Stay-At-Home Easter/Spring Holidays

In most countries, the children are currently off school for the Easter or Spring holidays.

Given that pretty much everything is shut and you're having to stay at or close to home most of the time, try to think about how you can make it still feel like the "holidays" to differentiate this time from "distance learning" or "school from home".

Could you...

- Have a picnic in your garden, on the balcony or under your dining table?
- Get some family home projects ticked off? (DIY, spring cleaning and/or       decluttering are great for the whole family to get involved)
- Do something creative together
- Do a family jigsaw or other project
- Camp out in the garden or in the living room

There are so many different ideas for fun things you can do.

Solicit your kids' input so they feel like they have a say in things and know that you value their ideas.

The thing to remember is: do what feels right for your family.

Don't compare what you are doing to what others are doing. Don't think about what you "should" be doing.

Your kids and family are unique and you will figure out a way to make this time feel like "holidays' for YOUR family.

And if you're NOT loving this time with your kids around, please know that you are NOT ALONE.

You can absolutely LOVE your children to bits and NOT enjoy spending 24/7 with them. That does not make you a bad parent and it certainly is not something to feel guilty about.

If you're noticing you're a bit grumpy, shouty, etc. around your children, take a moment for yourself away from the kids to figure out why and what you can do to help yourself shift your mood.

Maybe you're feeling resistance to this situation we're all in. Maybe you're grieving the loss of your freedoms, friends, activities. Maybe you're exhausted from caring for everyone else and catering to everyone else's needs.

There is no right or wrong.

You need to understand what's going on first to be able to accept what it is, and that acceptance will grant you the freedom to move on from it.

The same is for your kids' behaviour.

Are they being a bit difficult? Misbehaving? Siblings squabbling? Is it driving you nuts?

Rather than just reacting in the moment, try to figure out what might be going on for them. Most misbehaviour reflects stuff that's going on inside - without addressing that stuff, the misbehaviour will continue. And no, shouting, threatening, or punishing won't have the effect you want.

But, chances are, you know that already.