From Color-Coded Chaos to Summer Mayhem: How a Type A Mom Survives the Unraveling of Her Schedule

Let me paint you a picture.

It’s the last week of school. The kids’ backpacks are practically bursting with end-of-year artwork, broken pencils, and crushed goldfish crackers. I’m riding the high of a year well-managed—calendars synced, lunches prepped, socks mostly matched.

My planner is a masterpiece of routine, and everyone knows what to do, where to be, and when to be there.

And then... summer happens.

Gone are the neat routines and quiet mornings. Suddenly, the clock has no meaning. Bedtimes? Optional. Lunch? Whenever. My once-pristine calendar stares back at me—blank, taunting me with its total lack of structure.

As a Type A personality, this “freedom” is not relaxing at all. It’s terrifying. Chaos dressed in flip-flops.

But after years of transitioning between the school year’s structure and summer’s wild sprawl, I’ve found a few strategies that help me cope—without turning into the summer fun police.

1. Embrace a Loose Routine

No, I can’t stick to a school-year schedule in July. But I can create rhythm. In our house, that looks like:

• Mornings for chores, reading, or errands

• Afternoons for free play or outings

• Evenings for winding down with books or movies

I don’t time-block like I do during the school year, but having general “zones” helps me feel grounded—and gives the kids some predictability too.

2. Make a Summer Bucket List (But Keep It Real)

Every year we sit down and make a family summer bucket list. Not a Pinterest-perfect list—but one with realistic fun and boredom-busters like:

• Try a new activity 

• Visit the local splash pad

• Have a pajama and movie day

  
  

3. Use a “Summer Command Center”

Yes, I’m that mom. I'm wired how I am wired and going from all structure to none is just asking too much. Turn part of the fridge into a summer command center to  have:

• A dry-erase calendar

• Weekly meal plan

• Chore list

• Any upcoming activities or camp dates

Plus, it prevents 27 “What are we doing today?” questions before I’ve had coffee.

4. Schedule in Solitude (Seriously)

One of the hardest things for me about summer is the lack of quiet. Everyone is home, all the time. There are wet towels on every surface and someone always needs a snack.

I cope by scheduling breaks for myself. If I don’t plan it, it doesn’t happen. But when I do, I’m a better mom and a saner human.

5. Let Go—A Little

I am not trying to call the kettle black here. I know this is hard to hear - myself included.  But It’s okay if summer is messy.

The kids won’t suffer if you skip one library day. The world won’t end if the kitchen is sticky from popsicles. And you are not a bad parent for craving structure in a season that seems allergic to it.

I’ve learned that summer is its own kind of growth—less about achievement and more about letting go. (Even if I still color-code the pool bag.)

In the End…

Summer is an adjustment. For those of us who thrive on routine, the sudden lack of structure can feel disorienting. But with a few gentle systems in place—and a healthy dose of self-compassion—we can survive (and maybe even enjoy) the messiness of it all.

Just don’t touch my dry-erase markers.

Keep Shining!

Sasha