Summer Sanity: Expert Tips to Manage Parenting Overwhelm During Summer Break
It feels counterintuitive to say that summer break is one of the most dysregulating time periods for parents, because isn’t it supposed to be fun? However, most parents experience dysregulation [the inability to manage or regulate one’s emotions] multiple times per day.
“Summer break implies that there is a break or pause from all the things that we may have been obligated to get done or responsible for doing,” explains Dr. Amber Thornton, author of A Parent’s Guide to Self-Regulation: A Practical Framework for Breaking the Cycle of Dysregulation and Mastering Emotions for Parents and Children. “It’s supposed to be the ultimate moment of freedom, enjoyment, and satisfaction. This is exactly how I remember summer break as a kid. An entire three months of fun, excitement, and good times. Then came parenthood.”
When Dr. Amber was in the process of planning and writing “Chapter 4: Daily Dysregulation” for her new book, her family was knee-deep into summer, with back-to-school right on their heels, and she could tell they were all feeling the pressure. “I truly didn’t realize what the experience of summertime felt like for parents until I found myself desperately searching for summer camps for my toddler because he had just completed his first year of ‘big boy school,’ and childcare for him was no longer a thing after the conclusion of an academic year. It was intense,” the licensed clinical psychologist shares.
Dr. Amber noticed that the unpredictable nature of summer, in addition to the flux in schedules, routines, and her children’s energy levels, made for some challenging moments. She also noticed this in other parents. “Peak summer for parents is venting to your other good parent friend about how you can’t wait until school resumes, all the while knowing that deep down, you will look back on the summer memories and still smile,” she says.
A Parent’s Guide to Self-Regulation: A Practical Framework for Breaking the Cycle of Dysregulation and Mastering Emotions for Parents and Children
by Dr. Amber Thornton
Ulysses Press
Trade paperback; June 18, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-64604-668-3
$17.95; 5 1/2 x 8 1/2; 176 pages
About the Author
Dr. Amber Thornton is a licensed clinical psychologist and strong advocate for the mental health and well-being of parents. Dr. Amber loves writing and creating content online that will speak to the everyday struggles of motherhood and parenthood. She holds a BS in psychology from Ohio State University and PsyD in clinical psychology from Wright State University School of Professional Psychology. She’s an Ohio native who has made Washington, DC, her home since 2018. She loves spending time with her husband and two children. Learn more about Dr. Amber Thornton at dramberthornton.com and follow her @dramberthornton on Facebook and Instagram.