunch and throughout the day your normal planning process might need to change slightly. Factor in easy lunches for everyone and snacks. This will also help with managing less nutrient dense snacks and including them as part of a more balanced diet. Have evening meals that can be frozen/defrosted easily if plans end up changing and you eat out or get home late.

Use this guide to help plan meals and portions. Planning around the protein is a good place to start.

BBC Food has some great inspiration for healthy snacks for kids as does the child nutritionist SR Nutrition here.  

5. Keep some routine

Longer sleep duration in children is associated with better emotional regulation…. To me that says sticking to regular bed time where possible might reduce the tantrums and fighting between my five year old and my two year old. I’m here for that. Trying to keep some elements of your normal routine, such as bath time, reading books, brushing teeth and dimming lights might help keep bed times as painless as possible. Keeping sugary foods for earlier on in the day might help balance blood sugar ready for a restful night’s sleep.

6. Your wellbeing matters

Factor in stuff for you. Put it in the diary and guard it with your life. I would put money on your summer school holiday planning currently only focusing on entertaining the kids and work. What about stuff actually for you? This doesn’t need to be a luxurious spa break (although if you can, why not), it could be as simple as a child-free walk, a gym session, yoga class or dinner with friends. It might sound crazy but I have actually taken out gym membership over summer specifically for this reason. I can ring fence my time, I have invested financially in it which helps make me go, I can be out of the house and not tempted to do other jobs and I can even listen to my own music without cries for the Frozen soundtrack. It might seem counterintuitive but I promise it makes sense.

7. Is this a good opportunity for a social media detox?

Just a thought.

Putting pressure on ourselves for summer holidays to be some kind of magical experience for kids and parents alike puts unrealistic expectations on what can be a really difficult balancing act. This does nothing more than add to parental guilt, stress and all the negative emotions we are specifically trying to avoid during this time. It can be difficult to remember that often what you see on social media is not reality. Why not try a few days offline and see how it goes?

I’d love to hear how you manage school summer holidays or if you have found any of these tips useful. Let me know info@beccameadowsnutrition.co.uk.