Your Working Mom Summer Bucket List
Does your family create a summer bucket list?
You know me - I love going into a new season (literal or figurative) with some intention. Whether that's the holidays, Maycember, the start of school, or for those of us in the northern hemisphere - summer.
Transitioning with intention simply means thinking ahead and choosing how you want to spend your time as opposed to letting life just happen to you.
But I know why some people hesitate to make plans or create a bucket list.
If not managed well, it has the potential to feel like yet another checklist - full of pressure and added overwhelm as you try and do all the things on the list.
Not to mention that if something unexpected happens and things don't go according to plan, you could wind up feeling disappointed or guilty for not following through.
Those are real concerns.
But with a realistic approach and well-managed expectations, it's possible to create an intentional summer and not feel overwhelmed by more things you have to do.
This is the second summer I've helped our family create a summer bucket list that's exciting for the kids, realistic for me and my husband, and fun for all of us.
How to Create a Relaxed (realistic) Summer Bucket List
1. What are you already planning to do?
Look at your calendar and take inventory of everything that's already planned. Vacation, summer camp, family visits, holiday activities, date nights, and more. Your bucket list doesn't have to be just about the new or novel. The things that are already on the calendar will take up time and are also about having fun this season. Start by adding what you're already planning on.
2. Everyone adds ONE wish to the list
I have three kids, so I ask each of them to tell me ONE thing they really want to do this summer. As long as it's within reason, it goes on the list. My oldest usually chooses something like a trip to the museum, my middle loves parks and splash pads and my youngest is happy getting ice cream! It's not about what they choose, just that they get to choose. Then it's something they can look forward to.
*Don't forget to add what you want to do! My husband and I each add our one thing to the list too.
3. Include the small, everyday things
Bike rides, picnics, family movie night, trying out the new ice cream stand, taking a hike, making homemade popsicles, having friends over for dinner, catching fireflies, making margaritas. The little things add up to one heck of a season too and they're so much easier to fit into your schedule and budget. Fill out the list with the small, everyday joys that take minimal effort to add in.
4. Look at the calendar
When school lets out (last Thursday for us!), the summer feels long and expansive. But as you start to add commitments, camps, and other activities to the calendar, it fills up quickly. For anything that's not a quick and easy game-time decision (bike ride or watching a movie, for example), start to pencil it in. Start with each person's wish list item, the bigger trips and activities, and then sprinkle in the rest as options.
5. Give yourself space and breathing room
If time is tight, it's ok to go back to the list and eliminate or consolidate. I would much rather reset expectations at the start of the season than get to the end and feel disappointed. It's ok to do less. To leave more space. This list is not about filling every available space on the calendar. It's about doing the things you'll look back on and smile about. It's about the memories. And those memories need some space to breathe, to make them meaningful.
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