“As a parent, August always feels like it’s ticking down louder than it should. One minute you’re stuffing ice lollies into the freezer, the next you’re haphazardly labelling jumpers and wondering how another summer vanished in a blur of snacks, noise and screentime battles,” says Kayleigh Dray, writer and mother to a three-year-old and one-year-old.
“It’s tempting, then, to power through the final days of the holidays and start getting on top of all those ‘back to school’ (or, in my case, nursery) chores but that rarely leaves anyone feeling refreshed. Instead, we need to give ourselves, and our kids, permission to slow the f**k down.
“‘The human brain is wired to respond to change and uncertainty with increased cognitive and emotional load,’ says Dr Sasha M Hall, founder of Hall & Co Educational Psychology Services. ‘If we skip rest, we increase the likelihood of emotional dysregulation, leading to snappiness, forgetfulness or even shutdown. Giving ourselves permission to pause and truly rest, protects our energy and enables us to carry on through the weeks ahead.’
“Dr Hall adds that ‘children learn how to manage transitions by watching how we do it,’ so, if we model rushing, multitasking or emotional overload, they learn that this is ‘normal’. ‘If we model intentional slowing down, they internalise that rhythm and it will become their own,’ she says.
“That means doing less. Saying no. Letting the kids enjoy (intentional) guilt-free screen time to give everyone a break. It means ditching the endless scrolling and tidying up together, not alone. It means creating a gentle routine that mimics the school day, without the pressure to perform. And it means doing something just for you. ‘Read, write, start a hobby – something that reminds you that you are more than a parent or an employee,’ says Dr Hall.
“Essentially, we don’t need to ‘make the most’ of every last day. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do – for them and for ourselves – is nothing at all.”
