Just checking in. Are we okay?
Because there’s something about the summer holidays, and having them home this much, where you almost lose sense of reality. The days blur. The snacks are constant. You catch yourself at 4pm not quite sure what you’ve done since breakfast, but you’re absolutely knackered from it.
I met up with some other mums the other day and honestly? It was like therapy.
I’d forgotten how much chatting to actual grown-ups lifts the weight. Having a little moan about the silly things the kids have been doing. Realising it’s not just yours behaving like that (thank god). I came home lighter.
So before we all tumble headfirst into September, here’s what’s been helping me out. Plus a few little things I’ve been reaching for.
✨ The Reset Kit
Small stuff, but it’s what’s actually working:
- Find your mums. In person. Even an hour at soft play with one eye on the ball pit. The moaning is the medicine.
- Micro-movement. Not a workout. Ten minutes of stretching on the lounge floor while my little girl dances around me. My back thanks me every time.
- Cold water on the face. Feels like a reset button on a bad afternoon, or on your wrists if you don’t want to ruin your make-up works too.
- One nice thing a day. A proper coffee. The good candle lit at 3pm for no reason. A bath before the bedtime chaos, not after. Small, but they count.
💡 I’ve been using an aromatherapy pulse point roller before bed on the really wired nights, smells like a spa and does something to my brain.
🌿 Little Wellbeing Bits I’m Reaching For
The stuff that’s genuinely made the difference lately:
- Magnesium spray on the legs before bed. Helps me relax, and sleep.
- A water bottle I actually like carrying. Ridiculous how much more I drink when it’s in reach.
- Brief journaling. Three lines before bed. What went well, what didn’t, what I want tomorrow to feel like. That’s it.
- Podcasts & reading. Something in my ears, or a book to hand when I need to step away for 5 minutes.
📚 What I’m Reading
The last stretch of summer is when I actually get through a book. Something about the slower evenings and the fact I’ve given up trying to be productive after 8pm.
I’ve pulled together a little edit of what’s on my reading list. A mix of easy holiday reads, and proper switch-off reading.
💡 Pair with a bath, an early night, and phone free few hours. That’s the whole prescription.
📱 The Phone Thing (Round Two)
Quick thank you first — it’s been so great to see how many of you interacting with Smartphone Free Childhood after last week’s back-to-school edition. The messages, the shares, the “we’re doing this too” replies. It feels like we’re part of such a positive shift.
And on that note, I’ve moved my charger out of the bedroom. Not every night. But most. The difference is crazy. I sleep better, I read more, I’m less snappy in the mornings. Nothing on my phone at 11pm needed me at 11pm.
If that feels too big a leap, even just moving it to the other side of the room helps. Anything so it’s not the first and last thing you look at. I know I need to set a better example for my children, it’s just breaking the habit!
🎒 Still On The Back-To-School Prep?
If you missed last week’s edition, it’s all still there — school shoes, uniform, bags, lunchboxes, and the kids and tech section (including the Sayph phone we’ve landed on after a lot of research).
Read My Back-to-school Guide >
🏖️ Discount Code Alert!
Speaking of finding your people — we’ve just had a wonderful stay at The Cliff in Brighton with friends and I had to share it.
Six bedrooms, all en-suite, sea views, a heated pool, and it sleeps up to 14. Japandi interiors, natural stone, that calm minimalist thing that immediately makes you breathe out when you walk in.
The kind of place designed for big family groups, milestone birthdays, or that “let’s just get everyone together” idea that never leaves the group chat.
They have kindly given you all a discount code, MAMA10 for 10% off.
💛 Small Business Shout Out – Seat To Sleep
If you’ve ever done a flight with a small child slumped sideways across your lap for six hours, this one’s for you.
It’s an inflatable travel cushion that turns a normal plane seat into a proper little sleep nest for kids aged 3+. Lightweight, easy to pack, and designed by parents who’ve clearly done the red-eye with toddlers themselves.
Award-winning, planet-conscious, and the kind of thing you wish you’d known about three holidays ago. Worth bookmarking before your next trip, I’m excited to try mine out next week when we go away!
If no one’s asked you today – how are you, actually? Not the “fine thanks” answer. The real one.
Text the mum you haven’t seen in weeks. Move the phone out the bedroom. Read the book. None of it is a plan. It’s just the small stuff that stops you losing yourself in the blur.
We’re nearly at September. We’ve got this.
Louise x
*Affiliated links used for some products and brand partnerships.