In a few weeks’ time, the kids go back to school. Don’t worry; you’re not a bad parent if you’re already counting down the days. And when the time finally arrives, you’ll breathe a great big sigh of relief and thank whoever it was who invented school and made it compulsory.

Once that first bit of relief starts to wane though, it’s inevitably eclipsed by a moment of doubt. After the hectic, non-stop summer holidays, you can’t help ask yourself: Now what?

Here are our suggestions for kicking your butt into gear and soaking up the freedom of your kid-absent days!

1. Pause

You’ve dropped the kids off and you’ve returned to an eerily quiet house that looks like it’s been under kids’ rule for far too long. Before you get into a cleaning frenzy, step over the Lego village and through the Barbie empire and head straight to the kitchen. Brew yourself a cuppa, sit back and soak up the first bit of quiet time you’ve had in the new year. It's important to take a moment to chill.

2. Get into a cleaning frenzy

You’ve reclaimed the house, and that means that what you clean up will actually STAY cleaned up (till home time at least). Now is the time to get the house back in order.

Time to get some washing on, vacuum up the sand from the car, water the garden, and isolate the toys to just a corner of one room (it should be the kids’ job to clean up, after all). Getting motivated to do everything that needs doing is tricky but feel free to take your time. A 20 day cleaning challenge, for example, can help you achieve the sparkly houses you see in the movies.

3. Go shopping!

Kids seriously know how to take the fun out of shopping. The very prospect might have scared you away from the Boxing Day and New Year’s sales. Now they’re back at school, I say it’s time to hit up the shops sans kids and see what you’ve been missing out on!

On a less enticing note, it’s likely your fridge and cupboards are looking a little barren in the school holidays aftermath. Fit a bulk grocery shop into your trip to the shops to stock up on lunchbox snacks and some treats for yourself too.

4. Reconnect

Holidays pass by in one hazy blur and, aside from seeing close family and friends at Christmas, everything else is geared towards the kids.

It’s time to reconnect with your friends for some adult conversation. This could take the form of sharing around celebratory bubbly with your fellow parent friends. Or it could be a coffee catch up at a local café. If you're in Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne or Sydney, we've picked a few cafes for you to try out.

5. Resume a fitness routine

Routines go out the window when a rowdy house rules the day. It’s time to take command of your days again – and this could begin with a dedicated fitness routine.

Sure, parenting requires a whole other level of energy and fitness. But your daily workout – whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, going for a swim, or whacking on a yoga DVD – is something you do for you and you alone.

If you can, try getting out of the house for a short morning burst of exercise. It can clear your head and make all the difference during the day.

6. Have some quiet time with the partner

Perhaps one of the toughest parts of the school holidays is getting a bit of alone-time with the partner. Even with something as minor as a milk run to the local supermarket, someone’s got to stay home with the kids. Do you even remember the last time it was just the two of you – ALONE?

Get yourself a babysitter or, better yet, take an afternoon off work and dedicate yourselves to a few solid hours of catching up. You've earned it.

7. Treat Yo’self

We’ve saved the best till last to make sure it stays freshest in your mind. It’s been a crazy hectic time for you. While the kids have been having a blast (and you too, I’m sure), you haven’t had any time off.

So this last one is just for you. Treat yourself. Sit down and read a book. Go to the movies alone. Have a bubble bath (with a glass of champers?). Do what you need to do to reset yourself for a new year.

Making the most of these seven tips will enable you to savour the time you spend with your kids throughout the school year, whether it's the simple task of walking the dog or a messy Saturday morning French toast sesh.

Love what you've read? Why not start treating yourself now and indulge yourself in more of our inspiring content on the Bobux blog!