Every year I say ‘we’ve done too much this summer it’s been stressful thank God next summer won’t be like that.
And then, here I am, counting down the days and thinking how frantic I’ve been.
Kids are a young 13 and 10 - I own my own agency business so although I have flex, a lot of the childcare and associated planning or admin for clubs / in laws / my parents to have them is on me. We’re very lucky to have so much help but it’s a struggle to find clubs now so I’m covering more and more days myself to take the strain away from ageing grandparents.
We like to have a full 2 weeks away as a family - usually a Eurocamp style campsite recently involving long ferry and car journeys and a lot of packing / prep.
Then there’s always stuff that comes up I can’t say no to: 2 family weddings, parent or in-law big birthday weekends, Golden wedding weekends.
Then there’s stuff I feel pathetic about not doing ‘because I’m too stressed’ like a family music festival or a day and a show in London. The kids LOVE this and I’d feel like I’m depriving them if I stopped doing those.
But this year work has also been crazy despite my best efforts; clients ultimately call the shots and 2 big decisions and a new pitch all came through whilst we were away.
Next year, we already have a family wedding abroad a week before schools breakup and a music festival I’ve always fancied but that’s usually too far away will be taking place on our doorstep so it feels like that needs to go in the diary already….
I love pottering at home and have had no time to breathe since about 14th July.
Do I just suck it up - made my bed (kids, business) so lie in it??
Do I adjust expectations and start to cancel the icing on the cake stuff and stick with the ‘compulsory’ attendance only?!
Any other advice on how to make it less of an endurance event and more of a ‘making memories’ summer?!?!