Tag: holiday

Pre Holiday stress

Pre Holiday stress

This week I have taken annual leave to spend some time with my boys for their second week of school holidays.

Over the last few years, I have vowed each time I have taken leave to be organised, on top of everything and ease into my leave feeling relaxed. My current role is busier than ever and while I am an organised person there is always the last minute rush when you realise everything you want to achieve. Add to that the mad panic of colleagues when they realise you are not contactable for a week and book meetings into every spare minute.

So each time I feel I limp across the finish line with everything done or delegated but with a stressed and tired body and mind.

Sometimes I wonder if the week off is worth it. Especially during times of lockdown when no visitors can come to the house and places to visit are limited.

However I was lucky enough to meet up with my parents who I hadn’t seen for over four months due to lockdowns. And the boys and I watched some movies, played some games and had lots of laughs. They protested my singing as I turned the music loud when doing housework, and praised my baking as they demolished scones and biscuits.

In all I will say it is worth the stress. When I log back on to work tomorrow and see the mess that is waiting for me I will take a deep breath, make a cup of tea and start plans for my Christmas leave and how I will avoid the pre holiday stress next time!

Making memories

Making memories

I have had a week off work this week to spend the second week of the school holidays with my boys.

For the first time in a long time, and much to the boys delight, I have totally avoided work. No phone calls or checking of emails. In fact, as we went away to Phillip Island for four days, we had very little screen time (other than movie nights) and lots of time for making memories. Mini golf and mazes, magic shows, chocolate factories, animals – Phillip Island has so many great family activities. At the end of the four days after much fun, laughter and time for connecting with each other it felt wonderful to hear the boys say how they would miss the holiday and how much fun they had.

Today, being the first day back home, I was doing housework and getting myself organised when I noticed my youngest just sitting in the driveway looking around. I called out to see if he was ok and he ran over and said “come look at the clouds Mummy”. This turned into nearly an hour of sitting on the driveway with him and his brother talking about what pictures we saw in the clouds, looking for planes and endless games of eye spy.

Sometimes making memories can be from grand gestures, holidays and amazing activities. Often though, it is from the simple things that fill us with happiness and laughter. It is so easy to forget how important giving time to our children is – and how simple it can be to make a memory.