Dear Me,

Summer is nearly here. You get to stay home with your daughter all summer and that is the best news ever. Seriously, it is the BEST. I know that this is your favorite. I also know that all the togetherness can get a bit intense, and you’re already mourning the snippets of alone time you savored when your child was at school. Oh, and kids are hard sometimes. Even the best ones (which yours obviously is).

You’re stressing about this change in routine. It’s a good and welcomed change, but it’s still a change. If telling you to take a deep breath will help- TAKE A DEEP BREATH. If that’s not quite enough, remember these bits of truth. Also, you should really take a deep breath, girl.

One. Kids do not have to be entertained every moment of every day. Boredom is good- beneficial, even. It’s spurs creativity and independence. IT IS OKAY TO SAY NO. No, we aren’t going there. No, we aren’t doing that. No, I’m not buying that. No, you can’t watch more television. NO IS NOT A BAD WORD. Your child may meet it with resistance, but hold strong when you need to. It’s a gift, really. To you and your awesome kid.

Two. You CAN do all the things, but you do not HAVE to do all the things. The busiest summer vacationer is not the winner. Summer is not a contest and yours doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It is okay to go. It is okay to stay home.

Three. Put a tiny bit of routine into your summer. Pick the regular tasks necessary to maintain order. Do them. Get your kid to help do them. Accomplish them daily. Then enjoy the heck out of the other 23 hours of the day.

Four. Make a summer bucket list. THIS IS NOT A TO DO LIST. This is just a list of things that sound like fun. When summer lulls and you know there is plenty to do but, for the life of you, you can’t think of one single interesting thing- go to the list. Bonus points if your list is mostly cheap or free. Double bonus points if there is a section for inside/air conditioned activities for the hottest summer days.

Five. When things get stressful or out of balance- RESET. There is a decent chance that one of these things will do the trick. Turn off the screens. Take a nap. Mix it up. If you’ve been in a stay-at-home rut, go somewhere. If you’ve been in a go-go-go rush, set aside a day to stay home.

You’ve got this. Among your favorite things in life are summertime, your little family, and living unhurried. You’ve got all the ingredients for the best summer ever.

Ready. Set. Go.

Love, Me