When "Balance" Feels Harder in Summer: Why the Holidays Aren’t Always a Break for Parents
As a breathwork coach working with busy professionals and corporate teams, I’ve noticed a recurring pattern every summer: the assumption that the school holidays are a welcome break for parents. But in my sessions with working parents, what surfaces is often exhaustion, overwhelm, and guilt.
Rather than a restorative pause, summer often feels like a marathon: juggling work with full-time parenting, without the structure school provides or the space to breathe. If that resonates with you or your team, know this: you’re not alone - and there are ways we can do better.
The Myth of the “Summer Break”
We tend to idealise summer as a time to slow down, enjoy the sunshine, and recharge. But for many working parents, that ideal doesn’t match reality. Without the rhythm of school, the logistical puzzle gets more complex: camps, childcare gaps, last-minute sick days, and the constant negotiation of screen time vs. quality time.
Add work deadlines into the mix, and "balance" starts to feel more like barely holding it together.
Why Summer Can Be Especially Stressful for Parents
Here’s what I hear during breathwork sessions with corporate clients:
“I feel guilty leaving my child on an iPad all day, but I have meetings back-to-back.”
“I’m working late into the night just to keep up, and I’m exhausted.”
“There’s no space for me.”
What’s really happening?
Loss of structure: The school routine gives many parents a rhythm. Summer removes that, which can lead to emotional dysregulation for both kids and adults.
Increased mental load: Coordinating camps, meals, transport, and activities - on top of work - is a massive cognitive and emotional task.
Internal pressure: Social media and cultural expectations push parents to “make memories” and be fully present, even while they’re professionally stretched.
The Emotional Toll and the Invisible Load
In breathwork, we talk a lot about what’s held in the body. Stress isn’t just a mental phenomenon - it shows up in shallow breathing, tension in the shoulders, interrupted sleep, and constant fatigue. This is what I see in working parents during the summer.
What Parents Wish Employers Knew
Here’s what I encourage leadership teams to consider during our wellbeing workshops:
Summer isn’t time off. Many parents are not taking extended leave - they’re working full-time with kids at home.
Distractions aren’t lack of commitment. A child popping into a Zoom call or needing lunch isn’t a failure - it’s life.
Wellbeing isn’t just yoga at lunch. It’s about psychological safety, flexibility, and space to exhale.
A Breath to Reset
I often begin breathwork sessions with something simple yet powerful:
Inhale slowly through your nose for 4… hold for 4… exhale through your mouth for 6…
Just a few rounds of intentional breathing can begin to shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into calm. And that’s something both employees and leadership can benefit from, especially during intense seasons like summer.
Let’s Redefine the “Break”
The summer holidays don’t always feel like a holiday - especially for working parents trying to do it all. But when we acknowledge that reality and create space for compassion, flexibility, and wellbeing, we help people breathe a little easier.
As someone who works at the intersection of nervous system health and workplace wellbeing, I believe it’s time we rethink what real support looks like - and how the corporate world can support parents, not just in August, but every day.
Interested in bringing breathwork or nervous system support into your workplace?
Let’s chat about tailored sessions that support your team’s wellbeing - even in the busiest seasons.
Drop me an email hello@lisawinn.co.uk