It may be the end of the season for pool parties, beach reads, and lazy days in the sun but you don’t have to go into fall totally bummed out. The summer blues can be hard to shake, especially if it’s your favorite season or your autumn is looking particularly challenging. Don’t worry. We’ve got 4 ways to shake the summer blues and get jazzed for fall!
- Revisit the greatest hits of summer by looking at photos, telling stories, or having an end of summer barbecue to send the season off in sticky s’mores style. This will give you and your kids a chance to enjoy summer all over again while providing a sense of closure- just like the boards over your favorite clam shack’s windows and the sign that says, “see you next year!”. Giving summer its own send off makes room for fall and a new beginning, plus, we think it’s a pretty cool new family tradition.
- Ease into a new schedule. After a summer of running wild, it can be pretty rough for kids to be back on a school schedule… and for parents. By easing bedtime from summer free for all to school night status, kids and parents will be better rested and prepared for a more predictable schedule. This can also help a more rigid schedule feel less shocking for kids and prevent a meltdown or two post Labor Day.
- Embrace new fall activities. If most of your summer was spent by the lake or kids were at various camps, plan some family hikes or bike rides on the weekends to extend a sense of play and activity while embracing an activity you can do together as the days get shorter and cooler. Setting new goals as a family, like training for a turkey trot in November or making daily smoothies, shifts focus and energy towards what’s to come. Sometimes the summer blues feel like an end to all the fun but planning more fall-centric activities and goals can stoke excitement for a new season and soften the transition.
- Focus on fall. Love cozy sweaters? How about pumpkin spice smoothies and creamy vegan hot cocoa? Drum up excitement for the change in season by staying positive, looking forward to changing leaves, an upcoming trip to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard, and delight in the signs of change. If your family celebrates Halloween, begin planning costumes or a party celebrating fall. Dig in and enjoy the new season!
