Back to School Self-Care Ideas: A Parenting Pause (With Chocolate)

 

Phew. The kids are back in school and you can finally exhale after what was surely a jam-packed summer holiday. If you ask us, parents deserve a chocolate-filled (and maybe the odd choc-tail or two!) afternoon.

For the last six weeks, your days have probably revolved around keeping little people fed, watered and entertained. You've been on day trips, organised playdates, broken up arguments and heard the words "I'm bored" more times than you'd care to count.

So now they're back through the school gates, it's time to put yourself back on the to-do list.

A little me-time goes a long way

September can be a hectic month. New school shoes, new routines, earlier mornings and the sudden realisation that everyone has forgotten how to get out of the house on time. But amongst all the organising, there's no reason you can't carve out a little time for something you actually enjoy.

One thing we've learned from 22 Septembers of doing this: the first fortnight of term is pure logistics. Name labels, lost PE kits, remembering which day is swimming. Nobody gets a proper breath until week three. So the smartest back-to-school self-care idea isn't a bath tonight, it's something in the diary for a couple of weeks' time, booked now while you're thinking about it, waiting for you when the new-term shine has worn off.

Why a chocolate workshop (and not just a nap)

Getting together with friends for a MyChocolate workshop is a pretty good place to start. It's a chance to catch up, get creative and enjoy some seriously good chocolate - without having to share a single bite.

There's something rather satisfying about making your own chocolate treats. You get to learn something new, make a bit of a mess and, best of all, eat the results. It's also a great excuse to round up the friends you've barely seen since the school holidays began. Swap stories about the summer, compare notes on the school run and enjoy an afternoon that's all about grown-ups.

What you're actually signing up for:

• A hands-on session at our Shoreditch (London) or Malmaison (Manchester) venue, with a chocolatier to show you the ropes
• Book for just you and a friend, or round up a whole crowd from the school gate
• Make your own chocolates and take home everything you make (that's the rule, not a suggestion)
• Choc-tails in an edible chocolate glass, if you're that way inclined
• From £54.95 per person
  

We've been doing this for 22 years and we're rated five stars on Tripadvisor, so you're in safe (if slightly sticky) hands.

Give yourself permission to pause

September shouldn't just be about getting everyone else back into a routine. It's a fresh start for you too. So, when the first few weeks of school have settled down, give yourself permission to pause. You survived the summer - now it's time for the chocolate!

Grab a date before the diary fills up. 

And if you know a parent who needs this even more than you do, a gift card does the job nicely.

A few things parents usually ask us

Can I come on my own? Absolutely. Plenty of people do, and you'll be making chocolate alongside a friendly bunch within about five minutes.

Do I need to be any good at cooking? Not in the slightest. If you can hold a spoon, you're qualified. Our chocolatiers do the tricky bits.

Are there sessions while the kids are at school? Select workshops run once or twice a month on a weeknight. If not you are welcome to join us on the weekend for a session.

Where are you? Our HQ is in Shoreditch but we also run workshops on select Saturday's from our Manchester location at the MalMaison Piccadilly.

Til next time,

Team MyChocolate x