4 Things I’m Prioritizing This Summer as a Mom

4 Things I’m Prioritizing This Summer as a Mom

Every summer I start with good intentions.

I picture slow mornings, happy kids, memory making moments, and a home that somehow still stays clean in the middle of all of it. Then somewhere between the snacks, the constant messes, the “Mom watch this,” and trying to keep everyone entertained, I end up feeling like I’m managing summer instead of actually living it.

This year I don’t want that. I don’t want a perfectly planned summer or the pressure to make every day magical. I don’t want to spend the whole break feeling behind, overwhelmed, or guilty that I’m not doing enough.

I just want a good summer with my family, so these are the four things I’m trying to prioritize this summer as a mom.

1. Less pressure

I think moms carry an unbelievable amount of pressure during summer. We feel pressured to make memories, keep the kids busy, limit screen time while somehow also getting things done, and to make every moment feel special because “they’re only little once.”

While I understand where that comes from, I also think it steals a lot of joy from motherhood.

Kids don’t need an activities director. They don’t need every day filled with activities and perfectly planned experiences. Most of the things my boys talk about and remember are surprisingly simple anyway. Things like popsicles outside, running through the sprinkler, movie nights in pajamas, staying up too late and laughing about absolutely nothing. My oldest told me his favorite part of summer last year was running around with the water hose with his brothers. Not the beach vacation, not the expensive water park, just the water hose in the backyard. 

I’m realizing that a meaningful childhood is usually built in ordinary moments, not elaborate ones. While we will still go do fun things and take a trip, this summer I’m trying to let go of the pressure to constantly do more.

2. More time outside

Something about getting outside instantly makes our days feel better. The boys fight less, and everyone’s mood improves. I feel less overstimulated. Even the hard parts of motherhood somehow feel lighter sitting outside with an iced coffee while the kids run around barefoot. It doesn’t have to be anything impressive either. We love to take a walk around the neighborhood, play with chalk on the driveway, eat popsicles on the back porch, throw water balloons in the backyard, and even eat dinner outside for no reason.

I think I used to overcomplicate summer fun when honestly my kids are happiest with the simplest things. This summer I want more fresh air, dirt on little feet, wet towels by the door, and evenings spent outside longer than we planned.

3. Simpler days at home

I used to think I needed to constantly fill the calendar to make summer feel memorable. Now I think some of the best parts of childhood happen at home. We love slow mornings in pajamas, listening to stories while eating cereal, little brothers following the big kids around, and music playing in the kitchen while I clean.

There’s something comforting about ordinary family life when you stop rushing through it. I’m trying to simplify this summer instead of overloading it. Which means simpler meals, fewer expectations, and less trying to “maximize” every day.

I don’t want to spend summer exhausted from trying to create the perfect summer. I want to actually enjoy my kids while they’re home.

4. Being more present and on my phone less

This is probably the biggest one for me. I hate how easy it is to be physically with my kids while mentally somewhere else. Sometimes I find myself searching websites, checking notifications, posting content, and scrolling for a second that turns into a half hour. 

I don’t think phones make someone a bad mom. I also know social media is part of my work now, but I do think constant distraction steals a lot from us. There are so many little moments I don’t want to miss because I was half paying attention. Things like the random stories they tell me, the way they still reach for my hand, or the look on their faces when they’re excited to show me something completely insignificant but deeply important to them.

Those moments matter.

The older my kids get, the more aware I am that childhood keeps moving whether I’m fully paying attention or not. So this summer I want to look up more, put my phone down more, be harder to reach sometimes, and be fully present for the life that’s happening right in front of me.

At the end of the day, I don’t think my kids are going to remember whether I planned the perfect summer. I think they’ll remember how home felt. I think they’ll remember if I was stressed all the time or laughing with them, if I rushed through the days or settled into them, or if home felt warm and safe and comfortable.

That matters to me a whole lot more than perfection ever will.