Are you summer holiday winning?

The summer holidays are almost at an end and whilst six weeks of children at home, no school run and a break from the normal routine has been a complete blessing, you may also have spent six weeks navigating the holiday ‘juggle’, trying to walk the fine line between much needed family time and keeping on earning.

If you’ve mastered the balance, you may look away now, however, if like me there are still ways that you think summer could have gone better, this blog is for you! I’ve caught up with some brilliant industry friends and fantastic lifestyle management expert, Rebecca Crayford, who are all in the same parenting boat. They’ve shared their insight on how they navigate the summer holidays, all in a candid effort to show that we are not alone, and hopefully provide different ideas to help us carve out the summer we want for next year.

If I could impart anything from my experiences of juggling, when work and home life overlap, here are three things that have worked in our house!

If they’re old enough, empower your children to help you – in the last 12 months, I’ve been involving my children in my work – finding smaller jobs that I can ‘hire’ them to do. I let them know in advance – the night before works well – and say that I’ve got a worky day the next day and I have some jobs that they can help me with. I give them some payment in return, but this can be set at a level that works for you! In return, I’ve learned that helping me with my work gives them a deeper respect and understanding of the work that I do, so that if something crops up and I need to send an email or make a call, they feel part of the team and much less likely to mind.
Put your out of office on – if you can only work certain days, take the pressure off by letting clients and contacts know when you’re available. You will feel less pressure to respond quickly, relieving you of those niggling back of the mind thoughts when you’re out swimming or on a picnic.
Change up your schedule – if your children need you more during the day, try and carve out time for your work early mornings or evenings – it may not be ideal, but I find early mornings are when the house is at its quietest, so I use this time to bake or catch up on admin undisturbed. Another idea is to get everyone up and out of the house early for an activity, so when you get home, they’re happy to spend some time playing, watching a film or enjoying technology time!

Here are some more fantastic top tips from our industry friends:

Reshmi Bennett from renowned Farnham-based bakery, Anges de Sucre reduces her hours in the summer months and has had great success with WhatsApp for Business:

“As I manage our own family business, I appreciate I have the privilege of more flexibility than those who aren't in a similar position. I use this flexibility to change and condense my working hours, so I can spend time with my son doing fun activities with him during his time off school.

“Normally I work four days a week in the bakery and one day a week from home, but during the summer I condense my hours to three days a week in the bakery with two from home which allows us to have long weekends throughout the summer together.

“I have also tried to increase efficiencies wherever I can. Most notably we have installed WhatsApp for Business, which has helped speed up enquiries as I can respond to them quickly on the go, wherever I am, vs emails. In theory, it shouldn't make a difference since everyone has email apps on their phones anyway, but I've found in practice it does.”

Our very own Emily and Bradley Young, founders of Prop Options, have two children and work as a team to keep the Prop Options plates spinning, whilst carving out some much-needed family time:

Emily said: “I try and 'take the pressure off' for the short weeks, easier said than done but I really try and pinch some time with my family where possible over the busiest months - our daughters are growing too quick! It is only possible because of our amazing team which we are SO grateful for, they keep things going for us!

“Lastly we 'divide and conquer', I work from home a bit more with our girls around and Brad goes into work to keep things moving and feeds back.

“Brad and I go for an early morning walk before our day’s start and discuss plans of action and things that need to be covered, etc so that is probably the most effective time of day without interruptions. But I'm very keen to be clear, there will always be room for improvement, it's a juggle and I'm not sure we will ever get the balance right, but we try to soak it all up along the way!”

Expert wedding photographer, Craig Williams, aka Dad to Marcie and twins, Bodhi and Rowe, believes clear communication and finding a window of family time every day keeps everyone connected:

“Balancing my family and work life sometimes feels like a constant juggling act, and to achieve what seems impossible requires planning and clear communication between my wife, Kate and me. A calendar is vital in our house, in a prominent position with all my work dates written on it. Fortunately, Kate works for herself, so we can work around each other. Most of my main work is on weekends so I book most of our holidays for mid-week. Editing is an evening job once the kiddos are in bed (evening TV is overrated).

“Spending time with my family is so important to me. Sometimes, around my busy season, it isn't always possible to go out with them, but I always make sure I carve out a part of my day for a short family walk to the waterfront.

“My best tip is to enjoy your time with the family and let them help you relax. Stay Groovy!”

Rebecca Swan runs Home Farm Kitchen in beautiful Herefordshire, and has four boys aged 7 – 14. Rebecca made the business decision to take the whole month of August off this year:

“The summer holidays are such a hard balance, and I still don't feel like I'm getting it right! Thankfully the wedding season is fairly long these days, with weddings starting in early spring and continuing until late Autumn with a couple even thrown into the winter. The busiest months for me are May, June and July, so when I was finding it tough one-week last summer holidays, I made a deal with myself to block out the whole of August 2024 from wedding cakes, to see how it works, which I have nearly done with just two at the end of the month. I am still making celebration cakes, and I am still having to keep up to date with emails, quotes, payments, etc, so I do have work to do, but it's a lot less than the last few summers.

“For now, my August 2025 diary is also blocked out - but I can always open it if I find I'd prefer to add a bit more work. I think the most important thing is to do what works for you and your family! A lot of suppliers in this industry encourage couples to 'do them' - to be individual and to not follow trends if they don't suit or like them - and the same should go for us.

“This year I've had quite a hard look at my business and asked myself 'why am I doing this?', I make cakes to be creative, to bring smiles to client’s faces and to spread a little bit of cake joy, but also so that I can earn a living whilst being flexible around my family. I want it to work and to do that I have to set boundaries - getting the work life balance right is so important!”

Mum and lifestyle management expert, Rebecca Crayford is well versed in helping clients streamline their days and get back control of the times where overwhelm can really take over. Rebecca says:

“The summer holidays can feel like a double-edged sword for many working parents! On the one hand, the holidays are a time for spending quality time with the children, family fun and making memories. But on the other hand, it can be a logistical nightmare trying to juggle work commitments, childcare, as well as fit in some much needed me-time.

“My three top tips would be:

Plan, plan, plan! Map out the holidays so you are clear on when you’re working. Include ample prep time so you’re fully prepared in the run up to your next wedding or event.

2. Next, block out days you’re able to spend with the children – whether that’s a trip to a London Museum, football in the park, or a two-week holiday abroad. Don’t forget to include some time out for yourself too. Let your family know that these are the days you’re free to be with them.

3. Use your support network – call on babysitters, parents and friends, if you need childcare. That way you can focus on your work without having to worry that the children are getting up to mischief!

“Remember, the summer is often a blend of work and play. Being clear to both your clients and your family when you’re available goes a long way to helping ditch the feeling of overwhelm and guilt.” Rebecca has written a full blog about this topic on her website, which you can read here!

A Final Thought

A final thought from me – we are all in this together, and our online cake and wedding community is a strong one! If you’re ever feeling alone in your struggles or having moments where everything feels too much, please reach out to industry colleagues to share how it’s all going. I know I’d always be happy to hear from a fellow friend in the industry, no matter how big or small their challenge is, so don’t ever be afraid to share with someone if you need to.

Daisy
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Daisy Pratt, @very.vanilla