Hi friends-
July has become my annual work sabbath. A time when I attempt to clear my calendar from speaking engagements, take a breather from my podcast and re-charge.
I’m not naturally a “take a break” kind of person. In fact, I’m so bad at it, I had the words “Be Still” tattooed on my wrist several years ago to remind me to slow down every once in a while.
Rest is important for several reasons.
It prevents burnout
It recharges your soul
It fuels your creativity (some of my best ideas happen during rest)
Even the Lord rested…and He has commanded us to do so.
Don’t get me wrong, I will still be doing some light work (connecting with you through this Substack newsletter) and doing behind the scenes tasks.
But mainly, I’ll be enjoying small town life in South Carolina, which means enjoying the little things: mini golf with my kids, a chill day at our friend’s pool, reading a few good books (see what I’m currently binge-reading below) and watching World Cup drama on our living room couch.
Oh, and we’re very much looking forward to Target opening up a location in our town later this month. :)
I mentioned a few weeks ago in my Substack (and on my podcast) that I continue to challenge myself with two thoughts this summer:
Proof of Mom (get in the photos, mama!)
We (the parents) Get To Have A Summer, too.
That last one is something I’ve wrestled with forever. We put so much pressure on ourselves to create magical experiences for our family that we have lost sight of ourselves in the process. But, we deserve to have a summer, too! Lose the guilt!
You can lose the guilt by reminding yourself of two things:
Your kids and your partner need and want to see you enjoying life.
Like you, your kids also need rest of their own. In fact, their brains crave boredom and rest. But it takes their brains approximately 45 minutes to reach the boredom phase, so be patient with yourself and let them be bored…
I’m looking forward to connecting with you this month right here on Substack and I can’t wait to hear how your summer is going.
Love,
Paula xo
My friend Lindsay gave “The Five Star Weekend” by Elin Hilderbrand two thumbs up and I am devouring it. Admittedly, I’m more motivated than normal to finish it because PEACOCK just released the limited series (starring Jennifer Garner) based on the best-selling book. That’s a 1-2 punch I like. Read the book. Then watch the movie/series! What are YOU reading right now? Tell me in the comments.
Let’s face it, no one wants to think about making dinner in the summer. What a drag, right? For several years, we’ve been using a summer system that has eased the burden. A ton. We come up with daily themes. And you repeat those themes all summer. Monday night in our house is always Italian. Tuesday is always Tacos. Wednesday is always something we can grill. Thursday is something on a sheet pan. Friday is pizza. Saturday is something in a bowl. Sunday is some type of meat and rice. (We have it posted on our monthly calendar, which hangs in our mudroom—showing you a photo of what it looks like.) Again, you keep this all summer long. You don’t change it. And it has become something we not only love, but something that we look forward to. PS: My 12-year-old made Mexican Street Corn for Taco Tuesday and it was a HUGE hit. He smiled so big when he knew he’d made something we all love! Let me know in the comments if you plan on doing this :)
During this time of rest, I’m also starting to plan for future podcast episodes. Themes, topics, etc. My best ideas come out of this season of rest. That said, I always want to talk about the things you’re talking about, so this is your chance, my friends! What do you want me to cover? What topics are super interesting? Weigh in in the comments, or if you’re a private person, send me a DM on Substack.
Youth sports are out of control. And the worst part? We might be part of the problem.
Spoiler alert: I know I am. I’m the mom with a packed sports calendar, a trunk full of Chick-fil-A, and a competitive streak that sometimes gets the best of me. Guilty as charged.
I’m also a coach’s wife, so this topic hits close to home.
We’re closing out Momfessions, our month-long series where we’ve said the quiet parts of parenting out loud. And for our final confession, I’m joined once again by my teammate at CARRY Media, Kristen White, a mom of three boys.
This week: Why youth sports are out of control—and why we might be part of the problem.
Kids are specializing younger. Parents are spending more money than ever. And somewhere along the way, sports stopped being about kids having fun and started feeling like a full-time job for the whole family.
Here’s the wild part: When kids were asked what makes sports fun, winning ranked 48th. They cared more about playing with friends, getting better, feeling supported, and having fun.
So maybe the question isn’t, “How far can my child go in sports?” Maybe it’s, “What do I want sports to teach my child?”
This one might ruffle a few feathers (or cleats 😉). But as always with Momfessions... we’re willing to look in the mirror.
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