Finding Your Calm in the Chaos: A Mother’s Guide to Mental Wellness During Back-to-School Season
As the golden glow of summer starts to fade, the back-to-school season can feel like a storm rolling in. Beach towels are traded for backpacks, and instead of relaxing mornings, it’s early alarms, packed lunches, and after-school activities.
For many mothers (and fathers), this time of year stirs a unique type of stress - juggling the needs of everyone else while quietly placing their own on the back burner. The mental checklist grows:
School supplies?
Lunches planned?
Grocery list updated?
Laundry caught up?
Dinner defrosted?
Who’s taking which child to practice?
And while it may look like you’re keeping all the balls in the air, inside you may feel stretched thin - physically, emotionally, and mentally.
The Hidden Weight Mothers Carry
Behind the scenes of a smooth school year kickoff is a mother’s who’s often holding it all together. You’re coordinating schedules, managing the household, meeting work or family obligations - all while trying to stay emotionally available for your children. It’s no wonder that feeling of overwhelm, mental exhaustion, and even resentment start creeping in.
You mind find yourself snapping more easily, feeling foggy, or even forgetting what day it is. You may notice that your own need - rest, nutrition, connection, peace - are the last to be met (if at all).
This isn’t failure.
It’s the cost of carrying too much without a place to rest.
Grounding Yourself: From Survival Mode to Intentional Living
The good news? You don’t have to wait for the next vacation or school break to feel better.
You can anchor yourself in calm - even in the middle of the chaos.
Here’s how:
Create a Personal Transition Ritual
Just like your kids need help adjusting to a new routine, you deserve a transition too.
Try this: take 10 minutes at the start or end of each day for yourself. This could be sipping tea before everyone wakes up, journaling your thoughts, or simply sitting in silence and breathing deeply.
Let it be your reminder: You matter, too.
Reclaim Micro-Moments for Self-Care
Self-care doesn’t have to be long or luxurious - it needs to be intentional.
Try lighting a calm candle while folding laundry. Put on your favorite playlist while prepping dinner. Turn a quick shower into a grounding moment with essential oils and mindful breathing,
It’s not about adding more - it’s about infusing your existing rhythm with more presence and peace.
Say “No” Where You Can
This is a powerful time to access what you actually wnat to say yes to.
Do you need to attend every PTA meeting or volunteer for every school event? Do you need to cook from scratch every night, or it is okay to serve cereal for dinner sometimes?
Protect your energy. You’re not failing anyone by choosing simplicity.
Connect with Other Women Who Get It
Feeling alone in this juggle is common - but you’re not alone. Whether it’s a friend, a support group, or a wellness circle, seek spaces where you can share, laugh, cry, and be seen without judgment.
If you don’t have that space yet, create it - or join one like our Creative Journeys Gatherings, where mother come together for grounding, creativity, and real connection.
Breathe (Yes, Really)
One of the simplest tools that get forgotten in the rush: your breath.
Try this 30-second grounding technique:
Inhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale for 6 counts
Repeat 3 times
You Deserve to Thrive, Too
This season is not just about getting your children back on track - it’s about reclaiming your own rhythm too. Amid the packed calendars, permission slips, and laundry piles, your peace matters.
Make space for it. Even just a little.
Because when you care for yourself, you’re not just surviving - you’re modeling wellness for your entire family.
And that is the most powerful lesson of all.
Looking for a space to reconnect with yourself this season?
Join us at Joyful Journeys Wellness for upcoming wellness gatherings and creative support circles designed for women like you.
Come as you are - and leave feeling more grounded, centered, and whole.
You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s walk the journey together.