"Don't judge your summer against anyone else's" - parents share their top summer six weeks survival tips (and they're kind of sweet)

Parents have taken to social media to share their top summer survival tips for the school holidays - and they include some sweet reminders that'll make sure kids have the best time. 

It's a given that kids are excited about their upcoming school holidays. The promise of fun days out, sunny afternoons in the garden playing with the best outdoor toys, and lots and lots of messy play lies ahead. 

But, for parents, the break can cause a lot of issues. That's why the team behind the Happy Mum, Happy Baby Podcast has asked parents for their 'summer survival hacks' - and the suggestions are great!  

Writing in the caption, they shared, "Feeling overwhelmed with the school holidays approaching? Whether you’re solo parenting, juggling work and childcare, or feeling the pressure to make every moment memorable, summer can be a challenging time. But we’ve got each other!"

Responses quickly flooded in, with parents across the UK sharing their tips, tricks and reminders for parents to keep in mind throughout the holidays. One wrote, "Children don't need to be to be entertained all the time, don't feel you have to take them out every day and spend a fortune, they need to learn how to entertain themselves and it's OK to feel bored sometimes."

Another replied with a great activity planning idea, "We’ve got some jars and in one [we've] written a load of rainy day ideas (mainly freebies like museum, library, puddle splashing, with a couple of paid for ones) and some sunny day ideas. Then we can pick them out each day and it gets us doing something. I feel that having a structure helps us both so much!"

Another practical idea, one parent commented, "Have 'to go' bags for things like the beach, park, woods, restaurants etc made up so you can embrace the unpredictable UK weather and feel confident being more flexible with changing plans if needed."

Many parents urged others to give their kids times to be calm within the jam-packed schedules they have planned for the break. "Remember that they like to chill out too," one said. "You don't need to plan something for every day of the holiday. Or if you like to plan, plan in 'take it easy days' as well as doing days."

One of our favourite tips for parents came from a mum who shared, "Don't judge your summer against anyone else's. We don't all get to have holidays abroad, or fancy days out. Time together, even if just in the garden or down the park, is all the kids will remember in years to come."

Whatever you're doing this summer, after you've given your child's teacher one of the best teacher gifts for every budget and age group, protecting your little one from the sun is vital. Whether you need to educate your teen on sun protection after TikTok conspiracies about using sunscreen have boomed in popularity, or you're searching for the best sun creams for you and your family, we've got you covered and have tried and tested the best sunscreen for your face and the best sunscreen for kids.