School Holidays Are an Overstimulated Mum’s Fresh Hell — Here’s Why So Many Mums Struggle
Overstimulated, rage-y and just done.
The Myth of the Magical School Holiday
We’re sold this fairy floss fantasy of what school holidays should look like — Pinterest-perfect craft, memory-making adventures, and relaxed vibes. But in reality? It’s chaos. There’s glitter in the dog’s fur, the kids are feral from being out of routine, and no one has pants on — again.
Add in the delightful pressure of prepping for Christmas, and suddenly you’re expected to be mum, chef, cleaner, entertainer, and Santa's personal assistant. You want magical memories? How about the one where the kids turned a slime activity into a carpet disaster in under four minutes?
Overstimulated, Touched-Out, and Teetering on the Edge
You know what’s fun? Being touched every 7 seconds. Literally. Someone’s on your hip, hanging off your leg, or yelling in your face that they’re hungry again — despite eating 14 minutes ago. They’re like bottomless bloody pits.
There’s no silence. No peace. No personal space. Just a barrage of “MUM, LOOK AT THIS!” on loop until your brain fizzles out like cheap Christmas lights. This level of sensory overload isn’t just annoying — it’s soul-sucking. And it’s a massive trigger for the thing no one talks about enough: mum rage.
The Emotional Labour of It All (and No One Notices)
Planning three meals (plus 472 snacks) a day, keeping up with the Mount Everest of laundry because your kids change outfits like they’re Kylie Jenner on a press tour, and setting up “fun activities” that end in catastrophe... all while trying not to scream into the void.
Add a husband who works long hours (love you babe, but seriously), and suddenly, you’re parenting solo while pretending you’ve got it together.
Mental load? It’s not just a buzzword. It’s carrying every bloody thing — school holiday plans, presents, Santa strategies, food shopping, toilet paper levels, remembering who likes the blue cup, and trying to schedule a 3-minute pee alone.
Mum Rage Isn’t Just Anger — It’s Overload, Baby
You’re not a bad mum for losing it. You’re exhausted. You’re touched-out. You’re overstimulated by noise, mess, and emotional demands from tiny people who scream for toast and then cry because it’s too “toasty.”
It’s not that we’re angry — it’s that we’re done. We need silence. Space. A moment to bloody breathe. But there’s no leave form for burnout when you’re the default parent during school holidays.
What We Actually Need (And Will Probably Never Ask For)
Actual alone time (not the “folding laundry in peace” kind — like, real alone time)
A mate who drops off coffee and doesn’t judge the mess
A partner who says, “What can I take off your plate?” and means it
Less guilt, more honesty — because hating school holidays doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids
We don’t want more time — we want more support, and the freedom to say this sh*t is hard without being told to “soak it up, they’re only little once.”
If You’re Hiding in the Pantry Too — You’re Bloody Not Alone
There’s a whole sisterhood of Aussie mums quietly losing their minds right now. If you’re crying in the bathroom, hiding in your car for a moment of silence, or letting Bluey babysit while you stare into the abyss — same.
This is the real side of school holidays. Messy, loud, chaotic, exhausting. And normal. You’re not doing it wrong — it’s just a lot. Like, A LOT a lot.
So here’s your permission to say, “Stuff this!”, pour that wine at 4:59pm, and give yourself credit for surviving another day.
Final Word: You’re Not Crazy — You’re Just Overstimulated AF
You’re not lazy. You’re not ungrateful. You’re overstimulated, under-supported, and juggling too much with too little.
The craft mess will wait. The kids will survive. And you? You deserve a medal, a nap, and maybe a cheeky trip to Kmart alone.
We see you. We are you. Solidarity, sister. Now go hide in that pantry — you’ve bloody earned it.
