Holiday Anxiety

We were on holiday recently in an all-inclusive resort and I bumped into a woman who had three children under 5. Only a day into her idyllic family holiday she was visably unsettled and had made up her mind this wasn’t going to be the break she wanted. She was stressed - about the food the kids were eating, the lack of clothes changes they had, and how they were all going to be able to nap and sleep in the same room. Her husband meanwhile sat chilled and content on a sun-lounger sipping his beer.

It’s a strange one when we’re taken away from the familiar yet still need to fulfil our role as parent. To nuture, to guide, to instill boundaries, to protect. We have less control, we can’t necessarily access what we need, and for some of us, that can be really hard.

I could relate to this woman. For two solid weeks my little ones had refused to eat anything aside from beige – with the exception of ice cream and cakes. And each day featured surplus of those. I was getting really keyed up at dinner time when their plate of veg and protein was cried over and traded in for chips, bread and strawberries (dipped in chocolate). What must this be doing to their insides? What if they get constipated? What will this lack of nutrients be doing to their development? In short, by them not eating well, i wasnt doing my job and being a 'good' mum.

In the end, I had to swallow a slice of rational. We have 12 months in a year. That’s 52 weeks. This was 14 days of the kids being allowed to have anything they wanted, for our Rules For Life to be temporarily bookmarked, for us (all) to run around in our swimmers, live our best lives, join in the (slightly off tune) evening shows and guzzle the unlimited cocktails (ME, not the kids).

It can be hard to let go and to relax when you’re a mummy on holiday. Just remember, it’s short term, we all deserve break, and sometimes, ignoring the rules for a little while can be really fun. #asmanyfrozendaiquirisasyouwant