Summer Mom Confession :: Avoiding Meltdown City
For our summer break last year, I planned themed weeks of activities. Most of our breakfasts, snacks, and lunch items were appropriately coordinated with whatever was for that week’s theme along with activities, crafts, adventures, and library books. After I endearingly named our summer #campchaos, I chronicled some of our fun times on social media.
Friends comments got me right in the gut, y’all. They said things like “You’re such a cool mom,” “You’re the fun mom, not fair,” “I want to come to your summer camp!” “I’m the boring mom, can my kids come to your house?”
Disclaimer: I chronicled the fun times on social media. I didn’t chronicle meltdowns, the whiney days, the overstimulation fits, the absolute Pinterest fail crafts / activities …. and there was LOTSSS of all of that!
Remember, social media doesn’t tell the whole story.
So, here’s some background – I’m a SAHM of three littles, ages 6, 3, and 1.5. The older two are boys and the baby girl is the caboose. I am severely Type A. I’m a paper planner nerd, I love to-do lists, the sense of accomplishment is my toxic trait.
Here’s the confession: the purpose in creating the themed summer vacay weeks was completely self-serving. It was only as an aid to (hopefully) help me keep my own sanity over the summer while trying to create some fun memories FOR MYSELF with my kiddos. In 2020, I was VERYYY unprepared for summer to begin in March because of a global pandemic and at that point I had a 1.5 month old newborn, a 2 year old, and a 4 year old. I stayed quarantined with them the.entire.summer.
While I love a to-do list and a weekly menu and enjoy looking forward to planned activities, I am also responsible for ALLLL OF THE DECISIONS in my household which leads to burn out on simply deciding. Then, I get overwhelmed by too many options and decide to just not decide at all. Which would be fine for myself, but kids don’t care about Mommy’s burnout. Kids don’t care that Mommy is tired of deciding breakfast, snack, activities, and crafts everyyy.single.day.
I’ve let them help decide and even honored their requests of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese for 5 solid days and then the burnout sets in with them.
So, now that summer break is here once again, I know summer break themes have been super fun and I will continue them for future school breaks. They have helped me not get so burnt out on making decisions. They have given me wonderful memories with my babies. They have also helped foster a love of learning within their hearts. I can honestly say that last summer break was so incredible, and I am looking forward to another summer of fun!
Pinterest literally has everything you need to accomplish this within your own home, if you choose to do so. It’s super easy to make this as extravagant or simple as you prefer. For us, simple is best! Stay flexible, if something doesn’t work out for today scrap it and try something else tomorrow. My themed weeks were Space Week, Dino Week, Rainbow Week, Bug Week, and Farm Week.
So, there’s my confession. This “super cool, always fun, living the best life” mom is simply trying to not live in “Meltdown City!”
Additional Resources
Free and Cheap Summer Fun in Baton Rouge
The Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun in Baton Rouge
