This is day 1 of the school holidays in our household. As a business owner and parent, this time of year can often feel stressful, frustrating, conflicting, flexible, guilt-ridden and fun! As my kids are now 15 and 13 you’d think that I’d have these 6 weeks nailed. But I haven’t. Each year poses new challenges and opportunities for us as a family as well as for me and my business. When my kids were little I could pack them off to activity days, or do a child swap by taking a friend’s child with my two and we’d explore museums or parks together, giving the other parent a free day to do whatever. Then do a swap. Bliss.
Now they are older, yet still not quite independent, my summer challenge is to ‘unhook them’ from the electronics and find something fun and interesting that teenagers would love (or I’d settle for, would like) to do. I have to keep the balance of their ‘me time’ with our ‘we time’, whilst keeping a level of harmony in a house full of hormones.
Byron Katie reminds me of the coaching technique of ‘turn it around’ – to instead ask myself the questions of ‘what do I need to unhook from?’, ‘how do I balance my me and we time?’ and ‘what fun and interesting activities do I want to do over the summer?’
I have to admit, I don’t have the answers yet, and just like our holiday ‘would-like-to-do’ list, it’s a bit of a work in progress. I know finding balance in my life is always going to be wobbly, yet that can be the fun bit too – at least that’s the perspective I’m taking for this summer.
So tell me parents – how can you find the fun in finding your balance? And, what would your ‘turn around’ questions be for this summer holiday? I’d love to know.