School Holidays… Chaos, Guilt & Trying to Do It All

(...with a cuppa in one hand and your laptop in the other)

Hi! I’m Molly. You’ve probably seen my face slapped across our social media or popped up on the Gadd Marketing website… but this is my very first blog and it felt like the right time to get started.

Why? Because it's the school holidays and everything feels a bit upside down, doesn’t it?

Well, I’ll be honest, I’m not in the thick of the school holiday madness myself (I don’t have kids!). But our wonderful founder Mieke is. And every year, I watch how the entire rhythm of life just… shifts.

Whether you’ve got one child or five, work full-time, run your own business or freelance from the kitchen table, it’s a time when everything feels more complicated, and yet, somehow, you’re meant to carry on like it’s business as usual.

So, I thought I’d write this blog not just for Mieke, but for everyone out there trying to juggle it all, while also remembering where they last put the suncream, the snacks and their sanity.

The Reality of the School Holidays

Let’s just say it how it is:You’re still working.The kids are at home.The emails don’t stop.And the guilt? Oh, the guilt.

Guilt for working.Guilt for not working.Guilt for not planning magical activities every day.Guilt for leaning on the iPad a bit more than usual.

It’s exhausting!! Physically, mentally and emotionally. And the wild thing? You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just trying to keep all the plates spinning in a season where the rules have changed.

So how do we cope? (Besides hiding in the loo for 3 minutes of peace)

Here are a few things we actually recommend (and that Mieke tries to stick to herself):

👨‍👩‍👧 Ask for help. Easier said than done, we know. But whether it’s your partner, a grandparent, a friend, or a fellow parent in the trenches, people get it. And they’ll probably be relieved you asked.

🔈 Make people aware. Stop struggling in silence, let colleagues or clients know. They’re also probably in the same boat and will welcome putting the meeting back or rescheduling for a quieter time or ‘out of hours’ time. 

☕ Make time for yourself. Even if it’s just ten minutes. A hot cuppa. A quick podcast. A little run. A scroll without sticky fingers trying to steal your phone.

🧘‍♀️ Ditch the perfection pressure. Your kids don’t need six weeks of Pinterest-perfect activities. Boredom is brilliant for creativity. Let them feel it.

📢 Talk about it. Share the highs and the lows. If you're feeling overwhelmed, chances are someone else is too. Why not get on socials, ‘be social on socials’ is what I say!

And if you need a break from the work side of things…

That’s where we come in.At Gadd, we’re all about making life easier for businesses, especially during the madness of summer.

We can: ✔️ Take over your social media so you don’t have to worry about what to post ✔️ Run a marketing campaign while you focus on keeping everyone alive and fed ✔️ Keep things ticking behind the scenes so your business stays visible even when you're not

Think of it as your very own out-of-office marketing team. Because sometimes, you just need a bit of breathing room and we’ve got you.

September: AKA the Real New Year

Now for the good bit. Once the school bags go back on, and the chaos settles, September arrives with this fresh-start energy.

It’s the time when lots of our clients want to reset, refocus and hit the ground running and honestly? We love that vibe.

So whether this summer’s been a whirlwind or a wonderful blur, just know this:You’re doing your best. That’s more than enough.

And when you’re ready to get back to business, we’ll be right here.

Love,

Molly xoxo (if you know you know, it’s my fav series btw.)