I woke up today on August 1st with anxiety. I think I am not alone in this. Where did July go? There are teachers everywhere who treat August like it’s Sunday night. I understand. I feel for you. I know a lot of us really love the summer. If you know me, you know the love affair that I have with summer. I am currently working outside, enjoying the sun, and watching my dog run around our backyard. The sunshine is bliss to me. I treasure every moment of the summer.
Do my kids drive me nuts? Yes!
Do I love having them home? Yes!
Do I feel like I live in the kitchen? Yes!
Do I still love the summer? Yes!
Do I feel like an all day taxi service? Yes!
Do I still prefer the summer? Yes!
Motherhood is the most interesting mixture of so many feelings at one time. Even in the summer! Even more in the summer!
As I slid into a negative place, I started dreading September. I can give you a whole positive spin on September. There is a lot of good in September. I could list it for you right now, but I just want to live right here in the summer.
I took Lillie to her first tumbling class today, and we bumped into a teacher that we know from her school. She said that she refuses to treat August like Sunday night and that we have a whole month left of summer to enjoy. I agreed with her and told her how much I loved her perspective.
So, here I sit enjoying August 1st. I have a whole month ahead of me to enjoy of summer. There is so much I still want to do. With the crazy Buffalo weather and my kid’s schedules, I haven’t spent nearly enough time in this pool that I pushed us to purchase. I still haven’t had enough family and friends over to swim. I still want to do an outdoor movie. I want to see my kids have lots of friends come over for pool time. I want to take them to an amusement park. Ella and I were shopping last night, and we missed night swimming with Seth and Lillie. I still want to night swim with the pretty lights we put around the pool. I still want to go to the drive in. I want to take more outdoor adventures with my family. I have only been in my parents pool once this year. I want to go to the zoo. There is so much I still want to do. Let’s not forget that I want time to do absolutely nothing. Somehow this past Saturday, I spent the rainy day on the couch reading and watching tv. I don’t know if I can tell you the last time I have done that. I am really proud of myself for giving myself permission to sit and enjoy my shows and my book.
Let us talk about summer reading. I want you to go get on your hammock or lounge chair and jump into a book. There is nothing like sitting outside and reading a good book. This is the summer of Colleen Hoover books. I am on a mission to read all of her books and I only have a few left! It’s a fun little goal I have for myself.
August is here, and here is what I want to tell you:
- As Lillie’s teacher put so well, stay present in this very moment.
- Remember that you have a month of summer left.
- Make yourself a summer goal.
- Make a mental or physical list of what you want to do this month during the summer that you haven’t done yet.
- Enjoy time with your children. The fall comes and everyone gets busier.
- Ask your kids one thing they would each like to do this month.
- If you can’t afford it or can’t make time for a summer vacation, do a staycation or plan an overnight somewhere close and fun.
- Remind yourself that just because summer ends, doesn’t mean that the fun ends.
- Remind yourself that there are still summer things that you can do in September.
- Remind yourself that every season brings joy.
- Don’t let yourself be focused on August ending, because it is only just beginning. You still have a month of summer left.
- If your child is leaving for college soon, make sure to pencil yourself into their schedule. Spend some quality time with them.
Every thought we have is our choice. The more we practice the more we realize that we are in charge. Our thoughts and feelings are not in charge of us. You are in charge of them. When thoughts slip into your mind like, “I am so anxious that it’s August. That means summer is almost over.” I want you to grab a hold of those thoughts and tell them to screw off. I am going to sit right here in August and enjoy my summer. There is no dreading September. There is no dreading back to school and schedules and craziness. There is just sitting right here with the sun on my face enjoying this beautiful day.
I wish you a wonderful month of August. I would love to hear what August adventures you have planned with your family. Cheers to another month of summer.
Laughing, Learning, Loving,
Rebecca Greene, LCSW-R
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Whinypaluza Mom Group:
If you are looking for a supportive community, come join the free Whinypaluza Mom Facebook group. I created this as I wanted us to have a place where we can talk about tips, strengths and challenges we are having. It is another step I took to help everyone to know that you are not alone. The August challenge is going on as I type this. Come join us and bring a friend with you! I love to give away prizes. This group is going private so please find me on Facebook at Whinypaluza or Rebecca Greene and message me to ask for an invite. I’m also on Instagram @becgreene5 and @whinypaluza_mom. I am also on Tik tok @whinypaluzamom.
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Whinypaluza Wednesdays: My weekly blog comes out every Wednesday. I am always open to your topic requests. A new Vlog (video blog) also comes out every Wednesday night on Facebook and You Tube live at 8:00 PM Eastern time to discuss the blog. If you would rather listen to a podcast than watch a Vlog, you can wait for the following Wednesday and the Vlog is released on my Podcast.
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