A good enough parent, she said. She’s a good enough parent. OK, so let’s see how she deals with this! Oh good God, who is it that came uuup with the torturous gauntlet that is the six week summer holidays?

As I write this, my two girls have been on summer holidays for about… 28 hours, because it’s only Tuesday, but let’s be honest, the clock actually started running at 3.20pm on Friday right? So we’re 4 days into an almost seven week holiday. Holiday, ha!

The youngest, for some inexplicable reason, has her last morning session at playgroup on a Monday. Dropped her off and went home to play with my eldest for 2 hours uninterrupted bonding. She likes to play Doctor Barbie, except her Barbie has the worst bedside manner known to man, which of course is hilarious. I bore of pretend play pretty quickly so have hit upon the idea of a visual timer, to break up our activities. We play Jenga, with an impressive three levels of just one block keeping the tower standing at one point. Then we have a drawing challenge, both having a go at drawing something familiar, in this case, Marshall from Paw Patrol. Quite proud of our efforts!

I bring Gabby home from school, who is thrilled to see that her best friend is available for play. I get the obligatory beige lunch cooking and then take them down the road for a long overdue haircut – in Gabby’s case, her very first. Immy opts to have loads chopped, bringing her lovely fox coloured mane up to her shoulders. Gabby cannot wait to climb into the chair after her. In fact, Immy has barely vacated said chair before her little sister is in it, shrieking “My turn!”

She takes to the whole pantomime of having a haircut perfectly, even if her nose touches her wellies when she is instructed to “look down”. I laugh.

I have set the timer for tablet time when we get home and I put the washing on, away and do my physio. My audiobook plays throughout this child-free time, the aptly named Why Mummy Drinks. I’m very glad to be keeping it together, taking my time. I want to go a day at a time, focussed no further than that.

I have been very brave (for me) and asked for the numbers of several of the mums of the children I know my two can’t stop talking about. They have all obliged and I message them all to wish them well on maintaining six weeks of sanity (tongue in cheek… I think). I know my girls will be thrilled to see these friends, even just at the park. Small gestures to keep us busy, but not too busy. Or skint. Oh my life, £40 for soft play? Kill. Me. Now.

We celebrate the two of them managing to play together nicely for a whole hour with a biscuit that they both ask to dip into my tea.

Immy has asked to go to the library each week to substitute her lack of a reading book from school. She is an incredible reader and I am more than happy to indulge her. We’re currently reading our way through a Roald Dahl boxset and she even manages to read a few pages of Fantastic Mr Fox out loud. I’m in awe.

We’re tenatively beginning to extend Immy’s bedtime over the holidays, but only when her behaviour shows she has energy to spare. She manages herself so well and it is absolutely lovely to read Fantastic Mr Fox cuddled into both my girls and then get to sit up with my eldest, receiving hugs and kiss, unsolicited and hearing how she has enjoyed getting to do so many different things today. Visual timers for the win.

For someone who was so apprehensive about surviving another summer holidays (I am entirely supportive of it being cut down to 3 or 4 weeks, perhaps with some flexi weeks so no-one has to sell a kidney to go on holiday!) I have had a great first day. No looking forward, no solid plans. Taking each day as it comes.

The second day, we’ve planned to go to the library and the craft shop, then down to Asda for lunch in the cafe and to get some shopping, so Gabby can sit in her beloved trolley and Immy can scan the items in. My kind of pace. Long may this continue.

Spoilers: On day 2, this mummy got aggravated. Kudos to you, dear reader if this was not you. It will be soon. Now, where are my carbs? And wine?

God speed parents.