All Things Summer 😎

Hi mamas-

Summer’s just about here. That means that for most of us, school’s out, camp’s in, and math skills are mysteriously disappearing. 😅 

In this issue, we’re tackling the summer slide (don’t worry, your home won’t turn into a classroom…). We’re also sharing Father’s Day gift ideas that go beyond socks, and offering a little sanity-saving help for packing up your kiddo for camp. (Because we all need that summer camp packing list added to our mental load! 🙄)

Enjoy!

-Paula (Founder, CARRY™ Media)

 This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:

•  💁🏻‍♂️ Father’s Day Gift Ideas

• 📓 Prevent the Summer Slide

• 🏕️ Kid Gear and Camp Organizer

THE BIG 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

1️⃣ 💁🏻‍♂️ Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Father’s Day is coming up, which means it’s time to show the big guy how much he’s appreciated. Whether you’re shopping for your own dad or the father of your kids, we’ve rounded up some great items that are bound to put a smile on his face:

Rolling Grill Baskets - These are awesome for grilling veggies or shrimp to keep the food from falling through the grates. Bonus if you can spend time grilling together with these!

The Open It - This multitool is SO handy for around the house. It snips tough plastic packaging and zip ties, has a retractable razor blade, a tiny screw driver AND a bottle opener. Plus, it opens those pesky battery compartments on toys!

TOLOCO Massage Gun - Massage guns have been all the rage for a couple of years, and for good reason. Whether dad is sore from working out, or from sleeping the wrong way (IYKYK), he’ll love this little luxury.

Hand Casting Kit - For a more sentimental approach, get dad this hand casting kit to memorialize your bond. 

2️⃣  📓 Prevent the Summer Slide

While it’s super important to keep your kids’ brains active all summer, there’s no need to convert your house into a Montessori until September. Learning can be as simple as doing math with sidewalk chalk or baking. Here are some ideas: 

• Let them run a lemonade stand (and they’ll flex their math, marketing, people skills 💥).

• Start a "kid book club" with a few friends (including snacks of course).

• Assign them a mystery to solve (real or made up, dealer’s choice) 

But before you create a marketing plan with them for their lemonade venture, remember that being bored is good for them! When their schedule isn’t chock-full of camps and video games, they’re forced to imagine and problem-solve. And those are the things that really prevent the summer slide. 

3️⃣ 🏕️ Kid Gear and Camp Organizer

Need help figuring out what gear your kid actually needs for camp (or how to get it all labeled, packed, and organized without losing your mind? 🤪)

Try asking your favorite AI assistant. (We typically use ChatGPT):

“Can you give me a camp packing checklist for a [boy/girl/child] going to [sleepaway/day camp] for [number] of days, with gear recommendations for a [age]-year-old?”

Bonus: Add this if you want a planning doc too:

“And can you organize it into categories like clothing, toiletries, outdoor gear, and extras?”

🌞 BONUS! Savor Your Summer Workbook

We all know that summertime can mean even more stress for us working moms. That’s why every year at this time, we bring back one of our most helpful resources. Download our free, SAVOR SUMMER WORKBOOK which helps to:

• Identify stress points and recognize what we love about summer

• Create rhythms that set you AND your kids up for success 

• Provide lists and charts for quick access

• Provide scripts to help you own your communication

• Share helpful resources and favorite summer items

📰 IN THE NEWS

GOP States embrace paid family leave, signaling broader acceptance

➡️ This year alone, Alabama, Iowa and Mississippi have joined 37 other states granting paid parental leave to state workers, such as teachers. South Carolina voted to double paid leave to 12 weeks. Because the GOP has traditionally been behind on this issue, this could signal broader acceptance of family-friendly workplace polices. READ MORE HERE. 

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 🤎

for working moms with older children

• As our teens get bigger (raise your hand if yours is taller than you! 🙋🏻‍♀️) they get A LOT more freedom over the summer than when they still sat on your lap or didn’t roll their eyes when you spoke. 😜 But with that freedom comes a little more risk — but keeping your teens safe over the summer doesn’t have to be overly complicated. This quick read gives great ideas about how to keep your teens safe (yet still empowered) this summer, like having a built-in accountability plan.