Hellloooo Reader,

It’s been a while since I landed in your cozy inbox—sorry for the radio silence! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. But here we are: school’s out, and SUMMER is officially on.

Let’s be real—summer’s supposed to feel like a break.

​
But for many of us parents, it’s anything but relaxing.

​

The school-year structure disappears. Routines dissolve. The days stretch long and hot.
And suddenly… screentime becomes the default babysitter.

If you’re feeling that creeping stress—more free time = more screentime = more guilt and battles—I see you.

I’ve been there.

In fact, one summer, my son got so frustrated, he threw an iPad at my head.
(Not a metaphor. A literal iPad. At my literal head.)

That moment cracked something open in me—not just about screen limits, but about control, anxiety, and what summer was actually asking of me as a parent.

In this blog post, I’m sharing:
• what happened that summer
• how I let go of control (without letting screens take over), and
• 7 practical strategies I now use to survive summer—and sometimes even enjoy it.

👉 Read the full story + tips here​

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about permission.
To reset. To rethink screentime. To reclaim summer for what it can be:

A little slower. A little lighter. A lot more forgiving.

You’re not alone in this. And no, you’re not a bad parent if the iPads are winning right now.

One tip, one shift, one cardboard box at a time—we get through it.

Let me know what you’re trying this summer, or what’s working for your family. I’d love to hear.

Peace, Love, and Hairgrease,
Arcadia