End of Summer Self-Care Check In
Now that summer is over lets do a self-care check in

As summer comes to an end and the days begin to get shorter, it’s a good time to check in with yourself and make self-care a priority. Self-care looks different for everyone, but at its core, it’s about taking time to recharge and prioritize your physical and mental well-being.

Whether it’s exercising, spending time with friends and family, enjoying time with pets, journaling, baking, gardening, or simply taking a few quiet moments to relax, finding what works for you can help reduce stress, prevent burnout, and build resilience.

As we head into the colder, darker months, it’s especially important to pay attention to changes in your mood, energy, and overall well-being. Seasonal depression can affect many people during the winter, so take a moment now to identify the activities, routines, and connections that help you feel your best.

Think of it as a self-care check-in: How are you feeling? What do you need? And what can you do to support yourself in the months ahead?

Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It gives you the energy and clarity you need to face life’s challenges and enjoy the season ahead.

End of Summer Self-Care Ideas
A reset before the season begins

No matter how old I get, I still find nostalgia in the back-to-school craze.

Although I’ve been out of school myself for many years, there’s still something about the slow end of summer, gearing up for a jam-packed fall season. I might not need new school supplies anymore, but sometimes I use this time to invest in new office supplies or rearrange parts of my home. As my summer garden stops producing, it feels like a natural transition to a new season and routine.

But before summer ends, I like to slow down and relish the peace that often comes with warmer days and longer nights. Whether you are actually going back to school or are in need of a fresh start, there are a few ways to prepare your mental and physical self. So instead of going back-to-school shopping, let’s explore some back-to-basics self-care and focus on entering autumn with a renewed sense of mind. Here are a few of my favorite ways to say goodbye to summer and give autumn a warm welcome.

End of Summer Self-Care Ideas:

• Spend a day, an hour, or 20 minutes reading outside, either in the sun or underneath a shade tree. Let the sounds of nature swirl around you and soothe your soul while you transport your mind to a different time and place.
• Practice yoga or meditate, either outside before the temperature rises or during the slow evening hours after the sun sets. Take this time to relax, unwind, and let your mind drift.
• Make a sugar scrub and give your aching summer feet some care. Soak your feet for 20 minutes before scrubbing the calluses and tender spots with a homemade scrub containing sugar and the carrier oil of your choice, like olive oil, jojoba oil, or coconut oil.
• Visit your local bookstore, record store, craft store, or what have you, and spend some time wandering every aisle. Look through the offerings without an agenda.
• Put together a back-to-school care package for a loved one, whether a teacher, student, or parent. Gather heartfelt supplies to show the recipient you care and are rooting for a successful year.

Below are more posts related to self care. Keep up on practicing self care, visit the following links for more tips and ideas.

Willow and Sage
willowandsage.com/end-of-summer-self-care-ideas

Beebe Healthcare
beebehealthcare.org/health-hub/wellness/end-summer-health-reset-healthy-habits-carry-fall

Very Well Health
verywellhealth.com

No One Warns You
That Back-to-School Can Be Emotional for Parents, Too

Key Takeaways:
Kids may react to the first day of school in unexpected ways, and it’s normal for parents to feel a mix of emotions about it.

Preparing your child for the school year with routines and familiarity can help ease their transition and reduce anxiety.

Parents should prioritize their own self-care to better support their children through back-to-school changes.

Nothing could have surprised me more than how each of my children reacted on the first day of school. I spent one summer worrying about my then-kindergartner, envisioning him clinging to me and refusing to go into the school as my heart simultaneously broke into a million pieces. But to say the moment played out nothing like what I’d feared is an understatement: He didn’t look back once as he strode confidently into the building, his oversized backpack the last thing I saw before my 5-year-old took on his first day of elementary school.

I’m pretty sure I heard the viral TikTok song “These Are The Days” by creator Cory Asbury (@coryasbury) playing in the distance. “Kindergarten drop of line… His first day of school didn’t even cry…These are the days that we’ll want back…” Cue the tears if you haven’t heard it.

Then there was my then-fifth grader, who returned to the same school, to a classroom down the hall from last year’s, and who already knew many friends in her class. I hadn’t given much thought to how she’d readjust to school, figuring it would be fine. Except my 10-year-old ended up experiencing a lot of anxiety on the first day back, and subsequently, I found myself worrying about her, instead of my son, all day long.

Parents Have Feelings, Too

What I learned from our family’s first day back at school is that no matter what you’re preparing for as a parent, things may not go as planned. And kids are never too old to stress about a new year—or for you to worry about them!

Yup, whether your little one whistled into school like in a Mickey Mouse cartoon or can’t sleep the night before the big day due to a case of jitters adjusting to a new school year can be just as hard on parents as it is on kids.

Alyssa Mairanz, LMHC, CDBT, the executive director and owner of Empower Your Mind Therapy in New York City, acknowledges this about parents and guardians during this time.

“They may feel a stream of several emotions at once: anxiety, nervousness, worry, sadness, pride, gratitude, and even excitement, to name a few,” she says. “It all depends on the individual family circumstances and concerns for how the child might develop, fit in, enjoy their time in school, and even projections from their own childhood experiences can creep in.”

Guess what? No matter how you feel, it’s all OK.

Learn more about the back-to-school routine in this article.