It’s okay to be overwhelmed, or feeling like you aren’t doing enough.

Getting out of that place doesn’t require more things, or more plans. It’s really just about being present and enjoying the little thing about your days and children.

And instead of trying to create some perfect, Pinterest version of summer, I just want to build something simple that actually works for us.

So this summer, I’m focusing on small traditions. Not a packed schedule. Not complicated activities. Just a few things we can come back to. This is my baseline, and when I’m feeling inspired I can sprinkle in the magical summer bucket list type activities but with no pressure on myself.

 

 

What I mean by “traditions”

Not anything big or overwhelming. Just things like doing the same kind of activity each week, slowing down at certain times of day, creating little rhythms the girls can start to expect.

Simple Summer Traditions

🍓 Getting Outside First Thing

Starting our day grounded and with fresh air sets the tone for the day. Even if it’s just chalk, the water table, or sitting with my coffee while they play. My favorite is sitting in my chair on the porch snuggling one of the girls and looking for birds and planes. You can not convince me that is not creating a magical childhood for them. Nothing fancy. Just starting the day with fresh air before the heat takes over. We ground into the earth and smile. It really is something that starts our days off slow and intentional and together. Even if you have an apartment, start it on the patio just listening to the birds, watch the trees dance if it’s breezy and walk over to your little patch of grass. 

🫖 “Sun Tea” Afternoons

This is something simple I want to try more intentionally. Just a jar of water, some tea, maybe a little lemon, sitting in the sun while we’re inside cooling down. It reminds me of something they will remember when they are older and smile, sun tea with mom and dad. Something they do as adults and it will bring them back to the good days with us. It’s also something that teaches them and me patience. Everything is instant gratification now a days, I want to lean more into the slow and simple pleasures. We can watch the color deepen and wait for it to be ready to drink it. 

💦 Simple Water Play

No elaborate setups. Just a hose or sprinkler, some bowls and cups, a bucket or a water table with containers we already have. Letting them get messy without overthinking it. I don’t set up sensory bins anymore because I’ve had the urge to simplify our life. They can use your imagination to create their play with anything around them. 

🍉 Letting Them Help with Food

I tended to rush through meals and over the past 6 months I have been working hard on slowing down in the kitchen. And that includes not only slowing down when I am cooking but also slowing down and letting my girls help me. It takes twice as long, twice as messy and some stained clothing but the confidence I see building in them and joy makes it worth it. 

Even something small like washing fruit, stirring something, chopping the green onions with her toddler knives set and for my 1 year old playing with bowls on the counter on her kitchen tower or chair while I prep, makes everyday moments feel a little more intentional.

🌅 Evening Outside Time

This is one we try to do all year but especially in the spring and summer when it is getting hot during the day.  It really is bring a 90’s childhood type of energy.

 After dinner one of us cleans up the kitchen and table from dinner for about 30 minutes and the other takes the kids outside in the backyard to play, then the other joins after the kitchen is tidied up.  Ending the day slower instead of rushing through it or white knuckling it trying to entertain them.

They are riding their bikes, playing in the sand box, completely drenched from their water table, helping dad water the lawn with the hose, making chalk art, all of the simple things. It is so wholesome. And the quality family time will melt your heart. It’s a reminder you don’t have to be taking them on outings everyday, buy a million toys or curate activities and sensory bins every day give them a magical childhood.

🧺 One to Three Weekly Outing

I don’t want to overbook our weeks. Just one to three simple things. Some of our go to’s are: the park, the lake, the library, a splash pad. Something to break up the rhythm of our slow living at home and get them around other kids. 

My favorite easy go to’s have been: Taking a tote bag to the library, picking out books together, getting our homeschool book baskets for the week, just playing with no agenda. Then going outside the library in the grass and having our own story time. This has turned into my favorite part of the week. 

Second, is just a simple morning park outing. We don’t rush. We have our usual slow morning and after breakfast we walk or drive if too hot to the park until they are ready to go. When I don’t put pressure on myself and rush myself, it’s kind of magical. I always bring some bag or basket for my daughter for her to pick up nature treasures. 

🎨 Taking Everything Outside

Instead of trying to contain things indoors, take everything outside.  Art outside, snacks outside, story time outside, picnic lunch outside, play outside. It just flows easier in the summer. I thrifed a big beautiful basket that I fill with books and a few open ended toys. I put a picnic blanket on the grass with the basket and read to them while they eat breakfast and let them explore the toys until they are done and ready to go play with their water toys.

We live in the Southwest so our summer has furnace like heat in the summer, so it is harder for us to leave the house for parks during the day since it is so hot. So making our backyard into our fun outdoor time place was essential for us. We have shades, water toys, water table, the hose, pretty much a lot of water things. And the toys are simple, a lot of container like things, that can be reused items from your house. We bought a lot of outdoor toys, and they always outgrow most of them. The open ended toys are what they always return to. 

🎨 Make an Whimsical Fun Basket

Piggy backing off number 7, I thrifed a big beautiful basket that I fill with books and a few open ended toys. I put a picnic blanket on the grass with the basket and read to them and let them eplore the toys. Until they lose interest and want to go play around the yard. It’s fun

🌙 Slower Evenings

Not rushing bedtime so hard. Letting things really slow down, more connection, less pressure.

I tend to be much more patient and enjoy playing a little more, when I ground myself. For a long time bedtime felt like a chore for me. A rushing type of energy because I was thinking of the long list of things I had to do before bed or I was just exhausted from the day and ready to start my me time. I don’t regret being in that state of mind, I actually have a lot of compassion for the version of me that was in survival mode and struggling to navigate motherhood. And I’m grateful I’ve made it through that season of motherhood. 

But now I choose to be present and joyful for every moment. When I am focusing on my daughter, and how I’m so lucky to be here in this moment and with her during this stage of her life, I can’t help but smile. When you reframe your thinking for just 20 second, bathtime, your evenings, bedtime will change and be something you look forward to, instead of something to get through. 

I’m not doing all of this perfectly

Some days will still feel long and I’ll have a mini breakdown at 9:30 in the morning. Some days we’ll stay inside all day. Some days I’ll be tired and none of this will happen.

Remember that we are not trying to curate the perfect magical childhood. We are human beings, it is impossible for us to be on every minute of the day, and give to a point of burnout. And doing the simple things, like the things in this list is completely enough. And trust yourself, this list is only to give you inspiration. Take what you like and ignore what you don’t. 

That is something I’m starting to feel in my gut. Last year, I put so much pressure on myself and was discouraged when I did not have the energy to do anything ‘special’. I’m truly starting to realize that my presence and being here and being mindful is more then enough. I think about my childhood and I don’t remember every detail of everyday. But I remember my mom playing with me, reading stacks of books to me, snuggling me while we watched a movie. I remember her love and presence. 

And this summer, I just want it to feel a little slower, a little softer, a little more present.

If you are craving a slower, lower-pressure summer too, I made something for you.

The 90’s Butter Mom Summer Guide is full of simple summer rhythms, nostalgic food ideas, neighborhood summer inspiration, practical ways to slow down, and reminders that summer does not have to be packed full to feel memorable.

No perfect schedules. No pressure to do more. Just simple ideas to make summer feel calmer, softer, and a little more fun again.