Less Than Two Weeks to Go…
Is Anyone Else Quietly Panicking About the Summer Holidays?
By Chloe Mouser, Founder of MOCO Coaching
I'll be honest...
I'm feeling all the feelings.
Part of me cannot wait.
Six whole weeks with my children.
Slow mornings.
Water fights.
Ice creams.
Picnics.
Late bedtimes.
Sticky fingers.
Garden games.
Watching them simply... be children.
The other part of me?
She's already wondering how many loads of washing four children can possibly create in one day.
She's mentally writing shopping lists.
Calculating how many loaves of bread we'll get through.
Thinking about snacks, sun cream, keeping everyone entertained, the cost of days out, whether anyone has clean socks and how on earth I'm going to keep on top of the house.
Because if you're a parent...
You'll know.
The summer holidays can feel like another full-time job.
Except this one comes with snack requests every twelve minutes.
This Year Feels Different
This summer, I've made a conscious decision.
I'm taking six weeks away from MOCO Coaching.
Not because I don't love what I do.
I absolutely do.
But because Alfred is 10.
Edith is 9.
George is 4.
Jack is 2.
I know these summers won't last forever.
One day they'll want to spend more time with their friends than with me.
The water fights will stop.
The den building will become driving lessons.
The bedtime stories will become text messages.
And I refuse to look back wishing I'd answered fewer emails.
I want to be present.
Really present.
That sounds lovely, doesn't it?
It also terrifies me a little.
Because if you know me...
You'll know I thrive on routine.
I love structure.
I love my diary.
I love a plan.
Without one?
I become overwhelmed.
Quite quickly.
The Pressure We Put On Ourselves
Social media doesn't always help.
One family is camping in Cornwall.
Another is making homemade ice lollies from scratch.
Someone has colour-coded activity planners.
Someone else has built the perfect sensory tray.
Meanwhile...
I'm wondering whether fish fingers from the depths of my freezer count as a balanced meal if I throw a few cucumber sticks on the side.
Somewhere along the way we've convinced ourselves that, for six weeks, we have to become...
✔️ Full-time chef.
✔️ Cleaner.
✔️ Taxi driver.
✔️ Referee.
✔️ Activities coordinator.
✔️ Keeper of the snacks.
✔️ Organiser of magical memories.
And all whilst smiling.
Can I say something?
We don't.
Our children aren't looking for a holiday rep.
They're looking for us.
Years from now they won't remember every activity.
They'll remember how we made them feel.
To Those Juggling Work and Childcare...
Can I just say...
I see you.
The parents working from home with little ones climbing over them.
The grandparents stepping in.
The holiday clubs.
The childminders.
The flexible employers.
The endless logistics.
If you're trying to balance work and children this summer...
I genuinely salute you.
Please don't compare your summer to someone else's highlight reel.
You're doing better than you think.
My Summer Plan (And I'm Writing It Here So I Actually Stick To It!)
I'm not aiming for six perfect weeks.
I'm aiming for six connected ones.
🌿 Keep some routine
Not military routine.
Just gentle anchors.
Breakfast together.
Everyone gets dressed.
Fresh air every day.
A rough idea of what's happening.
Children thrive on routine.
If I'm honest...
So do I.
🏃♀️ Keep my running club
My running club isn't just exercise.
It's my reset button.
It's friendship.
It's the one place where nobody asks me for another snack.
I'll be protecting that time because I know I'm a better mum afterwards.
☕ Fill my own cup
Sometimes that's a quiet coffee before everyone wakes up.
Sometimes it's ten minutes in the garden.
Sometimes it's an evening walk.
And sometimes...
It's sitting outside after the children have finally gone to bed with a cold glass of Prosecco.
Or, if I'm really embracing summer...
A BuzzBall.
No washing basket.
No snack requests.
No "Muuuuum..."
Just ten quiet minutes.
Because rest isn't something we earn.
It's something we need.
🤝 Share the load
This one is important.
Alfred and Edith are more than capable of making sandwiches.
George can help tidy his toys.
Jack can "help"... even if helping takes three times longer!
I'm reminding myself that the children don't need me to do everything for them.
They need to learn alongside me.
Maybe we fold washing together.
Maybe everyone clears the table.
Maybe responsibility becomes part of the fun.
📵 Put my phone down
I'm also borrowing an idea I shared recently...
Treat your phone like a landline.
Plug it in.
Leave it in one room.
It doesn't need to follow me everywhere.
The emails can wait.
The notifications will still be there.
These six weeks won't.
My Summer Survival Team
One thing I've learnt over the years is that I don't have to do this alone.
When I'm overwhelmed, I borrow calm from other people.
These are the voices I'll be listening to this summer.
💛 Dr Becky Kennedy
Every time I listen to Dr Becky, she reminds me that my children don't need a perfect mum. They need a connected one. That one thought changes everything.
🌿 Kendra Adachi
Kendra has completely changed the way I think about productivity. She reminds me that not everything has to be done to perfection. Some things simply need doing "well enough." As someone who naturally sets the bar incredibly high, I find that hugely freeing.
✨ Big Little Feelings
Practical.
Honest.
Achievable.
No guilt.
No perfection.
Just brilliant reminders that connection always comes before control.
🎙️ Francesca Amber
I'll probably give the book club a miss for August...
Let's be honest-I'm already going to have enough bedtime stories to read!
But I will absolutely be listening to her weekly podcast.
It feels like catching up with a friend over coffee.
She makes me laugh.
She makes me feel seen.
She reminds me that none of us have it all together.
And somehow that makes everything feel a little lighter.
❤️ My Sister
And finally...
My sister.
She's an absolute powerhouse.
She manages a demanding career that takes her all over the world, leads meetings, catches flights and somehow balances it all whilst raising two children under five with her husband.
From the outside, she looks like she's got everything under control.
But despite everything she has going on, she always makes time for me.
A quick phone call between meetings.
A voice note.
A message saying,
"You've got this."
She simply reminds me that I don't have to carry it on my own.
As both a coach and a mum, I've realised that's often what we need most.
Not someone with all the answers.
Just someone who makes us feel seen.
So Here's My Promise...
I'm giving myself permission...
To order pizza.
To have lazy days.
To watch films in the afternoon when it's raining.
To let the house become a little messier than usual.
To say no sometimes.
To laugh more.
To worry less.
To be present.
Because when September comes, I don't want my children to remember a spotless house.
I want them to remember:
Water fights.
Garden picnics.
Sticky ice creams.
Running through sprinklers.
Late-night cuddles.
Long summer evenings.
And maybe...
Just maybe...
After four children are finally asleep...
A quiet glass of Prosecco (or a BuzzBallz!) in the garden while pretending I can't hear, "Muuuuum!" for just five more minutes.
So if you're heading into the summer holidays feeling excited, anxious or a little bit of both...
Know this.
You don't need to create six weeks of extraordinary moments.
You just need enough ordinary moments that become extraordinary because you were truly there for them.
And I think that's a summer worth having.
Have the most wonderful summer.
Love,
Chloe x
Founder, MOCO Coaching