Summer Holidays Got You Stressed? Here’s How to Survive (and What’s Really Going On in Your Brain)

When the school holidays arrive, the pressure flips on.

You love your kids. You want to create happy memories. But you’re also quietly thinking, 'How am I going to manage six weeks of this without losing my mind?'

Suddenly you’re playing event planner, lunch chef, emotions mediator, cleaner - and still trying to do your job too. You might feel like you need to orchestrate perfection just to keep the peace.

If the thought of the school holidays fills you with a mix of guilt, anxiety and the urge to Google 'how to entertain kids without losing your mind,' you're not the only one.

I work with so many women - especially mums - who love their children deeply but feel completely overstretched the moment the summer holidays roll around.

Whether you’re juggling work, managing neurodiverse needs, co-parenting or just trying to keep your household afloat, the holidays can feel like a pressure cooker.

You Are Not Alone

If you’re nodding along thinking, 'Surely it’s not just me that's stressed about the Summer Holidays?' - you’re right.

According to Action for Children, over half of UK parents say they feel anxious or stressed about the school holidays. On top of that, multiple studies show that in particular mums carry most of the mental load - especially when it comes to managing emotions, routines, and schedules. In the UK specifically, 73% of mothers believe they take on the majority of this invisible labour.

Why the Summer Holidays Feel So Mentally Exhausting

This time of year adds extra layers of pressure. During the school term, routines anchor your day. Take them away and your brain loses its structure.

The summer holidays roll around and suddenly you're managing meals, activities, logistics, sibling squabbles, screen time and the constant demand for emotional support - all while still trying to do your regular job.

Even small decisions start to feel overwhelming when you're carrying the mental load without a break.

Your prefrontal cortex - the part of your brain that handles planning, emotional regulation and decision-making - starts working overtime. It’s constantly trying to juggle everything. Every snack request, every sibling disagreement, every 'What are we doing today?' piles onto the load.

At the same time, your amygdala, the brain’s built-in threat detector, can go into alert mode when you feel like you’re falling short. Thoughts like 'I’m not doing enough' or 'Everyone else is handling this better' trigger that part of the brain.

When this happens, your brain interprets these moments as a threat. Cortisol (a stress chemical) floods the system, and suddenly a rainy day or a minor meltdown can send your stress levels soaring.

It’s no wonder the smallest things can start to feel massive.

Boredom Isn’t a Bad Thing

One of the most common things I hear from parents is, 'I feel like I should be doing more.' But actually, doing less - especially when it comes to structured activities - is actually often better for your child’s development.

Research shows that boredom activates the brain’s Default Mode Network - the part responsible for creativity, imagination, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.

When kids have unstructured time, they’re not just 'doing nothing,' they’re making space to explore, imagine, and figure things out on their own.

So boredom isn’t a problem to fix. It’s a doorway to something deeper.

It’s in those quiet, unscheduled moments that children access their creativity, build resilience and start learning how to trust their own inner world. That dreamy, wandering state we often call 'daydreaming?' That’s actually the brain in a beautiful state of self-directed growth.

So no, you don’t need a colour-coded activity schedule.

And you certainly don’t have to fill every second of the holidays.

Letting your child have unstructured time isn’t lazy - it’s essential.

And honestly? It’s also way less stressful for you.

You Don’t Have to Do It All

It’s so easy to get caught up in the 'shoulds':

I should be more present.

I should be planning more.

I should be like ‘so-and-so’ on Instagram who’s posting all those happy family pics.

But let’s be real. Some days will be amazing. Some days will be a hot mess. And some days... you’ll count down to bedtime like it’s the final lap of the marathon.

What if instead of chasing a perfect summer, you just focused on small wins?

Stop the Scroll (and the Comparison Trap)

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to other parents - especially the ones online who seem to have it all together.

But remember, you’re often seeing a highlight reel, not the full reality. That mum with the Pinterest-perfect garden playdate? She might be crying into her coffee off camera. Social media is curated. It’s designed to show the wins, not the wobbles.

If you find yourself spiralling into 'I’m not doing enough' every time you scroll, it’s okay to mute, unfollow or hide their content. It’s not petty - it’s protecting your mental health.

From a neuroscience perspective, your brain is constantly filtering information through the Reticular Activating System (RAS) - this acts like a mental gatekeeper, amplifying what it thinks is important. If you're feeding it content that triggers comparison or self-doubt, your brain will start scanning for more of it, reinforcing the belief that you're falling short.

But when you intentionally change what you're consuming, you give your brain permission to focus on what actually matters to you.

Small Wins Create a Calmer Summer

You don’t need a flawless six-week itinerary. It’s okay if some days are cereal-for-dinner days.

Focus on what might make things feel just just a little easier.

That might mean lowering the bar, saying no to yet another playdate or building in ten minutes of quiet time just for you.

Ask yourself:

• What would help this week feel more manageable?

• Where can I give myself permission to do less, not more?

• What does support look like for me, too?

  
  

Good enough really is enough. 

And your kids don’t need perfection. They need a version of you that feels resourced and present.

Support Their Mental Health by Modelling Yours

Children feel more than they listen. Thanks to mirror neurons in the brain, they’re like little emotional sponges.

When you’re emotionally overloaded - even if you're trying your utmost best to hold it all together - your child’s brain is picking up on your stress.

The good news?

The opposite is true too. When you show them how to pause, breathe, and take a break, their brains learn that safety and regulation are possible.

You don’t have to do it perfectly. Simply modelling moments of rest, honesty or self-regulation helps them feel safe to do the same.

You’re Allowed to Enjoy This Time and Find It Hard

Let’s normalise the fact that summer might include connection, joy and memory-making - but also meltdowns, sibling rows and moments where you hide in the loo just to catch a breath.

You can feel overwhelmed and still love your kids with your whole heart. Letting things be 'good enough' doesn’t make you lazy or a failure - it makes you human.

You are allowed to protect your energy. You’re allowed to need space. Wanting the best for your children doesn’t mean burning yourself out to give it to them.

I hope, if anything, that this post reassures you.

That boredom isn’t failure.

Small routines aren’t cheating.

Needing space doesn’t make you selfish - it makes you human.

How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help

If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, disconnected or burnt out - before the holidays have even begun - I can help.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a gentle, forward-looking way to reduce stress and shift your mindset. You don’t need to go over the past - we focus on what’s working, what’s possible, and how you want to feel moving forward.

Whether you need to regulate your nervous system, find headspace or reconnect with yourself again, this work is designed to support you.

Let this summer be one where you feel calm, capable and connected. Not just to your children - but to yourself too.

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Book a free call to explore how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can bring peace to your summer - and your life.

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