Leading Teams by Day, Breaking Up Fights by Lunch
A Working Mum’s Guide to Summer Survival
"What am I going to do with him for the next six weeks??!" This was the cry of my friend yesterday. "I've booked him on to a basketball class, but that only lasts a week - then what?"
I remember those days well. Both the exhilarating joy of stepping off the incessant term-time merry-go-round of homework and activities, and the sinking dread of how we were going to keep them meaningfully occupied for six long weeks of summer holidays.
For many of us professional women its a tough season, summer becomes a complex juggling act—balancing work demands, children's needs, and the shifting priorities they bring. You want them to spend less time looking at screens, yet feel impotent to how you're actually going to achieve this and earn a crust.
The Reality of Summer Leadership Skills Challenge
The reality is stark: when children are home, every aspect of your communication skills gets tested. Boundaries that worked during term time suddenly blur. Your emotional bandwidth—already stretched thin from managing teams and deadlines—becomes critically tight. The leadership presence you've cultivated in the boardroom faces its ultimate test in your own kitchen.
But here's what I've learned through my own journey and in coaching a number of professional women: summer doesn't have to feel like survival mode. With intentional strategies influenced through executive coaching and applied to home life, you can transform this challenging season into an opportunity for growth—both for you and your children.
Five Strategies to Transform Communication Skills: Summer Holiday Edition
✅ Set clear, compassionate boundaries. Let your kids know precisely when you're working and when you're fully present with them. This isn't about being rigid—it's about creating psychological safety through predictability. Children usually thrive when they understand expectations and can anticipate their parent's availability.
Implementation tip: Create visual cues—a closed office door, specific work hours on a family calendar, or even a simple "available/busy" sign that younger children can understand.
✅ Collaborate, don't just delegate. Invite your kids—especially tweens and teens—into the planning process. Ownership builds cooperation in ways that top-down directives never can.
Why this works: When children participate in creating solutions, they're invested in making them succeed. It also teaches critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will serve them throughout life.
✅ Protect moments of joy. A shared playlist, a morning walk, or dinner together without devices can become the anchor points of your summer rhythm. I vividly remember telling my son that I would play whatever game he wanted for 30 minutes—he was absolutely delighted to beat his mum comprehensively at FIFA.
The science behind this: Neuroscience research shows that positive shared experiences create lasting neural pathways. These "joy moments" become the foundation of resilient family relationships.
✅ Model repair, not perfection. You will lose it. There will be tears—yours and theirs. Own it, apologise genuinely, and reset together. That’s leadership at home, plus there’s learning. It teaches them the importance of owning mistakes and asking for forgiveness.
Professional parallel: The best leaders I coach understand that vulnerability and accountability strengthen rather than weaken their authority. The same principle applies at home.
✅ Check in with yourself. Your needs matter too. Make space—mentally and physically—for your own recharge. This isn't selfish; it's strategic. You can always remove yourself to the bathroom for some deep breathing if needed!
Remember: You're modelling self-care and emotional regulation for your children. They're watching how you handle stress and prioritise your wellbeing.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
This summer, stop chasing the myth of perfect balance. Instead, find your unique rhythm. Some days you'll be smashing it with elaborate plans and wholesome activities, snacks and screens will power other days.
Both scenarios are not just valid—they're necessary parts of a sustainable approach to working parenthood.
Your 'just about coping' parenting? It's not just good enough—it's exactly what your children need to see. They need to witness resilience, adaptability, and real-world problem-solving in action.
Moving Forward: Your Summer Action Plan
The strategies outlined above aren't theoretical—they're practical tools developed through real-world application and refined through professional coaching practice. As we move deeper into summer, consider which resonates most strongly with your current challenges.
Remember, the goal isn't to become a perfect parent while maintaining perfect professional performance. The goal is to model integrated leadership—showing your children how capable, caring adults navigate complex responsibilities with grace, humour, and humanity.
