The 3 Brain-Based Things Your Family Actually Needs This March Break

March Break is coming.

And if you’re like many parents I speak with, you might already feel the pressure creeping in.

What are we going to do all week?
How do I keep the kids off screens?
How do I make this “special”?
What if we end up fighting the whole time?

Many parents imagine March Break as a week full of happy outings, laughter, and memories...but the reality often looks a little different.

Kids arguing.
Parents feeling overwhelmed.
Too much screen time.
Too many expectations.

If that sounds familiar, please hear this first: You are not doing anything wrong.

Parenting today comes with enormous pressure. Parents are juggling work, mental load, emotional labour, device battles, sibling conflict, and the constant feeling that they should somehow be doing more.

But what if the best thing for your family this March Break… was actually less?

In fact, I’ll be talking about this exact topic on Breakfast Television, where I’ll be sharing the three brain-based things families need most during March Break — things that support children’s development, reduce stress in the home, and strengthen your connection with your kids.

And the good news?

None of them require expensive outings, packed schedules, or Pinterest-worthy plans.

Just intention... Let’s dive in.

1. Connection Comes First

At the heart of everything children need is one simple thing: Connection.

When children feel connected to their parents, something powerful happens in their brain.

Connection activates the part of the nervous system responsible for safety and regulation. When kids feel emotionally safe, their brain shifts out of survival mode and back into the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving, among many other executive functioning skills.

In other words: Connection makes everything else easier.

➡️ Without connection, kids are more reactive, more oppositional, and more dysregulated.
➡️ With connection, kids are more cooperative, adaptable, and emotionally regulated.

And here’s the important part many parents miss: Connection does not require grand gestures or hours of dedicated play. It can happen in micro-moments.

Moments like:

• Sitting beside your child while they draw
• Making eye contact when they tell you something
• A hug before they run off to play
• Listening fully to their story
• Laughing together in the kitchen

These moments might seem small, but to your child’s nervous system, they are everything.

When children feel seen, heard, and valued, their behaviour changes because their brain changes.

If you’re looking for simple ways to build more connection this March Break, I created a FREE guide: “Top Ten Ways to Easily Connect With Your Kids.” You can download it by clicking here.

These strategies take just minutes but can transform the tone of your home. 
Sometimes parents just need a few gentle reminders of how powerful these small moments can be - this one page reminder is the perfect way to help you build and deepen this new practice.

2. Boredom Is Actually Good for Your Kids

This one surprises a lot of parents, but if you've been in my world for a hot minute, you know I often speak of giving your kid the Gift of Boredom.

Somewhere along the way we started believing that our job is to keep our kids entertained at all times. Wow, that can be A LOT.

But the brain tells a very different story. When children experience boredom, their brain activates different parts of the brain which gives them an opportunity to practice:  creativity,  imagination, emotional processing, problem solving,  self-reflection.

In other words, boredom is not empty time - it is brain development time.

Yet today, children experience very little boredom. Between school schedules, extracurriculars, devices, and constant stimulation, their brains rarely have the chance to simply wander.

March Break can be a beautiful opportunity to change that.

But there’s a catch.

When children first encounter boredom, they don’t love it. You may hear:

“I’m bored.”
“There’s nothing to do.”
“Can I have the iPad?”

And many parents feel the urge to jump in and fix it. But boredom works best when we don’t rescue it.

When kids move through boredom, something incredible happens.

They start creating. 
They build forts.
They invent games.
They write stories.
They explore.

They develop the exact skills we hope for as parents: resilience, creativity, and independence.

So if your child says “I’m bored” this March Break, you can smile and say: “Good. Your brain is about to do something amazing.”

It might feel uncomfortable at first - but trust me - this discomfort is where growth begins.

3. Parents Need Alone Time Too

This is the piece that often gets overlooked, but it may be the most important one.

Children regulate their nervous systems through the adults around them. This is called co-regulation.

Kids borrow our calm.
They borrow our emotional stability.
Which means when parents are exhausted, overwhelmed, or running on empty, children feel that too.

And right now many parents are deeply depleted.
Between the mental load of family life, work responsibilities, and the emotional weight of parenting in today’s world, parents are carrying a lot.

So this March Break, I want to give you permission to do something radical.

Take care of yourself too.

This doesn’t have to mean spa days or long vacations... I mean it could but it could also be much simpler than that. Alone time could look like:

• A quiet coffee before the kids wake up
• Sitting in the car for five minutes before going inside
• A short walk around the block by yourself
• Asking your partner or a grandparent to take over while you reset

Even small moments of calm can help reset your nervous system.

And when you feel more regulated, you naturally show up with more patience, more presence, and more connection.

Your calm becomes the anchor for your whole family.

Self-care is not selfish - it is nervous system maintenance.

The Truth Many Parents Need to Hear

If you’re feeling pressure to make March Break magical… Take a deep breath.

Children don’t focus on remembering perfect schedules or expensive outings.
They remember how it felt to be with you - that's the emotional imprint that lasts a lifetime.

They remember laughter.
Comfort.
Being listened to.
Being understood.

And connection is where this can all take place.
And, the best part is, it can easily be weaved into the ordinary moments - moments that can take as little as 1 minute!! 

Hugs, cook together, go for a walk together, play a silly game, talk before bed... 
The most meaningful moments of childhood are often the simplest ones.

Parenting Was Never Meant to Be Done Alone

One of the biggest struggles parents share with me is this feeling:

“Why does this feel so hard sometimes?”

The truth is, parenting has always been hard, but historically, families were surrounded by support systems — extended family, community, neighbours, and shared wisdom.

Today many parents are trying to do it all on their own. And that’s incredibly heavy.

You deserve support. 
You deserve guidance.
You deserve to feel confident and calm in your parenting.

That’s exactly why I created my Connection Masterclass, where I walk parents through how to strengthen their bond with their children while creating more cooperation and calm at home.

Inside the masterclass you’ll learn:

• why connection is the foundation of behaviour
• how to reduce power struggles
• how to help children regulate their emotions
• how to bring more peace into daily family life

And the best part?

These tools work with the brain — not against it.

Here are two resources I've created for you to start this journey:

1) Download the FREE Top Ten Ways to Easily Connect guide
2) If you want to truly make a shift and dive into connection with your child(ren), join the Connection Masterclass.

Because even one small shift can change the energy of your home.

A Final Thought for This March Break

What if this year you let go of the pressure to do more?

What if instead you focused on:

• simple connection
• breathing deeply
• being present

Less rushing.
Less performing.
Less trying to get it all right.

Parenting is not about perfection. It’s about building and strengthening your connection.
And remember — you don’t have to figure this all out alone.

There is a community of parents walking this journey too (check out The Village) and of course, I’m here to support you every step of the way.

Because when parents feel supported…it's easier to connect and raise great kids.

With care and compassion,
Natalie