The School Holidays Are Here… and So Is the Juggle

Didn't I just write a blog about the school holidays? It honestly feels like no time has passed... although, if I'm being truthful, this last school term has somehow felt like it has gone on forever!

With schools closing because of the heat, sports day, end-of-term assemblies, class picnics, summer fairs, teacher gifts and everything else squeezed into the final few weeks, it's been non-stop. By the time the holidays arrive, I think we're all feeling the same – hot, exhausted, and ready for a slower pace.

But while the kids are counting down to six weeks of fun, I'm also thinking about something else...

How on earth am I going to balance running a business and making sure they have the best summer possible?

mummy's little helper

Running your own business always comes with challenges, but during the school holidays it's a whole different level of juggling.

The usual routine disappears overnight. The days become louder, messier, full of snack requests, last-minute adventures and endless games in the garden. Somewhere amongst all of that, I'm still trying to keep Pure Joy Designs running.

And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Yes, it's busy. Yes, it's tiring. And yes, most days I feel like I switch between "mum mode" and "business owner mode" about a hundred times before lunchtime.

But I also know how lucky I am.

I don't have to rely on family for childcare or spend hundreds of pounds on holiday clubs. Instead, I get to spend the summer holidays with my children while they're still little enough to want me around.

We get to make memories, have lazy mornings, enjoy days out, build dens, eat too many ice creams, and simply spend time together.

Paint Sets

That isn't something I ever take for granted.

Of course, behind the scenes, the juggle is very real.

The business doesn't stop – it just changes.

During the day, my priority is making the most of the holidays with the kids. Once they're tucked up in bed, it's time to swap the mum hat for the business hat. That's when I package orders, answer messages, update customers and work through everything that couldn't be done during the day.

The evenings become my working day.

It's exhausting sometimes, but it's completely worth it.

One thing that never changes is my commitment to my customers. Every order is still made with the same care and attention and is always completed and dispatched on time. That's something that's really important to me.

What does slow down are the things no one sees.

The admin.

The website updates.

The new product ideas waiting to be launched.

The social media posts I meant to write.

The exciting business plans that sit in my notebook until September.

Ideas for September

When you run your own business, you quickly realise that what you put into it is usually what you get back. So naturally, when your time and attention are shared with your family, business growth slows a little too.

And that's okay.

This is just a season.

The business will still be here in September, ready for me to throw myself back into it.

These school holidays, though? They won't always look like this.

One day my children won't ask me to build a blanket fort, race them around the park or watch them perform yet another made-up dance routine in the living room.

These summers are precious, even if they're chaotic.

So for the next few weeks, I'm choosing to embrace the slower pace. I'll fuel the late nights with coffee, squeeze work into the quiet hours, and make the most of every minute with my family.

Because this is exactly why I started Pure Joy Designs.

Not just to build a business I love, but to build a life that gives me the flexibility to be there for the moments that matter most.

The orders will still be made.

The emails will still get answered.

The business will keep ticking along.

But for now, you'll mostly find me making memories with my two favourite little people.

And truly...

I wouldn't have it any other way.