Nub News has exclusively teamed up with education expert, Talk Education, to offer advice and top tips if parents are struggling what to do with the kids this half-term.

So here are their top five tips guaranteed to help you out:

1. Be Realistic

Some of the frustrations and emotion arise when our expectations and reality are out of sync. When we can be proactive and are able to let go of unhelpful expectations, we're more likely to embrace and enjoy the moment.

We can still have high expectations for our children but we need to incorporate a strong dose of reality into the mix and be proactive.

2. Have a plan

Prioritising and planning your family time together, even if it's the last few days of half-term, helps ensure that it will happen. Investing energy in setting priorities saves precious time, keeps us on track and reduces family flashpoints.

It is especially important to plan, communicate and be consistent with screen time. Without a plan set out in advance, it is highly likely you will find kids on screens all over the house – with the inevitable disagreements about where, when and for how long.

Screen time is all about balance and family values. It may be that you decide together in advance that mealtime and bedrooms at night are no-screen zones. A plan includes setting limits consistently and respectfully.

Parenting Partnership has written a brilliant article on keeping a healthy digital diet this holiday HERE

3. Be Present

In a world where we are over-scheduled and attached to screens, being fully present for our kids becomes more challenging but more important. A holiday at home is a great time to practise.

Our family is going to feel calmer and more connected when we know what makes our kids tick, but how are we going to understand the innerworkings of their world unless we take it upon ourselves to be present for them? Without presence, how can we ensure that we are curious, interested and fully engaged in their lives?

Fully present means slowing down, fully engaging and treasuring the moment. We build the connection with our children and deepen the relationship when we send the message that there is nothing else we would rather be doing this half-term holiday than spending time with them.

4. Sort the sibling struggles

All siblings fight and argue. It is a normal and even healthy part of growing up. We can expect that a week or two together may provide plenty of opportunities for sibling outbursts.

It's not our job to fix, shut down or mediate every sibling disagreement. That should already help us relax a little! Our job is to be the non-judgmental, objective coach rather than the referee and, as much as we can, let our kids figure it out.

The best way to handle sibling squabbles is to lessen the chances of them happening in the first place. If we focus our energy on making the most of this holiday time we have together, fully present, calm and connected, it is much less likely that our kids will need to seek attention and have their needs met through heated sibling struggles.

5. This is not about perfection

There is no such thing as a perfect half-term, the perfect parent or perfect kids. It's about good enough, being ourselves and remembering that we are all human.

Finally, when we are realistic and proactively seek joy in the moment with presence we are all much more likely to end the holiday feeling calm, recharged and reconnected.

Talk Education provide a dynamic digital schools guide that provides the highest-quality information and guidance on the British independent-education system.

Their expert team have 75 years of experience of visiting private schools and have great contacts.

If you would like to find out more information about the services they provide, such as their parent-advisory service and educational-events programme, then click HERE