Unsubscribe from the Myth of the Summer Holiday
Every year, summer gets marketed to us as if it’s one long holiday. You know the fantasy: long, lazy days on the dock, barefoot kids eating popsicles, sun-warmed skin, and the smell of barbecue drifting through the air.
In reality? It’s chaos.
With young kids, summer is not a break — it’s a full-time logistical puzzle. Camps with drop-offs and pick-ups that somehow happen in the middle of the workday. Weeks with no camp at all, so you’re scrambling for babysitters or piecing together playdates. Trying to work from your computer while the sun is blazing outside, making you feel like you’re missing the one Canadian season where it’s actually nice to be outdoors.
And then there’s the pressure. You only have 18 summers, the internet warns us. Make them magical. Make memories. Be present.
Here’s the thing: that message lands squarely on moms. We’re the ones expected to orchestrate it all — the Pinterest-worthy moments, the sunscreen application, the endless snack refills — all while holding down our jobs, keeping the fridge stocked, folding the laundry, and yes, constantly sweeping sand out of the house.
Even “vacation” in the summer is a misnomer. Time off from work just means time on for everything else: packing, unpacking, cleaning, managing meltdowns, and keeping the peace in the back seat. Heat waves make everyone cranky, schedules shift constantly, and the mental load? It doesn’t take a holiday.
So no, summer isn’t really a vacation. Not for me, anyway. It’s just a different kind of busy — with better scenery and higher expectations.
And honestly? That’s why I’ve stopped chasing the fantasy of the perfect summer. Instead, I’m looking for intentional, uninterrupted time to step away from the noise and reset me.
That’s why the 2025 Women’s Leadership Retreat this September feels like a gift — three days to disconnect from the daily grind, connect with incredible women leaders, and actually have the kind of space summer promised but didn’t deliver.
If you’ve been craving a real break — not just a change in scenery, but a change in pace — join us. Let’s make this the summer where you end it more grounded, more energized, and more you.
With love,
Cait
Subscribe to Unsubscribe
Yes, we see the irony. But trust us—
you’ll want this in your inbox.