Summer vacation is upon us… but for parents at home with young children, this two- to three-month break from school feels like anything but a “vacation.” I’m on Day 3 and have spent my days refereeing sibling arguments, asking my girls for forgiveness after absolutely losing it (again), and combating a public tantrum that probably prompted a few 911 calls as I dragged my screaming kid out of a restaurant.
For anyone else who may be feeling like your best efforts to make the most of this time with your beloveds turns into a daily stress fest, here are some collections of tried-and-true goodies that I wish I could wrap up into cute little survival kits and send to you!
“The Tantrum De-escalator" Survival Kit
“A Touch of Whimsy” Survival Kit
For the mama needing a little more merriment and grace this summer:
7. A bottle of wine
“So you have something to put in your coffee cup!” says Stephanie Long, mom of two.
8. A cute, light summer outfit
Because what mama doesn’t feel peace when she’s feeling beautiful?
9. A “no” pass
To give yourself permission to say no, no matter how badly you don’t want to let people down, or want to be there for your friends, or fear missing out. Because if we say “yes” to everything, we’ll unintentionally say “no” to the things that matter most to us.
10. A feather duster
To dust the shame off you when you’re feeling guilty about not being able to do everything!
11. A fighting-for-joy song
Because singing can lift spirits and flip the atmosphere.
12. A kneeling pad
For all those times you’re going to need to get on your knees and apologize for the awful things you just said/did.
13. A reset button
Because sometimes you just need to start over.
14. A Moms’ Night Out
No explanation needed.
15. Confetti
To celebrate the victories, big and small!
