New Strategies for students/parents to practice after the summer

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I have quite a few new students who started about 4-5 months ago, all of whom have gone on holidays for the summer, a 1-2 month break. Most of those new students are in the 7 year old range, and all of them plus parents have really struggled to keep them practicing, I have to commend them for that. And as always I wonder how I might have done better, or how I might make improvements for the new 'season' after the summer.

I'm not sure yet what I might change, if anything, but I was particularly moved by one parent, who spoke to me on the last lesson, are maybe confessed that she had broken down and simply told her daughter, 7 years old, that she had the option to stop if she really didn't want to practice, that no one would judge her, and there would be no consequences if that was what she preferred to do. The mother told me that she was really tired of having to remind her everyday, it was a chore, and it was stressing her out because it was causing friction and was not pleasant for anyone. etc.

I'm aware of this difficulty, but as I am not a parent, I cannot say I really know what this is like, but I have seen it again and again. She asked for my advice, and I suggested that its a matter of bring music into their world, using stuffed animals, props, rewards, and we discussed this, but I know from previous experience that this rarely works for longer than a few weeks, and parents have usually tried reward systems and say they don't work.

I haven't thought enough perhaps about the nitty gritty side of day in day out parents and students and wonder about strategies I could suggest to help with this.

Um, any ideas on how to approach this?

I suppose I feel like I know that if students dont practice and its just agony for parents, then maybe they should just stop. Maybe there is no 'best' system for making this all work. But I can say, even my best students, the parents sat with them ever day while practicing, and did this for years until they were 8-10. Full time job, right, huge commitment...but are there any ways that you have found really help and give support to parents struggling with these concerns?

Thanks!