Surviving the summer holidays with your sanity intact!
The summer holidays can often be a daunting prospect for parents. No matter how much you love your children, entertaining them for 6 weeks with no respite can be a terrifying thought.
For stay at home mums, summer brings the added challenge of balancing day-to-day jobs with energetic youngsters thrown into the mix. Your usual coffee break becomes a distant memory as you juggle your excitable cherubs into the car.
Mum of two, Becci Edmondson, who is the co-founder and COO of non-fiction book summary app Joosr, knows a thing or two about surviving the summer holidays. “Six weeks is a very long time, even for the most patient parents. If you are a working mum, like me, finding childcare for the whole of the summer can be a struggle and it also comes with a large helping of guilt.” She says.
Becci turns to parenting books during the summer holidays to keep a healthy mind and happy household. Books you say? How does a mum of two have time to read? Well, here is the genius solution. Joosr condenses non-fiction books into 20-minute snippets, giving mums a chance to fit in some light reading on a busy day. Better yet, the industry leading Editor has put together her top five parenting tips from Joosr books summaries to help fellow mums survive the summer holidays with their sanity intact. So if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of a screaming household over the summer then these top tips will help:
Avoid always acting on your emotions — Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Laura Markham
“To escape a fraught summer, avoid responding to situations in anger. Wait until you have calmed down, even walking away for a moment if you have to, then deal with the situation rationally.”
Use the summer to encourage your children to develop their character — How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
“This summer encourage your kids to be curious and try to focus on praising effort, perseverance, and other character building qualities, rather than achievement!”
Never let punishment be your default go-to action — How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
“Whilst avoiding punishment might seem like the impossible dream, there are realistic, healthier alternatives, such as setting expectations and providing consequences if those expectations aren’t met.”
Ask the right questions to help them gain a better understanding of their emotions when they’re upset — The Whole-Brain Child by Tina Payne Bryson and Daniel J. Siegel
“To avoid a summer full of tantrums, ask your children the right questions in order to help them understand and deal with their emotions.”
Consider the impact your child’s emotional environment has on their development — Why Love Matters by Sue Gerhardt
“As parents, it’s easy to get carried away with the fun of summer and lack of routines, but be sure to keep in mind the effect that can have on your still developing child.”
Between thinking of fun activities and scheduling the family diary there can also be the added stress of the costliness of it all. Happily, the Joosr library of 150 titles is cheaper than the cost of Netflix and readers can start with a free 15-day trial. That’s a good two weeks to get stuck into topics that will help the holidays run a bit smoother, like, Business, Health, Money and Relationships.
To find out more about Joosr and sign up for a free 15-day trial of the service, visit www.joosr.com.
