December 16, 2025 • 7 mins
Christmas is meant to be joyful… so why does it leave so many parents anxious, exhausted, and overwhelmed?
In this episode, Justin sits down with Rebecca Dredge (CEO of the Kiddo App) to unpack why school holidays spike parental stress — and what actually helps families survive the juggle of work, money, childcare, and endless commitments without burning out. This is a permission-giving conversation every tired parent needs before Christmas arrives.
KEY POINTS
- Why over a third of parents feel anxious about school holidays
- The hidden pressure of “making Christmas magical”
- How saying no can protect your family (and your sanity)
- Why over-planning everything backfires — and what to plan instead
- Practical ways to get support without guilt or overwhelm
QUOTE OF THE EPISODE
“It’s okay to say no. Your fridge doesn’t need every invitation on it.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Kiddo App – On-demand babysitting and care support for families
- Happy Families resources at happyfamilies.com.au
ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS
- Circle the non-negotiables that matter most to your family
- Say no to at least one invitation this week
- Plan a few meaningful moments — not every moment
- Line up support before you’re desperate for it
- Aim to “glide into Christmas,” not collapse into it
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Christmas can be a time of well, celebration and excitement
of course, but also anxiety, frustration, and stress for a
whole lot of parents. Joining me for a conversation about
the I guess the negative, the downside. I've a bit
of a down up. But it's real right about Christmas
holidays kids and the just the challenges associated with kids
(00:25):
having six weeks off school and what we're supposed to
do about it. Is Rebecca Dredge. Rebecca is the CEO
of the Kiddo App, and I'm really grateful that she
takes us some time out of her extraordinarily busy schedule
to have a chat with me right now about why
ouzsie parents are feeling anxious about the school holidays. Hey, Beck,
nice to have you along tell me about this survey.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Thanks for having me justin So the Kiddo App, we've
got such a big community. We've got twenty three thousand
people that use our app, so we really wanted to
dive in and understand you know, what parents are feeling.
We all know the school's coming to an end. Some parents,
it's about starting the new year. It's orientation days, it's
Christmas shopping, it's putting up the trees, you know. So
(01:07):
we just wanted to understand how parents actually felt, and
it's quite alarming. You know. There's a lot of us
that look forward to the holidays for some quality downtime
with our children. But at the same time, up to
a third of parents are really having that anxiety about
worrying what they're going to do on the school holidays,
how they're going to juggle work and entertaining the kids.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
So, yeah, it's a lot for parents.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I remember some years ago when we started to have
to deal with this ourselves, and we've got six kids, right,
maybe ten twelve years ago, we kind of went hang
on school holidays is meant to be fun, except we're
juggling work, and we're juggling the financial commitments, and we're
juggling Now we've got to like entertain the kids and
we don't want to leave them staring at the screen
all day. When you've got other commitments that are not flexible,
(01:52):
it becomes a stressful time.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I mean I talked to a lot of mums and
there's mums that have literally got Excel spreadsheets for the
six weeks and it's you know, husband's got these three
days off, Grandma can do these two days.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
You know, this week is you know.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Osh at school, we've got time off then, and then
what are we going to do in that time off?
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But yeah, it is it's a real straining time.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, and then you had the pressure of and we're
having the family Christmas party at our place in the
morning from ten thirty till two. But then we've got
to go to the in laws for their one from
a three till seven, and we've got to do all
the cleanup and the tidy up and the setup and
the backdown and the all the money that's got to
be spent. I mean, it really is pretty hard core. So, Beck,
(02:37):
when you looked at this data two and five, forty
three percent of Australian parents really do love school holidays
and love getting quality time with their kids. But like
you said, more than a third almost the same about
thirty five percent say no, this is this is hard work.
There's anxiety around this, there's a lot to juggle. What
what do you think parents, when you look at what
(02:58):
they told you, what seems to be useful for parents
so that they can get the balance right, so that
it actually feels nice to have Christmas, even with all
of the pressure that's on so many families.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, I think, look, it's about prioritizing what you need
to do, trying not to get too overwhelmed with everything.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
If there are.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Things that you don't need to do, just say no,
Like if there's just you know, if there's too many commitments,
say no.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The power of no is enormous, and so often we
forget that is an option.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Right.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
We feel completely obligated to go to the neighborhood Christmas
party and the surf club or the Scout group or
the church or the whatever community thing that you're involved,
and you've got to go to there one as well.
And then there's the work one plus your partner's work one,
and there's like, there are so many events, there's so
much to do. It's okay to say no.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It's okay to say no, and it's okay just to prioritize,
you know, and you kiddo's there if you need a babysitter,
but it is you know, outsourcing and just it can
even be stressful having to ask family to babysit during
this time because that's another add of pressure. Then you
go oh, then I've got parents in law staying for
a night. So it is about, you know, saying no
(04:10):
limiting the amount of invites.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
You put on your fridge.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You know, your freage doesn't have to be clutted with
every single invite, with every event that's happening. An outsource
where possible, so us parents, you know, we don't burn out,
we don't all get sick, and we're not you know,
we need to enjoy ourselves as well and be there
for our kids, not completely and utterly exhausted.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I'm going to add another couple of things to this
and feel free to fill in around the edges if
I miss anything. But in our family, what Kylie, my
wife has done, is essentially pulled together the calendar and
just jot down literally organize the day to day. Here's
what we're doing on this day. We're going to make
sure that we've got quality family time two or three
times this week. It might be a morning, it might
(04:55):
be an evening, it could be on the weekend. But
we're just putting in this stuff that really matters, and
then we can fill in around it with the other
stuff if it fits. But we're going to do the
stuff that matters for us. First, that organization. The intention
around that I've been so impressed with is she's done that,
and I love that. I love your point about booking
a babysitter in laws. But we just had a podcast
(05:17):
go out last week on Thursday about the challenges that
come with that. Do you have any I mean, maybe
there's an opportunity to give Kitto a little bit of
a plug. Tell me what Kiddo does and how that
can help in that in that vein.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, so kiddo. Look, we're an app. We're there are
twenty four to seven. You can download Kiddo from the
app store. You simply input the time and date you
need a babysitter for nanny, and we'll show you who's available.
So there's no having to go backwards and forwards to
being asked someone can help and then be rejected. You
simply log on, input your time and date. You can
preview profiles and book in the app. You can do
(05:53):
this at ten thirty at night. Is you know it's
the last thing on your mind and you're, oh, I
need to organize care for that Friday night and sit
there and you know doesn't matter if it's ten thirty night.
You can do that and that request will go across
to that babysitter and that wake up and they can
you know, confirm it for you. But it's just a
great go to, a great resource to just quietly go
(06:13):
and book some care if that's what you need to
get through the next few weeks to get through to Christmas.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, yep, sounds great. And we'll link to the Kiddo
app in our show notes for this. One last question
for you, how are you going to deal with the
stress and the challenge. I mean, you're running a business,
You've got all of your commitments across Christmas. How are
you going to get through it yourself?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Quite literally, I have prioritized normally, you know, I do
a big Christmas event. This year, I've just said, you
know what, I can't do it. We've had a big
year at Kiddo, We've gone national. I just can't do
too many things. You've got to look after your health.
You've got to look after number one. You've got to
be in great shape for your kids. Yeah, so it's prioritizing.
I've booked some babysitters so I've got that peace of
(06:54):
mind knowing Yep, I've got that extra sed of hands
when I need them, and I'm.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Just going to guide in Christmas Day and really enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I love that work. I'm going to glide into Christmas Day.
That has just become my brand new goal. Fingers cross,
fingers cross. We can all glide through the next week,
Bie and all have it.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Cheers Christmas morning, go and we made it and we
feel good.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, sounds great. Rebecca Dritch, CEO of kiddoapp dot com
dot AU, really appreciate your sharing what you found from
your community of twenty three thousand parents about Christmas holiday anxiety.
Thanks for joining me on the Happy Families podcast.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Thanks for having me. Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Merry Christmas to you too. The Happy Families Podcast is
produced by Justin Ruland from Bridge Media, and as always,
if you'd like more info about what we've talked about,
check the show notes for today's episode and visit us
at Happy Families dot com dot a
Christmas can be a time of well, celebration and excitement
of course, but also anxiety, frustration, and stress for a
whole lot of parents. Joining me for a conversation about
the I guess the negative, the downside. I've a bit
of a down up. But it's real right about Christmas
holidays kids and the just the challenges associated with kids
(00:25):
having six weeks off school and what we're supposed to
do about it. Is Rebecca Dredge. Rebecca is the CEO
of the Kiddo App, and I'm really grateful that she
takes us some time out of her extraordinarily busy schedule
to have a chat with me right now about why
ouzsie parents are feeling anxious about the school holidays. Hey, Beck,
nice to have you along tell me about this survey.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Thanks for having me justin So the Kiddo App, we've
got such a big community. We've got twenty three thousand
people that use our app, so we really wanted to
dive in and understand you know, what parents are feeling.
We all know the school's coming to an end. Some parents,
it's about starting the new year. It's orientation days, it's
Christmas shopping, it's putting up the trees, you know. So
(01:07):
we just wanted to understand how parents actually felt, and
it's quite alarming. You know. There's a lot of us
that look forward to the holidays for some quality downtime
with our children. But at the same time, up to
a third of parents are really having that anxiety about
worrying what they're going to do on the school holidays,
how they're going to juggle work and entertaining the kids.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
So, yeah, it's a lot for parents.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I remember some years ago when we started to have
to deal with this ourselves, and we've got six kids, right,
maybe ten twelve years ago, we kind of went hang
on school holidays is meant to be fun, except we're
juggling work, and we're juggling the financial commitments, and we're
juggling Now we've got to like entertain the kids and
we don't want to leave them staring at the screen
all day. When you've got other commitments that are not flexible,
(01:52):
it becomes a stressful time.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
I mean I talked to a lot of mums and
there's mums that have literally got Excel spreadsheets for the
six weeks and it's you know, husband's got these three
days off, Grandma can do these two days.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
You know, this week is you know.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Osh at school, we've got time off then, and then
what are we going to do in that time off?
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But yeah, it is it's a real straining time.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, and then you had the pressure of and we're
having the family Christmas party at our place in the
morning from ten thirty till two. But then we've got
to go to the in laws for their one from
a three till seven, and we've got to do all
the cleanup and the tidy up and the setup and
the backdown and the all the money that's got to
be spent. I mean, it really is pretty hard core. So, Beck,
(02:37):
when you looked at this data two and five, forty
three percent of Australian parents really do love school holidays
and love getting quality time with their kids. But like
you said, more than a third almost the same about
thirty five percent say no, this is this is hard work.
There's anxiety around this, there's a lot to juggle. What
what do you think parents, when you look at what
(02:58):
they told you, what seems to be useful for parents
so that they can get the balance right, so that
it actually feels nice to have Christmas, even with all
of the pressure that's on so many families.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah, I think, look, it's about prioritizing what you need
to do, trying not to get too overwhelmed with everything.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
If there are.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Things that you don't need to do, just say no,
Like if there's just you know, if there's too many commitments,
say no.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The power of no is enormous, and so often we
forget that is an option.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Right.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
We feel completely obligated to go to the neighborhood Christmas
party and the surf club or the Scout group or
the church or the whatever community thing that you're involved,
and you've got to go to there one as well.
And then there's the work one plus your partner's work one,
and there's like, there are so many events, there's so
much to do. It's okay to say no.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It's okay to say no, and it's okay just to prioritize,
you know, and you kiddo's there if you need a babysitter,
but it is you know, outsourcing and just it can
even be stressful having to ask family to babysit during
this time because that's another add of pressure. Then you
go oh, then I've got parents in law staying for
a night. So it is about, you know, saying no
(04:10):
limiting the amount of invites.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
You put on your fridge.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You know, your freage doesn't have to be clutted with
every single invite, with every event that's happening. An outsource
where possible, so us parents, you know, we don't burn out,
we don't all get sick, and we're not you know,
we need to enjoy ourselves as well and be there
for our kids, not completely and utterly exhausted.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I'm going to add another couple of things to this
and feel free to fill in around the edges if
I miss anything. But in our family, what Kylie, my
wife has done, is essentially pulled together the calendar and
just jot down literally organize the day to day. Here's
what we're doing on this day. We're going to make
sure that we've got quality family time two or three
times this week. It might be a morning, it might
(04:55):
be an evening, it could be on the weekend. But
we're just putting in this stuff that really matters, and
then we can fill in around it with the other
stuff if it fits. But we're going to do the
stuff that matters for us. First, that organization. The intention
around that I've been so impressed with is she's done that,
and I love that. I love your point about booking
a babysitter in laws. But we just had a podcast
(05:17):
go out last week on Thursday about the challenges that
come with that. Do you have any I mean, maybe
there's an opportunity to give Kitto a little bit of
a plug. Tell me what Kiddo does and how that
can help in that in that vein.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, so kiddo. Look, we're an app. We're there are
twenty four to seven. You can download Kiddo from the
app store. You simply input the time and date you
need a babysitter for nanny, and we'll show you who's available.
So there's no having to go backwards and forwards to
being asked someone can help and then be rejected. You
simply log on, input your time and date. You can
preview profiles and book in the app. You can do
(05:53):
this at ten thirty at night. Is you know it's
the last thing on your mind and you're, oh, I
need to organize care for that Friday night and sit
there and you know doesn't matter if it's ten thirty night.
You can do that and that request will go across
to that babysitter and that wake up and they can
you know, confirm it for you. But it's just a
great go to, a great resource to just quietly go
(06:13):
and book some care if that's what you need to
get through the next few weeks to get through to Christmas.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, yep, sounds great. And we'll link to the Kiddo
app in our show notes for this. One last question
for you, how are you going to deal with the
stress and the challenge. I mean, you're running a business,
You've got all of your commitments across Christmas. How are
you going to get through it yourself?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Quite literally, I have prioritized normally, you know, I do
a big Christmas event. This year, I've just said, you
know what, I can't do it. We've had a big
year at Kiddo, We've gone national. I just can't do
too many things. You've got to look after your health.
You've got to look after number one. You've got to
be in great shape for your kids. Yeah, so it's prioritizing.
I've booked some babysitters so I've got that peace of
(06:54):
mind knowing Yep, I've got that extra sed of hands
when I need them, and I'm.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Just going to guide in Christmas Day and really enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
I love that work. I'm going to glide into Christmas Day.
That has just become my brand new goal. Fingers cross,
fingers cross. We can all glide through the next week,
Bie and all have it.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Cheers Christmas morning, go and we made it and we
feel good.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, sounds great. Rebecca Dritch, CEO of kiddoapp dot com
dot AU, really appreciate your sharing what you found from
your community of twenty three thousand parents about Christmas holiday anxiety.
Thanks for joining me on the Happy Families podcast.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Thanks for having me. Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Merry Christmas to you too. The Happy Families Podcast is
produced by Justin Ruland from Bridge Media, and as always,
if you'd like more info about what we've talked about,
check the show notes for today's episode and visit us
at Happy Families dot com dot a
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