The Summer Survival Guide for Working Moms

Let’s be honest, summer break hits very differently when you're a working mom. The school doors close, and suddenly everything shifts. Gone are the structured drop-offs and predictable routines. In their place? A daily juggling act of keeping your job on track, your kids engaged, and your home from spiraling into a scene from a sitcom (minus the laugh track).

You're expected to show up to meetings with a smile even if you’ve been mediating sibling fights since sunrise. You’re bouncing between Team calls and snack duty, trying to keep the Wi-Fi working while also locating the missing sunscreen, drying wet towels, and preventing the third popsicle meltdown of the day. Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever emailed a client while cutting crusts off sandwiches... this one’s for you. This isn’t some picture-perfect guide filled with Pinterest-worthy activities or unrealistic schedules. This is a survival kit built for the real world, one full of imperfect days, multitasking mayhem, and moments where you just need five minutes of silence in the pantry.

Inside, you’ll find practical, sanity-saving tips that acknowledge your reality as a working mom this summer. No judgment. No pressure. Just doable shifts that might make things feel a little easier and who knows, maybe even a little fun.

You've got this. And if you don’t feel like you do every second of every day? That’s okay too. Let’s get through it together.

Illustration of kids playing outside during summer

How to Build a Summer Schedule That Works for Your Family

Summer doesn’t have to mean a total free-for-all. Kids thrive on structure and so do we. But that doesn’t mean your schedule has to be rigid. Think flexible framework, not minute-by-minute planner.

Try anchoring your day with a few predictable rhythms:

• Morning Routine: breakfast, sunscreen, a walk or playtime outdoors

• Midday Quiet Time: books, puzzles, screens, or solo play (while you work)

• Afternoon Block: time for connection - water play, a craft, or a snack break

• Evening Reset: dinner, outdoor wind-down, early bedtime (for them… and maybe for you too)

✨ Pro tip: Write it out and tape it on the fridge. Kids love visuals and it cuts down on constant questions.

Creative Childcare Alternatives When Camp Isn’t an Option

Camps are amazing... but also expensive, hard to coordinate, and not always available. If you’re cobbling together care this summer, here are a few outside-the-box ideas:

• Babysitter Share: Split the cost of a teen sitter with another family

• Playdate Swaps: You watch the kids one morning, your friend takes the next

• Grandparent Days: Even 1–2 days a week of grandparent help can be game-changing

• Local Library or Rec Programs: Free or low-cost drop-in events

• DIY Activity Kits: Think KiwiCo, Lovevery, or Pinterest-inspired bins for independent play

✨ Pro tip: Rotate toys and activities weekly to keep things fresh without buying more stuff.

How to Actually Get Work Done with Kids at Home

Working from home in the summer can feel… impossible. But small shifts help:

• Time Block Wisely: Reserve high-focus work for early mornings, naps, or screen time

• Batch Low-Energy Tasks: Save emails, light admin, or calls for loud/busy parts of the day

• Use Signals: Noise-canceling headphones + a “stoplight system” on your desk = boundaries

• Communicate Clearly: Let coworkers know when you’re in focus mode and when you’re flexible

✨ Pro tip: Some days will feel like survival. That’s okay. Work smarter, not harder.

Why You’re Not Failing If Summer Isn’t Magical

Here’s the truth: Instagram lies.

You’re not a bad mom if there’s no perfect beach day, color-coded chart, or homemade popsicles. Kids don’t need curated memories, they need love, safety, and your presence (even if it’s tired and messy).

Let go of:

• The idea that you must do it all

• The guilt for not “making the most” of every moment

• The pressure to perform summer like a Pinterest board

✨ Pro tip: Take “good enough” over “burned out and bitter” every time.

Realistic Self-Care for Moms Who Are Maxed Out

Self-care isn’t bubble baths and spa days. It’s:

• Drinking water before your third coffee

• Stretching while your kid watches Bluey

• Closing your eyes for 60 seconds and breathing before answering “what’s for lunch?”

These micro-moments matter. They help reset your nervous system, clear your head, and remind you: I matter too.

✨ Grab your FREE 15-Minute Self-Care Reset for Working Moms — it’s a printable guide full of realistic, doable ideas to help you take care of you. [Link in bio!]

Illustration of a happy working mom writing in a notebook while using a laptop at home

Final Thoughts

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge something important: you’re not alone in this. If summer feels like a constant game of catch-up, between work emails, snack breaks, sunscreen battles, and wondering if you’re doing any of it right, you’re not failing. You’re just living the beautifully chaotic reality of working motherhood during the summer months.

There’s no instruction manual for balancing it all. Some days you’ll nail it. Other days, survival will be the win and that’s more than enough.

Even on the hard days you’re still showing up. That matters. That counts.

You don’t need to have every hour scheduled or every activity prepped. You don’t need to be the fun mom, the calm mom, or the super-productive mom all at once. What you do need is a little room to breathe, a bit of encouragement, and a whole lot of self-compassion.

So if today felt messy, if the kids watched a little too much TV or dinner came from a drive-thru, let it go. You’re doing what you can, and that’s everything.

You’ve got this, mama. And on the days you feel like you don’t? We're right here with you.