As we're scrambling to pack in those last summer memories with the kiddo before they grab their backpack and head back to school Monday, I'm trying my dang tootinest to slow down and reflect upon what is... and isn't... working for our family when it comes to maximizing every moment of one of our favorite seasons.
It's easy to slip into a very "grind/hustle/repeat" routine... especially with daylight on our side... and I often forget to hit pause, reflect, and learn from the gifts and experiences life gives us as a family.
This is why I try to take a moment to reflect upon what does and doesn't resonate with us 😸
A Less-Stressed 2026 Summer
Something I learned early in my motherhood journey: If I don't have summer childcare/activities planned by Valentines Day, it's going to be a shenanigans show.
Book a Planning Appointment
Last year, I sat down at the end of the summer and set up a calendar appointment for January 15 to plan for 2025 summer intentionally with everything we learned in 2024.
In the calendar entry, I listed the following:
- Our Core Values/Mission Statement for the year (set on New Years Day)
- Collective feedback kiddo received throughout the school year from educators, therapists, support folk, etc.)
- Quantifiable Goals (make 1 new meaningful friend, read twice a day for 30 minutes each time, etc.)
- Grown-ups – Earning/Income Goals
- Expense Estimates for childcare + activities for summer
- Likes/Dislikes/Wishlist from Retrospective
Retrospective Feedback Fuels Success
We have defaulted to the same summer camp childcare option for several years as it had continued to align with our social/emotional as well as academic goals for our daughter... while offering the hours we need to work to support our family.
...but we've learned that this option has likely outlived its usefulness...
Yes, we are very satisfied with how low-stress it is to offer a consistent experience for kiddo to learn, play, and grow over the summer... BUT...
We would like to keep these top 3 take away wishlist items in mind for next year...
:: Nurture Deeper Interests
We love how our default summer camp option offers a wildly diverse variety of experiences... which is cool and all... but it would be nice if we spent more time and focus on one thing at a time. I'm thinking in 2026 we will actively seek out experiences for us all that will take our interests to the next level. The tough part is going to be re-gauging our interest levels as we come closer to summer 2026... That 6 week equestrian camp ain't cheap... and what happens when this child flips like a dime and suddenly would rather be in cheer? OY...
...but that's something I'm grateful to have the time to think over and consider before we need to make these decisions next January! #todo
:: Encourage Courage
TMI Confession: We're all a bunch of sissies in this family. We tend to hyper fixate on things we're good at and rarely push out of our comfort zone. I feel like we did a really good job knocking out bucket list items that are well outside our normal routine/realm. In 2026, I want to continue the trend of trying new things adjacent to our current skill levels and be braver and bolder!
:: More Quiet Time
I'm afraid one of 2025 Summer Lessons is the fact that we didn't incorporate enough silence and boredom into the season. We had some pretty overstimulated days this summer and I would love to plan around that next year!
Forethought for Health
So, why is Che talking about summer planning on a Massage Therapy and Bodywork website?
- Our bodies crave the expected. Planning IS nourishment for your nervous system. It's less stressful to plan than YOLO around.
- When we factor in all of our needs as adults (income, household management, "free time") intentionally and in line with our children's needs while activity planning... you will feel far more empowered as a parent to do the workouts, stretch the stretches, and enjoy all of the things more.
Alright, back to writing my personal retrospective! Don't forget to take time for you! Book a bodywork session 😸