Travelling this summer? Holiday tips for mums to stay sane

Travelling this summer? Holiday tips for mums to stay sane

The holidays can be stressful – especially the summer holidays. The longest on the school calendar, there’s a lot of pressure to keep boredom at bay, and to stay on top of your finances, too.

After the first few weeks, you and your children may well wish school was open, but you still have t battle it out until the first week of September. Going away somewhere can lessen the stress (a bit), but you still have – here are a few ideas to help you keep your sanity this holiday season:

Make a list (and check it twice)
If you’re a regular on Motherswhowork.co.uk, you’ll know that we’re advocates of lists. You can never have enough lists, in our view! Shopping for holidays is no different. Keep your shopping list with you whether you hit the shops or buy online. That way, you won’t get overwhelmed (or worse – overspend!).

Check clothes – don’t take anything for granted
If you have children you’ll know how quickly they can grow out of clothes and shoes. Don’t just assume that because you brought a whole load of new clothes a couple of dress sizes last summer that they will fit – check!

You may be surprised to see that t-shirts that were bags are now a crop top on your loved one. Better to find that out at home than on holiday.

Don’t go into a panic at the thought of spending more money – just – check out this link now for some bargains; holiday clothes really don’t have to cost a small fortune.

Pack as you shop
If you always leave everything to the night before your fly out, or drive out, you’ll be exhausted by the time you’ve packed for the family and you won’t e in the best of moods the morning of the trip. Grouchy mum equals miserable family!

So, avoid this by packing as you shop. Starting early (and with a list!) will mean that you’re less likely to forget the little things that make the trip all the more enjoyable – dummies, family games etc.

Cook in advance
So you’re going on holiday and the last thing you probably want to do is cook. Imagine coming home exhausted after an activity packed family holiday and realising that there’s nothing edible in the house…misery! Now imagine how efficient you’ll feel when you can just whip it out of the freezer, defrost in the microwave and serve to the family – as if by magic!

Now, the same applies for going away. Whatever little snacks and finger foods your family loves, get them ready. You’ll save a small fortune at the airport and a happy tim can really keep gripes and grumbles at bay…especially with tired and bored children.

Did you know that you can make mashed potatoes during the summer, freeze them, and have them ready for the holidays? Mashed potatoes can be kept in the freezer for months if you use a freezer-friendly recipe. Cook your mashed potatoes in advance and offer to bring them to Christmas dinner. You can skip the stress of cooking, because they’ll be ready and waiting for you.

Limit your travel time
The holidays are about family, but they are also about togetherness and making memories. If you’re spending your holidays trapped in the car together, driving down traffic-jammed roads, stressed out and hot consider ways to travel less. Yes, it may save you £50 or so on the cost of the holiday, but is it worth the misery and stress?

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.