Childline: Make a visual timetable to help plan the children’s summer schedule to benefit them and you

If you’re lucky enough to have a strong childcare network, even the best planning in the world can’t predict illness, unexpected absence or availability.

Something that can help younger children understand what to expect during the long summer break is a visual timetable – something simple, colourful and easy to understand that outlines the day or week ahead.

Doing this can help create a routine for each day that is missing during the holidays, away from the timetables and rules of school and also help younger children understand what to expect in the days or weeks ahead.

If your children are older but still not quite ready to spend time alone while you’re working, you can give them some little jobs to do around the house. Let them choose their own outfit and dress themselves, clean their teeth, read a few pages from a book or set the table for lunch or dinner. By giving them some small responsibilities to handle, you’re also buying time to get on with your own work while helping them feel a sense of accomplishment.

As with younger children, you can also draw up a list of potential activities together with them ahead of time, but let them choose which they would like to do and what order they’d like to do them in. Planning their own day will give them a sense of control and freedom and help you both schedule the days.

Remember if you feel like you’re struggling, our colleagues at the NSPCC Helpline are available to offer guidance which could help you stay calm and be patient with your child.

Everybody needs help sometimes there’s no shame in contacting asking for support, and if you have friends or family who can help you out for even half an hour, give them a call.

There are also resources on the NSPCC website which might help, and our Helpline can be contacted anonymously on 0808 8005000 or at [email protected]