Ready or Not, Here Come Summer… Making Peace with Parenting Shift
By: Jessica Faith Graham
Published May 25, 2025
Have you ever felt both excited and overwhelmed as summer break begins? Join the club. :)
In this post, I’m sharing honest reflections on what it’s like to navigate the shift into summer as a parent—balancing the beauty, the chaos, and everything in between.
The Fugees song expresses it perfectly: “Ready or not, here I come…”
What’s coming?
Summer vacation.
As a kid, it was the best time of year. I have memories of sunshine, swimming, laughter, slip-and-slides, and s’mores. Idyllic, right?
As the parent now, I don’t really see the months of June through August in that way anymore.
Summer’s Challenges
Last summer, I was talking with a friend about the challenges of transitioning to summer with kids. She shared how difficult it was to get her children to 9 am camps when her meetings started at 8 am, and how one of her kids had a soccer game every night of the week.
I’ll tell you what the hardest thing is for me… the school schedule worked great for work and life flow. Summer is not as structured, and trying to fit in work and childcare becomes challenging. Year after year, I struggle because June 2 rolls around and my days look so different.
Summer’s Positives
There are so many positives. The mornings feel lazier, and we aren’t rushing out the door. Every week is different. Every day is different.
There isn’t much consistency. I will say this: if you have met my children, you will see they play very well independently. I’m a huge believer in just letting them play. And play they do… in mud, water, making potions, at the park, and at the lake. I think they go through several outfits with all the water and mud play that happens in my backyard.
If I’ve learned anything over the past eleven summers, it’s this:
Accept that summer alters my schedule. My schedule for June, July, and August is simply different. The more I long for the school schedule, the more I struggle.
Collaborate with other parents. Carpool to camps if possible or arrange a weekly playdate.
Remember that if change is difficult for you, it may also be challenging for children. They might need assistance transitioning to the new schedule.
Expect sibling tension. Your children may also need some help getting along with their siblings. I often feel like I really need to assist them in understanding how to play together again.
Plan meals ahead of time. With children at home for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, things will go much smoother if you prepare in advance.
Remember, if your younger kids are going to bed later, they may be more tired during the day. If you are going on more vacations, they might be more tired for a few days afterward.
Let go of expectations. Easier said than done, but I remind myself of this all the time. This photo, which looks like I was lounging on the beach while my children played in the sand, was far from idyllic. There was actually a huge fight over (of all things) sand among all three kids. That leads me to #8
If you see another parent, smile in solidarity. We’ve got this! Pass your encouragement on to the next parent. And when you see a teacher or school staff member, they deserve a lot of kudos for nine months of hard work and care for our children.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Please feel free to share your comments below.
