Summer Hacks For Moms With Anxiety

Summer 2020 will be a unique summer for most moms, and moms with anxiety are no exception. The last few months have been filled with unease and unknowns. We are craving familiarity, normalcy, and control. This summer, prepare for the things you can control to help take the uncontrollable stuff in stride with grace and patience. 

It’s just that easy, right? Just prepare for the summer as a mom and all of your anxiety will go away, right? Oh, momma, I wish I could make that promise to you. I wish I had the magic answer that would take away all of your anxiety. I don’t have that magic solution, but I have a few mom life hacks that can help lower your anxiety this summer. Planning ahead is one way to lower mom anxiety. Planning ahead can help prepare you for the unplanned stuff that causes anxiety. Planning ahead as a mom is extra complicated because you are responsible for more than yourself, so take a look at these summer hacks for moms with anxiety!

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Sunscreen Stashes

Summer weather can vary across the world and your summer hacks will differ depending on where you live. I’ve spent summers in Southern California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, and Illinois. Each area was so different during the summer, but one constant has been sunshine. UV rays, vitamin D, tan skin, this momma LOVES her sunshine. Do you know who doesn’t love lots of sunshine without sunscreen? My Norwegian husband and my Norwegian/German kids. We. Need. Sunscreen. I rarely remember until we are outside and in the middle of playing or working, so I keep sunscreen stashes all over our property.

Buy a few bottles of your favorite family sunscreen and stash those suckers in your mudroom, purse, car, garage, anywhere you can easily grab and use (without the heat or sun affecting the product). Easy access to sunscreen will help lower your mom anxiety this summer. 

Critter Control

Nothing invokes anxiety quite like the feeling of outdoor critters crawling on you. Plan ahead and prepare for summer bugs wherever you are! Pick your favorite bug repellents, stock up, and stash in easy to access places. This blog post covers the 9 best safe bug repellents for kids.

Put a couple of bug-repelling plants in your garden or yard, like Citronella. Keep bug repellents in a few places for unplanned or last-minute needs. Outdoor Citronella candles are a great way to keep irritating bugs away from your outdoor hangout area as long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard. Control the critters this summer and let go of that mom anxiety. 

H2O To Go

Hydration for yourself and your family is a huge part of summer survival and wellness. Plan ahead for the summer by keeping water with you at all times. Most grocery stores still have a limit on buying cases of water bottles, so make sure to pick up a case of water bottles each time you shop if you are a water bottle family.

If you prefer reusable water bottles, designate a reachable spot in your house to store reusable water bottles for the whole family. Make a habit of filling and bringing water bottles with you wherever you go. If you live somewhere in the desert (I did a 5-year stint in Bullhead City, AZ) invest in a high-quality beverage container for each member of your family. Choose a reusable water bottle known for keeping iced beverages cold, and consider packing a cooler with water for even more insulation. We all need extra water during the summer, so plan ahead and avoid hydration anxiety.

Car Kit

A local mom in my new town gave me a great summer hack for moms with anxiety: create a car kit. Purchase a small zippered bag like a first aid kit bag. Fill the bag with bug spray, sunscreen, bandaids, ointment, and a candy sucker to help calm boo-boo anxiety.  Add an electrolyte boosting drink powder (think Pedialyte), pain medication, bee sting wipes, baby wipes, tampons or pads for you, and Tums/Pepto and your car kit is complete!

For low anxiety impromptu adventures, keep camp chairs and picnic blankets our beach towels packed in your car all summer. Add coloring books, colored pencils (crayons might melt), stickers, and other toys so your kiddos always have something to do. You might even have a few semi-relaxing picnics or beach days this summer. And that is a huge mom win. 

Snacks

We all get “hangry” from time to time, and “hanger” (hunger + anger = hanger) can cause unwanted anxiety to flood your soul. Avoid unwanted anxiety by keeping snacks with you at all times. Fruit snacks cure almost any meltdown for both kids and adults. Trail mix and granola bars travel well and give you a quick protein and blood sugar boost. Store and stash snacks all over this summer: in your purse, beach bag, pool tote, anywhere you can easily grab your snacks and serve or eat them. Don’t leave melty foods in the car or sun too long or you’ll have a frustrating mess. 

Summer Hygiene 

Being prepared is the number one summer hack for moms with anxiety. Ease anxiety this summer by planning ahead for messes.

Keep packages of your favorite wipes in your purse, in the car, in your garage, in your outdoor living space, and anywhere you and your family will frequently hang out this summer. Put a trash can or bag in your car, golf cart, boat, or any vehicle you use during the summer. That way you don’t find a 3 month cooked chicken nugget this winter and water bottles don’t fly out of your van the minute you open the backseat door.

“Get Out” Bag

Sometimes getting out of the door is the hardest part of any family adventure. I feel this so much. The majority of my anxiety meltdowns happen right before we leave to go somewhere. Somewhere I planned to go. So why is it so dang hard?! Part of planning ahead is preparing ahead.

Pack a “get out” bag ahead of time to help you and your family get out of the door. If you are going to a water-themed event, place a swim bag for yourself and your kids the night before. Be sure to put in swimsuits, swim diapers, floaties, towels, sunscreen, bug spray, anything you all need to play in the water. Pack an extra change of clothes and snacks for extra-low anxiety. Pick out clothing for your whole family the night before an outing. Yes, even yourself. If you are heading to an area with large crowds, coordinate your family’s clothes and outerwear to easily keep an eye on your little ones.

Pack your purse with tampons, Advil, an adult snack, bug spray, Benadryl, anything you might need during the day. 

Whether you are planning a Disneyland vacation, planning to hit the river or lake a few times, or just planning some backyard picnics, make sure you are prepared ahead of time. Your anxiety level will be low and you will actually enjoy your summer adventures this year, just the way you are meant to. You are a mom. You are an incredible human being and you deserve to enjoy yourself this summer.

You deserve to make memories with your kids and admire their individual personalities. You deserve to watch the sunset with your husband at the end of a long hard day. You deserve to sit outside and read a book of your choosing. You deserve to plan ahead so you can have the summer of your dreams. You’ve got this, momma.