Summer holidays as a child are idyllic. Six weeks of uninterrupted, unstructured bliss – no teachers, no homework, no lessons and no early morning starts. But ask any busy working parent and they might view the extended time differently.
Without school routines, the summer period can often be a stressful, logistical nightmare in which parents struggle to juggle the exhaustion of full-time work with full-time childcare. Particularly for those without grandparents or relatives living nearby who can regularly help out, summer clubs, childcare and sports camps are often a no-brainer. But in the UK, they notoriously cost a small fortune, especially if families are sending more than one child.
Alexandra Watson can attest to the ways summer can feel financially ruinous for working parents in Britain. She remembers the struggle of working through the summer and paying over £1,000 a month for childcare in Nantwich, a market town in Cheshire. “It honestly felt like we were working through the summer then watching so much of what we earned disappear straight back into childcare,” she says. “It was awful.”
This all changed 10 years ago when Alexandra, her husband and their daughter Theia, now 12, moved to Jávea, a beach town on the Costa Blanca in Spain. “I first discovered the whole summer club thing during her first summer off school when she was three,” says Alexandra, who runs a history YouTube channel and History Mystery Agency, a children’s history puzzle company. “We started sending her when she was about five so she could keep seeing her little pals and I could actually get some work done.”
Dolly Parton – a life in pictures
Dolly Parton died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Tributes from around the world have honoured the country music superstar, who passed away following a “brief battle with cancer”.
The singer was best known for her genre-defining hits including “9 To 5”, “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene”.
Born into a musical family in 1946
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born in 1946, the fourth of 12 children, into a poor farming family who lived in a one-bedroom cabin in Tennessee.
Her father, Robert Lee Parton, was a tobacco farmer. Parton spoke about her mother, Avie Lee, singing folk songs all the time, and her aunt played the guitar.
Country star’s unique style
During her teens, Parton began modelling herself on a local character known as the “town tramp”.
The lady wore bright red nail polish, low-cut tops and high heels – young Dolly thought she was beautiful.
A musical powerhouse
Despite being unable to read sheet music, Parton was proficient on several instruments including the banjo, harp, piano and saxophone. She had her first No 1 hit with the song “Joshua” in 1971.
- It was the theme song that Parton wrote for the 1980 movie 9 to 5 that fully propelled her to stardom.
A nearly 60-year marriage
Parton maintained a deeply committed, nearly 60-year marriage to Carl Dean until his death in 2025. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared,” Parton said when he died.
Dean remained out of the public eye, choosing to focus on his asphalt-paving business in Nashville. The couple had no children.
Parton’s life in pictures
How shingles jab ‘could slash heart risks’
The shingles vaccine currently used by the NHS may slash the risk of heart failure, heart disease and stroke, according to a new study.
What you need to know
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash and the jab that protects against it – Shingrix – is available on the NHS for people aged 65-70, people aged 70-79 (as part of a catch-up program) and for those over 18 with a severely weakened immune system.
Experts say that if all over-60s had the jab, it could prevent tens of thousands of deaths.
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The study
The NHS switched to Shingrix from the former vaccine, Zostavax, three years ago. Researchers from the University of Oxford compared the risk of stroke, ischemic heart disease or heart failure between the two vaccines over seven years.
- They analysed data from more than 70,000 people and found that up to seven years after the jab, people who had Shingrix lived 9 per cent longer without developing a cardiovascular disease.
more on health from the i paper
Children’s eyesight is getting worse. This is what parents can do about it
The rise in short-sightedness is not directly caused by too much screen time, but a related change in children’s behaviour. Fortunately it can be reversed.
Why nicotine vapes are still best chance to quit smoking
Smokers are more likely to quit their habit by using vapes compared to conventional methods such as nicotine gum and patches, according to a new study.
Quit rates are higher
The Cochrane Review examined 80 studies involving almost 30,000 people and found that quit rates were higher with vape use, with it leading to 61 per cent increased odds that a quit attempt would be successful after six months.
- That means that eight to 10 out of 100 people using vaping to quite smoking might succeed compared to six of 100 people using nicotine-replacement therapy.
Providing vapes can help
Researchers looked at behavioural support – offered through advice and counselling – and found that people who were also given nicotine vapes were more likely to quit.
The expert view
We have very strong evidence that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking. Based on the consistency of the findings here, it’s clear that they are a proven and viable option for people wishing to quit cigarettes
Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior author of the review from University of Massachusetts Amherst
At least 15 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
At least 15 infants were killed when a fire broke out at a state-run hospital in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, triggered by a fault in air conditioning systems, local broadcaster Geo TV reported.
Here is everything we know about the incident so far.
What happened?
The blaze started at around 7am local time on Wednesday at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences on the third floor of the mother and child health ward.
The incident is among the deadliest hospital fires in recent years in the country, where government healthcare is subsidised but facilities are overburdened.
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The story in pictures
A closer look at the detail
- There were 16 newborns in the ward when the fire broke out, one of whom was rescued, Geo reported.
- Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to conduct an immediate investigation, his office said.
- “Those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken,” Sharif’s office said.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Summer clubs are huge in Spain, says Alexandra, and the camps usually run from around 8am to 1pm due to the heat. “The thing is, parents have to work here; there aren’t many holidays and wages are low,” she says. She was immediately struck by just how many clubs there were, what they offered, their low cost, and the fact that even with national teachers’ strikes, schools would stay open to give the equivalent of childcare daily.
Alexandra paid £170 per month for summer childcare in Spain from 2016 until 2022, making it really affordable compared with her experience of UK childcare. “The council-run options can be particularly cheap. Xàbia’s [Jávea’s] council summer school this year is only €90 (£70) for a month, for example,” she says.
Summer holiday clubs in the UK cost parents an average of £1,145 per child, research from 2026 shows, up 6 per cent from last year. A recent survey from charity Pregnant Then Screwed revealed that 89 per cent of parents had used annual leave to cover holiday childcare. Half admitted that childcare costs affected their ability to afford essentials, and 88 per cent of UK parents felt financial and emotional pressure during the school holidays.
Over the years at these camps, Alexandra’s daughter Theia has done “everything” from tennis, swimming, cooking, languages, chess and robotics – usually five days a week through July and sometimes into August. “Some of her friends even did sailing courses for several summers. Being a little kid and learning to sail a boat in Jávea – how cool is that?” says Alexandra.
‘I can do all my chores – it’s perfect’
Anna Wardley is a solo parent who also has high praise for Spanish summer clubs. Anna has homes in Gosport, Hampshire, on the south coast of the UK, and Colónia Sant Jordi, a small resort town on the south-eastern coast of Mallorca. She lives between the two with her six-year-old daughter, Grace. Pre-Brexit, Anna would spend more time in Mallorca than in the UK, but now it is more of a juggling act. Still, she and her daughter spend summers mostly in Spain due to the affordable and quality childcare.
“Grace goes to the summer camp from 9am until 2pm, Monday to Friday, and it’s perfect,” says Anna, an endurance swimmer who works as a professional speaker and swim coach. “I know she has a great time there and in that chunk of the day, I can get work done. I can do all the chores. I can go into Palma and buy things I need, meet the accountant and not have to drag a six-year-old with me. Then I collect her at 2pm, we have lunch together and go to the beach.”
Grace’s summer camp, Best Centre in Colònia Sant Jordi, features a 50-metre Olympic pool, state-of-the-art underwater video analysis, and technique swim clinics. International swimmers and triathletes train in the pool and Anna coaches swimming there. It was opened in 2009 by two former British Olympic swimmers, and it is near Anna’s apartment, which she purchased in 2015, years before her daughter was born.
Over the summer, Best Centre runs Campus de Verano, a camp for children from age four to 12. “They do a combination of sporty activities, crafts, swimming, and it’s multilingual as well,” she says. “It’s a mixture of local and international children speaking Catalan, Spanish, and English – so it’s not just childcare, it’s language immersion, interacting with kids from different cultures, swimming at one of the best pools in Europe.”
Six weeks of the camp costs €518 (£443) which works out at €17.26 (£15) per day, and it’s less for siblings – more than half the cost of the UK.
Anna has invited other British solo mums out to Mallorca to show them an alternative way to spend summer that enriches children and parents. But for some, work still gets in the way. “It’s difficult because some people’s employers don’t allow them to work overseas or remotely, and for other people, 9am until 2pm is just not long enough and doesn’t cover their whole working day,” she says. “It works if you’ve got some flexibility.”
From speaking to friends, she has heard firsthand how the setup in the UK can make summers a gruelling “headache and a financial drain” for parents, especially for those without family help. “There’s a real divide between people who have grandparents or family that can step in and provide childcare, and those who haven’t,” she says. “For the ones who haven’t, it’s really difficult. Then that’s coupled with that guilt of not being able to spend the time with your child when you feel like other families are able to. They may get one or two weeks during the six weeks holiday when they’re with their child.”
That’s why Anna loves her “holy grail” setup because she’s managed to find somewhere she and her daughter love spending summer, and that allows her to work at the same time.
Both parents agree that when childcare is affordable it alleviates not only the emotional pressure on working mums and dads, but also has a positive impact on their careers and wellbeing. “When you’re 24/7 solely responsible for a child, it can take its toll. We all need a break in the summer holidays, and it means we both get that,” says Anna.
Spanish culture being much more child-centric and accommodating of parents’ needs makes for happier children, adds Alexandra. “It feels much less ‘children should be seen and not heard’ than in the UK,” she says. “The sunshine and outdoor life obviously help too. It’s just less stressful when you’ve got a happy, fulfilled child who’s been out having fun all morning.”