I am a big fan of school holidays, and not just because I’m a teacher and I get to stay home (though that is a pretty good thing too!). I love that the kids get time to be free. They play without time constraints, they create artworks, they run around the farm, and they read. Boy do I want my kids to be good readers. Kids who like reading, and are good at it, just find things easier.

During school holidays we have a mandated read and relax time after lunch everyday. Hannah picks up whatever book she is reading, and Meg picks a pile of picture books to look at – though she is now starting to read early readers (Toby still has an afternoon sleep). They spend an hour or so just quietly lying there, looking, thinking, reading, and relaxing. They accept that this is part of the holiday routine and do it happily (mostly).

At the end of reading time, we have all had a quiet break from each other, and it just helps the rest of the day to go smoothly.

This is my secret for a happy school holiday. What is yours?