When school comes to a close, so many parents carry this quiet (or not-so-quiet) panic about what the summer looks like with the kids and shifting schedule. You might wonder how you’ll balance working, parenting, entertaining, and keeping the peace. Throw in a vacation, and it might feel totally overwhelming to handle on your own.

We want to normalize this emotional shift that can come with changing routines and responsibilities, and remind you that you’re not alone. More importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong by feeling this way. Parenting already asks you to be flexible, patient, and endlessly creative, so needing a little help managing the summer months makes perfect sense.

We want to offer you a soft place to land during the transition and gently move into intentionality when the overwhelm hits. Here are some ideas to reimagine summer in a way that leaves you and your family feeling more connected, lighthearted, and less pressured overall to make it perfect.

Why summer can stir up so much for parents

Summer can mean a lot of things to different parents. For some, it’s full of excitement; for others, it might mark a big milestone in their child’s life (like graduation or moving schools). It can also stir up old stories, expectations, or parts of yourself that you didn’t expect until that last day of school hits.

Many parents feel pressure to make summer a time their kids enjoy and feel more of a challenge when school and sports schedules turn into unstructured days and routines that aren’t centered around the workday. There may also be an element of comparison to your partner, co-parent, or other parents as you start to see the time and energy you have to give your kids.

All of these issues can compound when at work. People don’t fully understand the new split of time between parenting and work when kids are at home or need more of your attention. Part of feeling this way is tapping into the root of the feeling.

It can look seamless on the outside like nothing in your life has changed, while the reality is the time before work and after work are a new jigsaw puzzle of logistics to figure out. You might now have camp pickup, summer parties, play dates, and the pressure from your workplace to make it feel easy like you haven't even missed a beat (UGH!).

Usually, you’re thinking about things because you care so deeply, and it's okay to notice when that thoughtful reflection turns into stress, irritability, or even dread. It’s important not to let self-judgment take over for these less-than-excited emotions and tap into what you need to feel grounded, apart from what everyone else needs from you.

Recognizing this is a decisive first step to softening the overwhelm and permitting yourself to hold space for the joy and the challenging moments this season can bring.

What does an ideal summer feel like for you?

You might think about what makes your kids happy, their schedules, the events you’ll need to prepare for or show up for, and how people expect you to balance it all. But, what if we take a moment to think about what you want to experience and feel through these next few months?

A moment to pause and visualize

We know slowing down to pause isn’t the go-to when managing a full plate, but taking a moment for yourself can go a long way toward realigning your goals for this summer.

Imagine the first day of school in the fall when the kids return. What do you want to remember about this summer as you look back? What moments make you feel the most proud of yourself? What kind of memories would you love your kids to carry with them as they start their next school year? How do you want to feel about the summer as a whole?

Taking the time to visualize, whether in a journaling session, a conversation with your friends or partner, or just thinking about it, can help remove the pressure of what other people want and feel more connected to what is most fulfilling for you. Maybe it’s not about the elaborate vacations or an endless calendar to keep busy. A perfect summer might be about simple things like morning walks, random dance parties, or a new family inside joke.

You can let that vision guide your choices as we go through some ideas below, and practice gratitude as you watch these moments come to life.

10 practical, low-lift ideas for an intentional summer

Here are a few realistic, connection-focused ideas to sprinkle into your summer, even if you balance parenting with work or other responsibilities. While this list scratches the surface, it can help you check in with what lights you up and what sounds like it may be too much as you reflect on your intentions for this summer.

Summer bucket list

The intention setting can be a family activity when you kick off the break with a fun brainstorming session about what you want to do before summer ends. Your bucket list can be something you write down and post somewhere, or a jar you can pick ideas out of when the kids are bored, to have ideas ready to go.

You can ritualize the summer bucket list with a family dinner to start things off. Everyone brings their favorite activities, memories to make, places to go, or people to see. Everyone can choose or vote on the top ideas to prioritize together (and you can pre-screen the reality of making them happen).

Prompt them with fun, open-ended questions like:

What’s something new you’d like to try this summer?
What’s your favorite summer treat we should eat at least once?
Is there a place nearby you’ve always wanted to visit?
What’s one thing you’d love to do with our whole family?
What’s something totally weird or ridiculous we should try?

2. 10-minute reset walks

Call them “family reset walks.” No pressure for long hikes — just a quick lap around the block to start the day, after dinner, or between Zoom calls. You might even create a non-negotiable rule to leave phones at home so everyone can be present together and catch up on the day.

A scheduled walk can give the kids something to look forward to, or you might decide to randomly suggest your walking time as a nice refresh moment throughout the day. You can prompt conversation about how the day is going so far and how everyone wants to enter the rest of the day or night to make it memorable.

3. Kid-run snack stations

Set up a basket or fridge shelf with parent-approved snacks the kids can grab themselves as they spend more time at home or prepare snacks for a day out. A simple, kid-accessible snack system gives them freedom to grab what they need without asking 47 times a day and saves you decision fatigue.

Ideas for this can look like:

Trailmix bar: Use small jars or bowls with add-ins like pretzels, dried fruit, cereal, mini marshmallows, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips. Littles can scoop a mix into a cup or baggie.
Granola parfait fridge drawer: Stock yogurt tubes, a container of granola, and pre-washed berries in little containers. Older kids can build their parfaits.
Sandwich fixin’s: A bin or basket with bread, nut butters, jams, cheese sticks, deli meat, or hummus. Let them assemble their picnic-style sandwiches.
Veggies & dips: Pre-cut carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, other easy veggies in baggies or cups. Add small containers of ranch, hummus, or guac that the kids can choose from to add some excitement to their snack time.
Fruit bowl: Keep a bowl stocked with apples, oranges, bananas, and other grab-and-go fruit. Rotate with seasonal picks or add a request list to ensure everyone has something fresh on hot days.
Charcuterie: Nothing says fun like building a board with crackers, cheese, grapes, and other fun ingredients that kids can pick from as they enjoy their favorite activities. This can also be fun to do poolside, at the beach, or in a park with a picnic.

4. Choose a song of the summer

Creating rituals can connect you to your kids at any age. Imagine choosing a song each summer to be the official reminder of what the year means for you, and being transported into the intentions you set every time it plays.

With older kids, you can turn it into a competition to present the top options and bring it to a vote, adding each of the contenders to a family playlist that you can turn on for road trips, pool days, and cooking background music. This tradition can get everyone excited each year and help you feel the good energy of summertime together.

5. Summer ‘do-nothing’ days

Pick one day a month when the plan is to do absolutely nothing aside from being together. When you have a busy schedule and plans pop up at the last minute, it helps to set aside a time when everyone says no to anything external (hangouts, errands, outings, etc.) and spends the time doing something as a family.

This can normalize time together and guarantee that there’s a moment to tune into what matters, even on the busiest of weeks. You might choose a movie to watch together, a meal, or a game to play. You might also just lean into no plans and let your intuition guide you.

6. Family project

Throughout the summer, choosing a project that everyone contributes to could be nice. You might want to start a garden, build a library, or capture the summer through a family vlog. Get creative with this, and think about different roles each family member can play so you’re all working toward a common goal that you can enjoy at the end of the summer.

This can look like:

Let each family member pick a plant and be responsible for watering, weeding, or harvesting their pick in the garden. Even a few pots on a balcony or stoop can feel meaningful when everyone’s involved and watch the progress over time.
Design, decorate, and stock a little library for the neighborhood. Assign roles like book curator, painter, builder (or decorator), and community promoter (someone makes flyers or a social post about it).
Capture snippets of everyday moments, silly jokes, road trip highlights, or dance parties on video as you experience fun memories together. At the end of summer, edit it into a short video you can watch on the first day of school. Roles could include videographer, interviewer, performer, or editor.

7. Weekly meetings

Especially when kids are on the move or your work schedule makes finding time difficult, a weekly meeting can be a great way to connect and check in throughout the summer. Summer days can blur together quickly, and before you know it, it’s mid-August, and you’re wondering where the time went.

A weekly family check-in is a simple, grounding way to reconnect, reflect on the week, and set intentions for what’s ahead. It doesn’t need to be formal or take more than 10–15 minutes. Choose a time that works and ritualize it around breakfast, camp pick up, or another moment you can rely on.

This can also help kids open up and share on a deeper level than the typical “how was your day?”.

Ask simple, open-ended questions like:

What was your favorite moment from this week?
Is there something you’d like to do differently next week?
What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
Is there anything on your mind you want to share?

8. Learn new things together

You don’t need to sign up for a whole class or summer program to explore something new. Pick one small topic or skill everyone is curious about and dive in little by little, like learning how to cook a new recipe, trying a bit of a new language, heading to the local library to dive into a new topic, or visiting a zoo.

This also doesn’t have to be academic. It’s simply about leaning into curiosity as a family and showing your kids that learning doesn’t have to stop outside of school if they have an interest in growing over the summer. Make it fun by asking kids what interests them, or rotating a topic to explore as a family each week.

A few ways to keep it low-pressure and simple:

Watch a how-to video together once a week
Take turns having each family member choose a topic to learn about, then teach the family
Make a "we tried it!" family list of new things and see how many you can cross off

9. Slow start Sundays

Protect one morning a week to slow down together without alarms, agendas, or rushing. Whether you’re making pancakes, playing music and staying in pajamas, or laying in the yard with a book, it’s nice to build in a weekly tradition of getting present and grounded.

Slow start Sundays (or whichever day you choose) can be a reset button, especially after a long week of camps, travel, or juggling work and activities. You might have your routine of hitting the laundry, groceries, and meal prep, but what if you take this moment to pause before you dive into productivity?

Let the kids lead the pace, choose a special breakfast to serve, and tap into good conversation that leaves everyone feeling recharged heading into a new week.

10. Creative hour

Set aside one hour a week for everyone to be creative in any way you feel called to. This isn’t about making a perfect outcome necessarily, but taking time together to express yourselves through creativity. Some days it may be coloring, painting, writing stories, building LEGO worlds, or even just cutting and gluing old magazines for a vision board.

Other days, you might combine tasks like making cupcakes for a barbecue with a cupcake decorating hour, during which the kids can create baked goods they’re proud to show off.

Low-lift ideas to kick it off:

Head to the local craft store and see what catches your kids’ eye to stock up on supplies you can be excited about for your creative hour
Start a family story where one person adds a sentence each week and builds it throughout the summer
Have a mini “gallery walk” to show off your creations

Getting grounded: How to not forget the “you” in all of this

Aside from the time spent with your kiddos or wearing your parenting hat, remember you’re human and deserve some time to check in with what you need throughout the summer too. If that sounds impossible to manage, we’re here to help offer some ways “you time” can look without feeling like it’s a choice between self-care and showing up as the parent you want to be.

And let’s be real — expect resistance. No matter how well you plan, how perfect the idea seems, or how much you know your kids usually love it, there will be days when it’s met with complaints, protests, or total disinterest. You’ll wonder, “Why do I even bother?” And that’s okay. It’s part of it.

Some moments will be the memory-makers you’ll carry forever, and others might fall completely flat. That’s when having a quick values check-in can be so helpful — reminding you why you made the plan in the first place, what it was rooted in, and how you can flex with the moment.

It also creates space to name the disappointment when it happens. You might have envisioned a magical family picnic or a hilarious backyard game that turns into a family video moment, only for everyone to melt down halfway through. It stings because you care. And that’s also why it matters to keep yourself in the picture too.

Maybe the family activity didn’t land, but you still loved the idea — so you save it for a date night, turn it into a solo project, or gather a few friends instead. It’s your summer too, and tending to your own joy and connection matters, whether or not the original plan goes as expected.

Let’s talk about how to make this realistic:

Bookend your day with intention

When the day feels like total chaos, you might consider carving out time (even if it's only a few minutes) at the start and end just for you. A few minutes of journaling, stretching, stepping outside to let the sun hit your skin, keeping your phone on do not disturb, or sipping something warm (or iced) can help you feel like a person again, not just a logistics coordinator.

These moments don’t have to be productive to be powerful. If you’re really struggling to find time to slow down, you might try simply taking a deep exhale before you check your phone or reflecting in the shower.

It’s helpful to ask yourself:

What kind of energy do I want to bring into today?
What can I release to create more space for my intentions?
What do I need to release from today to rest tonight?

-> Feel seen if people pleasing at work feels like a struggle.

Create a “you-only” space in the house

It’s funny how our minds can associate certain places with feelings. Even when we don’t intend to, it’s easy to pair stress or anxiety with the place you do most of your work, household chores, or storing files and bills. You might also associate fun and high energy around the kids in their rooms or common play spaces.

So, what if you chose a place in the house that’s only for you this summer? It may be a cozy corner, your bathroom vanity, or a section of the yard where you can go to remind yourself to pause and take it all in when you need a little dose of “me time”.

You might even add some touches like your favorite candle, book, affirmation cards, a cozy blanket, or a plant that makes you feel great. It’s not a magic trick to release all the stress you may carry when you go to your space, but it can be an intentional reminder that you still deserve to tap into how you want to feel when you’re balancing everything else on your plate.

Let things be imperfect, on purpose

First, know that if your perfectionist part is having a big reaction to this one–you’re not alone! At the same time, when you’re juggling a lot it’s important to see that not everything has the same priority or urgency level. You might ask yourself what you can do with 80% instead of a full 100% this week, to create space for flexibility and flow.

It's okay to let a few things slide without seeing it as failure. For example:

The overflowing laundry can be put on hold another day if your daughter spontaneously asks for a sunset walk.
You might also forego putting in that last (extra) hour of work and let a project wait until the morning so you can recharge after a stressful day on your own, before you enjoy family dinner.
Being late to a neighbor’s barbecue is okay because you’re enjoying a slow morning you don’t always get.

Lean on others for support

Sometimes, the pressure of having it all together can only increase when you don’t open up and name how you’re feeling. It’s nice to remember any close friends, your partner, or family members you trust to share what the summer overwhelm brings up for you, and know you’re not alone.

One day, you might just need to vent about the number of kid parties that hit your schedule in July all at once, while another day, you might actually ask someone to support you and take something off your plate when it’s all feeling like too much.

Remember that your support system can also be a great way to plan playdates, gatherings, and trips where you share summer memories together. You don’t have to be on the edge of losing it to reach out to the people who love you.

Celebrate the tiny wins

If all you did was feed everyone, show up with love, and remember the sunscreen, you’re doing a ton! It’s easy to let go of the little wins each day when you’re finding the balance between all the things you need to get done, but taking the time to celebrate them goes a long way.

Give yourself credit for the care you put into your role as a parent, knowing even the smallest moments add up in your kiddos' eyes. As you think about the expectations you put on yourself for the summer, try to see where there’s room to give yourself grace and remember all you’re doing daily.

Feel supported as you juggle it all with intention

From therapy to coaching at Modern Therapy, we know how much pressure high-achievers balancing it all can put on themselves. We created a space to meet you with compassion and clarity on how you can honor the intentions that matter most to you.

We’re here to support you through these summer months and every month in between as you learn to understand yourself, your story deeply, and what you want your life to look like at home, at work, and in your time alone.

Let’s pour some heart into your days.

Feel the support of our team

Feeling Overwhelmed About Summer with the Kids? You’re Not Alone and You’re Not Failing