We all remember the days… when Summer was full of drinking, spontaneous fun, traveling, and just having a good time. It was all care-free and sunshine. Summer as a mom is a completely different story. Summer camp, lack of routine, no school—Summer is now all about regulation and responsibility.

First of all, in order to be prepared for Summer, you have to get started way back in January. Who knew you had to register for summer camp 6 months before the actual camp happens?? Deciding on camps, and how long they are in each camp, etc, it all takes a lot of coordination. Speaking of coordination… when the littles are out of school and work and travel doesn’t slow down, the co-parenting suddenly becomes way more complex. Communication, scheduling details, and flexibility all become super important. I’ve been traveling a lot for work lately, and it’s required a lot of adulting to make sure everything is situated and taken care of while I’m away.

Also a part of the summertime shuffle… can we have a moment for all of the meltdowns that come from being out of normal routine? Summer is full of getting ready earlier or later, going to bed earlier or later, camp being different from school, etc. The Summer schedule looks nothing like the school year schedule, and it brings a lot of emotions with it. Even as adults, having a routine is super important. It helps us maintain habits and just generally feel good. It works for the same for kids, and I know mine function best when we have a routine in place.

Adjusting to summer-as-a-mom, and a working, business-owning mom at that, can be a little overwhelming. So many shifts happen when you become a parent, and things never really stop shifting. Kingston is about to start kindergarten in a few weeks and I’m sure it will bring plenty of its own new adjustments and learning curves. Moms, I would love to hear from you. How do you manage the ups and downs of Summer? What do you do to stick to a routine throughout the summer months? Let me know in the comments below!