How Moms Can Practice Self Care This Summer
It’s summertime: warm weather is here, pools are open and school is out. But as a mom, no longer are you filled with the whimsical, its-summer-and-anything-is-possible feeling of your youth - now, there’s an added layer of anxiety, anticipation, or even dread. Whether you’ll be staying at home with your kids, cobbling together PTO and work-from-home days, or planning a rigorous schedule of summer camps to keep your kids occupied, summer can be both intense and unpredictable.
As much as you want your kids to enjoy their summer and make memories to last a lifetime, what you don’t want is to be quietly burning out behind the scenes. So let’s talk about the thing that too often gets shoved to the bottom of the summer to-do list: your self-care.
This blog is your reminder (and permission slip) to prioritize taking care of yourself and your mental health this summer - because despite the extra-long days, warm weather and sunshine, it is still possible to feel depleted and burnt out. Let’s dive into what self-care can look like this summer—and how to actually make it happen.
Why Summer Self Care is So Important
Summer brings a change in routine, which can be both a blessing and a challenge. School's out. Schedules are looser. Bedtimes stretch later. There's more “togetherness” - and the extra family time can be so sweet, and so completely exhausting.
You might have pictured a laid-back summer with popsicles on the porch and kids splashing happily in the yard. But the reality? It can feel like a pressure cooker of expectations, screen time guilt, sibling squabbles, and constantly shifting schedules.
That’s exactly why summer is a crucial time for moms to practice self-care. The mental and emotional load you’re carrying doesn’t shrink in summer - for many moms it grows, quite a lot.
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish or indulgent. It’s what helps you show up as the parent you want to be - not the one who’s snapping over spilled sunscreen or crying in the pantry because you can’t get five minutes alone. “But how can I possibly make time for myself when my kids are demanding so much of me?” you might ask. Well, I’m about to answer exactly that.
10 Ways Moms Can Practice Self Care This Summer
Here are some practical ideas for moms to prioritize self-care this summer - you don’t have to do it all, but even trying to incorporate a few of these ideas into your day can be a game-changer for avoiding mom burnout.
Start a Morning Ritual
If your summer mornings feel like a stampede of tiny feet and chaos, carving out a simple morning ritual to practice right when you get up in the morning can help you feel grounded and collected at the start of your day. Think of it as your mental “cup of coffee” before the day starts pouring requests all over you. Try to be intentional about getting up at least a half hour or so before your kids (which might be easy if they’re on a late-to-bed-late-to-rise summer schedule) so that you have a few moments of peace and quiet to start your day.
Ideas:
Sit outside with your cup of coffee before anyone else wakes up.
Journal for 3-5 minutes about how you're feeling in the moment.
Stretch or breathe for 2 minutes while you’re still in bed.
Read a few pages of a book you’re loving right now.
Plan a (Loose) Summer Schedule
We all benefit from a little structure - it gives us predictability, helps set expectations and allows us to feel organized and productive. But part of the joy of summer is having less pressure, less stress and more room for spontaneous joy. So think about planning a loose schedule for your family so that everyone knows what to expect in their day - breakfast, a morning or afternoon activity, quiet time, and time for learning or chores. Your family can come together again for dinner and free time in the evenings. When there’s not enough structure, your kids will end up feeling listless and bored. If you’re working from home this summer, a schedule for your family will help you find predictable times in the day where your kids are occupied and you can get your work done. For moms staying at home full-time, make sure to still build in those pockets where your kids are occupied and you can step away - even if it’s just for 10 minutes. That might mean rotating playdates, setting up (safe) outdoor activities, or letting go of the guilt around screen time when you need a break.
Don’t Overcommit
Summer comes with a flurry of invitations - playdates, BBQs, day trips - all “fun stuff”, in theory, until you’re rushing around from event to event, packing bags, preparing for potlucks and having zero time to breathe. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you should be doing all the things for your kids - but saying “yes” to everything often means saying “no” to yourself.
Give yourself permission to decline. You don't have to justify it. A simple script:
“Thanks so much for the invite! We need to lay low this week, but hope to connect soon.”
Or, if you want to buy yourself more time while you decide:
“That sounds so fun, thanks for the invite! We do have a lot going on this month though, let me think about it and get back to you.”
When it comes to commitments, try setting a limit on the number per week or month, and hold your family accountable to that. It can be tempting to say “yes” to every fun-sounding invite that crops up, but overbooking yourself will leave you feeling more stressed and less able to be present and enjoy the event anway. You are allowed to protect your peace - even in the face of “summer fun”.
Plan Activities that You Enjoy, Too
Summer often revolves around keeping the kids entertained, but you deserve to enjoy your summer too. Whether it's planning a family visit to a garden you love, sneaking in a good book while the kids are playing at the park, or picking your favorite lunch spot after a playdate, remember to include things that light you up. Doing things that you enjoy, too will help you to recharge and feel more energized for the week ahead.
Rediscover Your Inner Child
Being a mom doesn’t mean always having to be the strict disciplinarian and rule-setter - allow yourself to have fun and be silly too. Blow bubbles, swim in the deep end, build a sandcastle, or dance barefoot in the backyard. When you tap into that carefree energy, you're not only creating joy for yourself - you’re showing your kids what it looks like when an adult makes room for wonder. I bet you your kids will enjoy this version of you just as much as you do.
Make Space for Solo Time
Let’s be honest: solo time can feel like a fantasy when the kids are home 24/7. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It just takes a little creativity and intention.
Ideas for summer solo time:
Take a walk alone after dinner (leave the dishes, bring the headphones).
Hire a mother’s helper for an hour or two, or let a neighbor or family member step in to help out.
Swap childcare with a friend - you take their kids one morning, they take yours the next.
Use drive-thru errands as mini breaks with music, podcasts, or silence.
Solo time doesn’t need to be long. It just needs to be yours. Also, think about what solo activities help you to feel the most grounded and recharged - if you’d really like to keep up your gym routine this summer, think about going before the kids wake up, after bedtime or picking a gym that has entertainment for them, too.
Reconnect With Yourself
Motherhood can make you forget who you were before you were “mom.” Summer is a great time to intentionally reconnect with your own identity, hobbies, and desires.
Ask yourself:
What do I miss doing just for me?
What did I love before parenting took over?
What would feel creatively or emotionally satisfying this summer?
Maybe that’s reading more novels. Signing up for a pottery class. Rewatching your favorite show at night instead of scrolling. Maybe it’s writing, gardening, painting or dancing. The goal is to make space for the things that you love, just because they bring you joy - finding those moments is what summer’s all about.
Connect With Your Partner
In the chaos of summer schedules, it’s easy for you and your partner to become logistical roommates, focused more on tag-teaming than quality time. Try to carve out moments to connect - whether it’s a full date night or simply sitting together after bedtime without screens. What summertime activities did you love to do earlier in your relationship? Are there ways to still make space for them, with or without your kids? Maybe a family camping trip will give you time to connect by the fire after the kids go to bed. Maybe you can find time to hold hands and talk quietly while the kids run ahead on an evening walk. Nurturing your relationship helps ground you both, and remember that summer can be a magical time for adults, too.
Release Yourself From Perfectionism
This summer, let the house get messy sometimes. Let dinner be cereal or watermelon and cheese. Let the kids be bored sometimes. Let yourself off the hook from being the “perfect” summer mom.
The memories that stick with your kids aren’t usually the Pinterest-worthy crafts or the packed calendar. They’re the full-body laughs in the sprinkler, the lazy mornings, the small, simple joys of being with a parent who’s really present. Messy, imperfect, spontaneous days are more than enough - and often become the most cherished ones.
Talk About the New Mental Load
Summer can magnify the invisible labor that moms carry: planning, prepping, anticipating, packing, reminding, soothing, refereeing… It's a lot.
A lot of times as moms, we are juggling so many things behind the scenes that don’t even occur to our partners. And it’s okay (and necessary) to name that mental load out loud and talk about it - your partner won’t know all the things you’re doing or how you’re feeling unless you tell them. Ask for help. Divide up responsibilities. Say, “I need a break,” and figure out how to get it.
And if you feel resentful, overstretched, or unappreciated, it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re carrying too much, and it’s time to communicate and re-balance.
Therapy As Self Care for Moms
If this summer feels emotionally heavy or mentally tougher than you thought it would be, it’s ok to ask for help. So many of us are prone to seasonal mood changes, and we tell ourselves that when summer’s here, all of our problems will be solved. Well, it doesn’t always happen like that - sometimes our feelings don’t come and go with the seasons, and sometimes summer brings up a whole new set of stressors. You don’t have to “tough it out” or wait until fall to start feeling better.
Therapy can be a space where you’re not the one holding everything together. It’s where you get to be seen, heard, and supported. It’s where you can explore the overwhelm, the burnout, the mom guilt, and the “what about me?” questions that don’t always have space elsewhere. Maybe the lack of routine in summer makes it harder to cope with your ADHD. Maybe your anxiety is triggered by having less physical time and space to yourself with the kids home. Whatever it is, therapy for moms can help give you space to make sense of what’s going on, and learn tools to cope.
You Deserve Summer, Too
Your kids aren’t the only ones who deserve joy and freedom this summer.
You deserve rest.
You deserve laughter.
You deserve quiet.
You deserve room to breathe.
Self care shouldn’t be seen as a luxury for moms - it’s a necessity. It allows you to be the best version of yourself for both you and your family. So this summer, be intentional about holding joy not just for your family, but for yourself too.
Related Posts:
How Mindfulness Can Help You Be a More Present Mom
The Myth of the Perfect Mother: How to Break Free from Perfectionist Parenting
5 Ways Therapy Can Help Overwhelmed Moms Recovery from Burnout
Other Services at Root to Rise Therapy:
Other mental health services at Root to Rise Therapy include Therapy for Anxiety, Therapy for Perfectionism, Therapy for People-Pleasing,Cultural Identity Counseling, ADHD Therapy, Counseling for Moms and Postpartum Counseling. I see clients located inColorado, New York and New Jersey. Contact me to learn more about how I can help you overcome anxiety and reclaim your life!
