Ditch The Fall Bucket List
Fall in Baton Rouge is one of the busiest times of year. Between back-to-school events, Friday night lights, LSU football, and community activities, it feels like there is something happening every weekend. For years, I was the mom who tried to do all of it.
The Pinterest Mom Phase
I used to print out those Pinterest fall bucket lists, determined to check off every box. Pumpkin patches, themed baking, painting pumpkins, hayrides – you name it, I wanted it on our calendar. We drove to Barn Hill Preserve, Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch, and every other patch I could find in driving distance. Even when the kids were too little to carve or paint pumpkins, I still insisted we give it a try, usually ending in me doing the activity while my kids cried or crawled away.
Add in multiple festivals, church events, and trunk-or-treats around town (there are so many in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas; churches, schools, neighborhoods – you could practically go to one every weekend), and our calendar was bursting at the seams.
At first, it sounded magical. But in reality? I felt stressed. And kids pick up on that energy. They didn’t love the events as much as I hoped they would. I was often let down by the crowds or disappointed when the day didn’t feel as “perfect” as I had imagined.
Choosing Simplicity
I can’t say there was one big turning point when I decided to stop chasing it all. It was more of a slow realization: not every activity was worth the stress, the money, or the exhaustion.
Now, instead of doing every event that pops up on my feed, we only do the activities the kids ask for — and of course, the pumpkin patch. I didn’t really have to explain the change to my children (they’re still young enough not to notice), but I do tell them that we’re focusing on the things they want to do.
The Non-Negotiables
Our must-do tradition is the pumpkin patch at the church on Old Perkins. I love that many of the patches in Baton Rouge are run by nonprofits, so the money goes back into the community. Plus, the photo ops are priceless. Year after year, I line my kids up in the same spots and compare the pictures – it’s one of the simplest ways to see how much they’ve grown. The photos are never perfect, but they’re ours, and that makes them special.
We also make it a point to attend our church’s trunk-or-treat. Having one or two consistent traditions instead of a mile-long list makes the season feel more grounded and meaningful.
Here you can find a list of all of the Fall Activities happening in the Baton Rouge area.
Encouragement For You
If you’re reading this and feeling pressure to “do it all,” I want to remind you: your kids likely won’t remember checking off every activity from a bucket list. But they will remember how they felt. Did they feel rushed and dragged from one event to another, or did they feel seen, special, and happy in the moments you chose together?
So let go of the pressure to do it all. Choose a few activities that really matter to your family and make those moments memorable. I’m hopeful it will give us more time to slow down, laugh together, and actually enjoy the moments we choose instead of rushing through them.
And if you’re like me, still figuring out how to release that need for perfection, here’s a little mindset shift to try: focus less on the picture you want to capture and more on the joy of being there. The messy, real moments will matter most in the long run.
