Spring is one of, if not the busiest seasons of the year. Spring sports, musical and theater performances, graduations, teacher appreciation… the list goes on and on. And while these things that pack the calendar during the spring are all positives on their own, together they can lead to some major overwhelm for moms, who are usually the keepers of the calendar. Thankfully, the sister sites of City Mom Collective are a wealth of information when it comes to spring survival hacks and good advice for busy and overwhelmed moms.
Feeding Kids
The thing about kids is, no matter how crammed our calendars are, they still need to eat. And while it’s tempting to drive through Chick Fil A for the third time in a week, a little planning ahead makes that unnecessary.
Another option for meal planning without the stress and mental load of grocery shopping is to use a meal subscription plan. There are a ton of them out there now, most are customizable, and at least one is available for any type of dinner you need.
How I Quit Meal Planning: 5 Subscription Meal Kits For Busy Moms
Feeding kids and fretting about what they are getting in their diet is so much of moms’ mental load and can certainly contribute to overwhelm. But listen, mama. If you are feeding your children, you are doing it right. Go ahead and remove that burden of guilt from your plate, right now.
Sports
Childhood is the time for kids to try out all sorts of interests, including sports. Spring is the season for outdoor sports- baseball, softball, track and field, and soccer. There are many ways for kids to participate in sports in the spring, from super casual rec leagues to hyper competitive select teams. For younger kids who may not be ready for intense competition, there are still many benefits of participating in sports.
5 Benefits of Participating in Team Sports in Early Elementary
What league or team you choose will totally depend on your family’s priorities, time availability, and budget. And make no mistake- kids’ sports involve and impact the whole family. Feeling overwhelmed at all it takes to be a sports mom? Relax, we have tips and tricks that will help make the experience fun and exciting, and not stressful.
As moms, we constantly worry about our kids physical and mental health. For kids who compete at a high level in sports, there is additional pressure.
Housework and Other Dreaded Tasks
Keeping up with laundry, basic cleaning and car/house maintenance is enough to make any mom dreaming of a live in housekeeper or personal assistant. But with a little planning, the right products and possibly lowered expectations, running a household will go much more smoothly.
Heard the phrase “good enough is good enough”? This certainly applies to cleaning your home, too.
No mom can do it all, and there is absolutely NO SHAME in outsourcing whatever home tasks that you want to. It’s all about prioritizing your time.
Teacher Appreciation and Other Gift Giving Occasions
Teachers are some of the most important and influential people in our children’s lives, and they deserve every bit of appreciation we can give them. However, we should not let Teacher Appreciation week, or any other gift giving occasion cause us additional stress. Hint: gift cards are great- even the best gift you can give sometimes!
Appreciation Gifts Teachers Really Want (And What They Don’t)
Overwhelmed Moms Can Say No
“No” is a complete sentence mama. Spring brings with it endless opportunities to volunteer, sign your kids up for activities, and take on more than is healthy for you to handle. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALL.
And this goes for our kids, too. Just like you, they do not have to do it all. Downtime and some days with nothing on the calendar are healthy for the whole family.
Being an overwhelmed mom, especially in busier seasons like spring, has become almost the norm. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little organization and prioritizing your time, this spring can be a season of excitement, not stress.
