The mid-year school break is upon us, while the pandemic and work-from-home arrangements persist. Don’t sweat it, parents—here’s what you can do to make it an enjoyable time for you and your kids
The school holidays can seem to be never-ending days, now that the kids are attached to your hip, testing your patience and threatening to push your sanity over the edge. It should be a precious time to bond with our kids, but without school to occupy them, many of us inevitably find these long days a nightmare.
With the pandemic still going on and socialising restrictions in place, finding activities to keep the kids busy is challenging. For me, the school holidays mean a decrease in my work productivity but also an increase in my personal happiness—for me, it’s about making some sacrifices pertaining to work, and making the moments with my children count.
Relish happy moments together
I recently saw a friend’s post on Facebook about losing a loved one to Covid-19, and it brought up memories of the people I’ve known and lost due to the pandemic. I thought about how carelessly we rush through our days, especially when we feel worried and anxious. Only when we lose something, do we regret not holding onto it.
Which is why I intend to spend time more meaningfully with my kids. It’s easy to fall into the “martyr mum” syndrome and block out entire days to spend every waking moment with them, but I would rather give them quality over quantity, when it comes to my time. By planning moments when I can be fully present and focused, I can be more engaged when spending time with them.
Related: How You and Your Kids Can Survive and Thrive With Home-Based Learning